Everything that Brendan Rodgers said to the media after Celtic clinched the Scottish Premiership title with a 5-0 win over Kilmarnock

Is that an emotional moment for you?

I think it was a really nostalgic day. It started at the Seamill (Hydro). We had our pre-match there. It’s where I used to look at pictures of Jock Stein and those players. They used to do pre-season there. Then coming to the stadium knowing it was a tribute to Tommy Burns. Ironically he’d have been 67 today. To get the victory in the style of which he’d have loved watching was really special. These players have dealt with the pressure side of things so well, concentrating on the football, against a team who have hardly conceded, who are so stubborn and hard to beat. How we played through the pressure and level of our game was so good.

Is that arguably one of the best performances over your two spells as manager of Celtic?

Yes, under pressure it is. These players have dealt with the pressure side of it so well. I have just taken away the pressure for them and allowed them to play and just concentrate on the football. I have to say it is especially on that surface and against a team like Derek's this season who have hardly conceded many goals and are so stubborn and tough and hard to beat. How we played through the pressure and the level of our game was so good.

You told the fans you would see them in May for a celebration. How do you feel now that you've delivered that?

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I put myself under pressure but I’m happy with that. It’s never bothered me and I feel it’s when I’m at my best. Thankfully I was able to make that true and bring it home for them.

Is this more special than the first time around because of the challenges you have faced?

When I look at the titles they’ve all been special but this has been the most challenging for so many reasons and some out of football. I’ve never had my style focused on so much. As a coach who broke through and became a manager at 35, one of my key references has always been my style. So to come here and have the accusation about my style not fitting felt strange. I knew from what the team was missing it would come and we now look like we are at the start of the season. I don’t think anyone could complain about the style on a difficult surface.

Is this title one of the sweetest wins of your managerial career?

There’s no doubt. I was tested for lots of pressure. I think the awkwardness of it. I totally respect that of the supporters and the feeling they might have had and that lingered on. There were moments in the stadium and I knew my job was to somehow pull this together and we’ve been able to do that. The staff stayed unified, the players stayed with the process and fed off the calmness and the work that we have done and that's why they’ve been able to perform.

Have you learned anything about yourself as a manager this season?

I think every season you have is a learning season and there are all the things flying about. Things like ‘he’s never been in a pressure situation’ or ‘he’s never had this challenge before’ and all these things that get thrown at you but I never doubt. I have complete faith in my work and what I do and it was just about timing and we came through when it mattered.

When you hear the fans singing your name like that do you feel that the reconnection process is complete? Are you back to the way it was?

Well hopefully it can get to that but I have to earn that. Nights like that, performances like that, build that bond back closer again. There might be some guys whom I respect who might never understand and might never turn but I’ll cope with that the best I can and in the meantime, I’ll prepare this team to win and build this club to be successful. Nights like tonight play a big part for everyone connected with the club.

Can you get better in the next two games?

That would be the plan. There’s real happiness and joy tonight. I don’t like losing on trophy day when we lost to Aberdeen 1-0.  I didn't like that at all. I want to finish the season stronger. Our whole idea was to sprint over the finishing line. That was an absolutely brilliant performance. Can we then go again on Saturday against a team that will be well-coached and well-organised? Then can we recover for Hampden, which will be an amazing occasion on a big pitch that suits our game. We will prepare well for that.