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Brendan Rodgers thinks Celtic would be a 'frightening prospect' for Premier League clubs

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Brendan Rodgers believes Celtic would break into the top six if they played in the Premier League

Manager Brendan Rodgers says Celtic could be a 'top six' club if they were playing their football in England.

But Rodgers does not consider a move south to be a likely prospect for the Scottish champions, due to possible opposition from within the English game.

The English Football League are considering adding eight new members, so they can create four divisions of 20 below the Premier League, but recently ruled out the possibility of clubs from outside their borders joining the pyramid.

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And Rodgers thinks that a club with Celtic's credentials would be a "frightening prospect" for the Premier League.

Speaking the day after Wednesday night's enthralling 3-3 Champions League draw with Manchester City at Parkhead, Rodgers said: "Make no bones about it. If Celtic are in England, Celtic are one of the top four/six clubs there.

Brendan Rodgers [right] hailed his Celtic players after their draw with Pep Guardiola's Man City
Image: Rodgers says Celtic are unlikely to ever move into the English pyramid

"Can you imagine then the resources playing at that level, what that would produce for Celtic? It could go as far as it wants then.

"For Celtic to be in the English pyramid system is very tough, because of the size of the club.

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"We have the history, huge club, fan base, team, stadium. It would be a frightening prospect and an exciting prospect if it ever happened but, for others looking through, it would be very difficult to accept.

"If you are another club playing in that League or the Championship or League One, would you like that type of threat coming in to possibly stop you coming into the league?

"I don't think you would want it and that is the reality.

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Celtic's Scott Sinclair felt his side could have got all three points after their 3-3 draw with Man City on Wednesday

"So, I think it is always going to be difficult to get that across."

Rodgers says that Wednesday's epic match proved that Celtic are well worth their place in the Champions League, despite their 7-0 hammering at the hands of Barcelona in their Group C opener.

New changes to the competition are to see the top four clubs from the four highest-ranked associations - currently Spain, Germany, England and Italy - automatically enter the group stage from 2018, while the champions route, which Celtic used this season, will be reduced from five to four teams.

And Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster has warned of the risk of "an inexorable slide towards an NFL-style closed-shop system".

Celtic's Moussa Dembele celebrates putting Celtic 3-2 ahead
Image: Celtic bounced back from a hammering at Barcelona with a fine display against Manchester City

Rodgers said: "Probably after the Barcelona game there were critics, which is natural when you lose so heavily.

"But, when you put it into perspective, there has to be an opportunity for clubs like Celtic, one of the great clubs in world football, to play in this competition. The competition is better for a club like Celtic in it.

"Of course you have to earn the right to be in it, you have to qualify, but it shouldn't be made near-on impossible, because you don't have television money and you don't have the propaganda that goes with that.

"This is one of the great clubs of world football but we don't have the resources or anywhere near the resources.

"I know League One clubs in England that probably have greater resources than Celtic but that shouldn't stop us having an opportunity up here."

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