'Patience - and luck - needed for Celtic in Europe'

Former Celtic midfielder John Collins has urged "patience" from the club's fans if they are looking for the side to make instant progress in the Champions League under new manager Brendan Rodgers.

Rodgers targeted improvement in European football when speaking after this week's appointment, but Collins suggests it is a case of "one step at a time".

"Celtic fans watching them in Europe last season must have been happy," he told BBC Scotland's Sportsound. "The group of players who played in the Champions League last season will have taken tremendous confidence.

"Last season, they were toe-to-toe until the last 20 minutes against Real Madrid. But you have to be realistic with your budget.

"Celtic fans will be hoping they don't get bids for Kyogo and Reo Hatate. The key for Brendan is making signings that make the team better - Champions League quality players. Those players are hard to find and cost a lot of money."

Collins thinks the "challenge for Brendan" is matching predecessor Ange Postecoglou, whose "recruitment was sensational", by "finding players that are better but affordable".

Former striker Kenny Miller, who played for both sides of the Old Firm, thinks qualifying from the Champions League group is "a big ask" for Celtic and Rangers but "doable" if they get a favourable draw.

"Some of the football Celtic played last season in the Champions League was excellent - they can be competitive," he added. "But the amount of money they would need to spend - they've just not got it - and there will be clubs that spend hundreds of millions that don't qualify."