They say you should never go back but Brendan Rodgers has defied that rule by returning to Celtic. 

The 50-year-old takes charge of the Bhoys for a second spell, having been sacked from his job at Leicester last April.

As Rodgers prepares for a fresh start at Parkhead, we take a look at the reasons behind his decision.

Treble winner

It will be hard for Rodgers to achieve more in his second spell at Celtic than he did in his first, when he won every available domestic trophy. 

Between 2016 and 2019, the former Liverpool boss secured two consecutive trebles and an additional Scottish League Cup, before departing mid-season to join the Foxes. 

It will also be difficult for the Northern Irishman to improve on the style of football that fellow treble-winner Ange Postecoglou brought to the Glasgow giants, before joining Tottenham. 

The only way that Rodgers can eclipse his own achievements and those of his predecessor is in Europe. 

When he was last at Celtic Park, his side reached the group stage of the Champions League in his first two seasons, only to suffer humiliating defeats against Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. 

Celtic only won one game across those two campaigns and were then knocked out in the qualifying rounds of the competition in Rodgers' final season. 

European aims

Rodgers has a clear motivation for his return and reports suggest that he has been promised a £30million spending spree to make European success a reality. 

Though that is a relatively small figure compared to the budgets of some of the clubs that Celtic could be facing, within Scottish football, it represents a huge investment. 

Even if the money is spent wisely, making it through to the group stage and then the knockout rounds of the Champions League remains very much dependent on the kindness of the draw. 

Yet dropping down into the Europa League next season could be viewed as an opportunity, with Rangers having reached the final of that competition in 2021-22. 

Longer term, the expansion of the Champions League in 2024-25 gives Celtic a chance to compete, as it shifts from a group stage to a single league featuring 36 teams. 

Teams finishing between ninth place and 24th will enter a play-off to decide which side goes through to the knockout stages and which instead enters the Europa League. 

This seems like an achievable aim for a club like Celtic and with Rodgers having signed a three-year contract, he should be at the helm. 

Simple decision

Despite there being a strong incentive for Rodgers to go back to Celtic, he had other possibilities. 

After leaving Leicester, he was linked with the vacancies at Chelsea and Spurs. 

Though they were perhaps unrealistic, he would have been a strong contender for any Premier League jobs that came up next season. 

Rodgers instead opted to return to Scotland and said upon his appointment that he did not seem to have had any doubts. 

He said: "I am really delighted to return to Celtic and I am hugely excited by this great opportunity. 

"When I was given the privilege of being asked to join the club again, it was a very simple decision for me and my family."

After the gloom of a relegation season at the King Power Stadium, Rodgers will hope to embark on a brighter future north of the border.