Brendan Rodgers claimed there was no place he would rather be than Celtic after winning his first Premiership title as manager at the club. A 5-0 thrashing of Hearts at Tynecastle sealed the club’s sixth consecutive championship, in his first season in charge.

Scott Sinclair scored a hat-trick, the third from the spot late-on, after Stuart Armstrong and Patrick Roberts had stretched their lead after half-time.

Rodgers pointed out that he is in no rush to return to the Premier League. “I am very content,” he said. “I have only started in management really. I need to just stay calm. I have already worked in the Premier League and I couldn’t think of a better place to be at this stage of my life than Glasgow Celtic. I am comfortable here and sometimes that ambition, you have to be careful, you have to appreciate what you have and I feel very happy here. There is not a place in this world I could be right now where I would be happier in my football life and personal life.

“So, yes, it is only the start for us. I have the responsibility to the supporters. I am one of them, I know what they think and what they want and I want to try to bring them as far to that as I possibly can, and when my time is up hopefully I will leave a legacy that they can smile about and have enjoyed. But until that moment comes, which hopefully won’t be for a while, I am very content.”

Rodgers said Tynecastle was the perfect place for his side to wrap up the title. His first league game was in Gorgie in August last year, when Celtic won 2-1, courtesy of a late goal by Sinclair after he had come off the bench to make his debut. It was a much more convincing performance by Celtic this time.

The Celtic manager said: “It was a great place to show the development of the team because the first game was here, in the sunshine, on a nice pitch. Could we now go out and show the progress as a team and wrap it up in that way? So, for the players to do that in the style that they did and to show every element that you would want from a football team, makes me really happy.

“I am more pleased for others. Really happy for the board, firstly. They put their trust in me to lead it, which I am very grateful for, and they allowed me to work. I am absolutely delighted for the players, and I am over the moon for the supporters.

“I am very lucky. I am one of them but I am in the dugout and from the first day I walked in here they have given me nothing but 150% support. And what does it mean to me? I am just happy to win it in the style I wanted to, in the best possible way we could.”

Hearts have won only one of their last eight games but the head coach, Ian Cathro, claimed his team were all the better for the defeat as they prepare to play St Johnstone on Wednesday night, with the Saints two points ahead in fourth place.

Cathro congratulated Celtic on their title success but said: “The scoreline no way reflects the majority of that game. We needed to take our opportunities if we wanted to put ourselves ahead and then allow the game continue.

“We spoke openly and directly before the game that this is the first of a three-game week which is very important to us. And what is important for me to put across is that I feel even better, stronger and more confident going into Wednesday’s game than the reverse.

“Often we try to create the idea that this doesn’t impact on the next game. It doesn’t. We are better, stronger and very much look forward to McDiarmid Park.”