Martin O’Neill is famous for his one-liners, and one of his most memorable came during his tenure at Celtic when he described the challenge of taking on Rangers in the summer of 2000. O’Neill famously said he didn’t just have to beat one Rangers team – he had to overcome three. Back then, Rangers boss Dick Advocaat had assembled such a talented squad that he was fielding one team for European competition, another for the domestic league, and a third for cup matches. While that approach didn’t work out for Rangers, O’Neill’s Celtic outfit triumphed regardless of which side Advocaat put out.
That quote may seem more relevant than ever now, as Celtic prepare to face a demanding winter schedule. Brendan Rodgers’ team is in excellent form, having been slick and efficient all season. Over the past week, they’ve taken their game to the next level, with a dominant victory over Aberdeen at Hampden and a solid performance against RB Leipzig in the Champions League. But a much tougher test lies ahead for Rodgers’ squad.
After Sunday’s match against Kilmarnock and the upcoming international break, Celtic will face a grueling run of 10 matches in just 36 days, followed by 20 games in 88 days stretching into February. That’s a game every four days for nearly three months. Such a schedule would strain any squad, and there are concerns that Rangers and Hearts might also feel the pressure during this stretch.
This is where Celtic’s strength in depth will be crucial. Rodgers will have to make difficult decisions about squad rotation, especially with the added challenge of balancing domestic duties and European aspirations. The Premiership title is the ultimate goal, but Rodgers has to prioritize wisely. With key matches in the Champions League still to come, Celtic need to ensure they keep their best players fresh for those crucial European fixtures.
Celtic are in a strong position in the Champions League, arguably ahead of where many expected them to be at this stage. They currently sit in a good spot to advance, but there’s still work to be done. Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb have proven they are no pushovers, and Rodgers will need to keep his star players fit for the remainder of the European campaign.
As Celtic head into this crucial period, Rodgers will rely on his squad’s depth. It’s time for fringe players to step up and prove their worth. With Celtic’s European coefficient needing a boost for automatic qualification in the future, every game will count. Rodgers has plenty of resources to tap into, and it will be interesting to see if he can rotate his squad effectively to manage the workload while keeping Celtic competitive on all fronts.
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