Celtic has had a quiet week. The next eight days will not be.

Weeks like this, where there’s no major news or games being played in the middle of it, can seem quiet and uneventful. But for Celtic, it’s nothing but a positive.

It’s an opportunity for the squad to take a breather, for the coaching staff to work on the finer details, and for everyone to recharge under calm skies.

For a blogger like me, always on the lookout for the next big headline, it might feel like a lull, but in reality, these are the moments that show everything is going smoothly at the club. No drama, no crises—just a team laser-focused on its objectives. It’s a sign that things are going well when the news cycle isn’t frantic.

The players have had a chance to focus, and when we step onto the pitch at Perth, you can bet we’ll be ready for whatever comes our way.

The challenges will come thick and fast soon enough, with a massive clash against Dortmund on Tuesday and then a trip to Dingwall. If we can notch two wins and a draw from those, we’ll go into the dreaded international break riding a positive wave.

Later today, we’ll hear from Brendan Rodgers about the injury situation, and hopefully, we’ll get a hint of who will make the starting eleven tomorrow. If I were in his shoes, I’d be cautious with Johnson if he’s not fully fit and give Carter-Vickers every chance to recover for Tuesday. It’s about managing the squad smartly, especially with such a massive game in midweek.

Rodgers took responsibility after the Falkirk game, saying he might’ve made too many changes. That’s him at his best—taking the heat off the players and absorbing it himself. It’s the mark of a true leader, because I actually thought he did the right thing by giving fringe players a chance. If some didn’t grab that opportunity, that’s on them.

Others did, and they’ll benefit from that in the long run.

The team for the weekend mostly seems to pick itself, but there’s one potential change that I could see—leaving out Reo Hatate. Not for Paolo Bernardo, as some might expect, but maybe for Luke McCowan. Had he not been cup-tied, McCowan would’ve likely started at Celtic Park. I think Rodgers wants to give him an extended run, and Saturday might be the perfect time.

Maybe that’s just me projecting what I want to see because I really like McCowan’s attitude. I want him to get more opportunities, and while the competition for places is fierce, his self-belief stands out. I wish Luis Palma had that same confidence.

Now, about last night—yes, the Ibrox club beat Malmö, and the media is drooling over it. But what I noticed was how exhausted their players looked by the end. Dessers, in particular, seemed completely drained. I’ll delve into the mess that left him as their only available striker later, but it highlights how stretched their squad is.

They don’t have the depth to cope with the sheer volume of games coming their way. A full European and domestic schedule will take its toll on that threadbare squad. Meanwhile, we’ve got the luxury of a deep bench and the ability to rotate without dropping quality. We can take three or four players out and still feel confident about winning. That’s a luxury they can only dream of, and as the season wears on, their cracks will start to show.

It’s a good position to be in when we can speculate about the starting lineup without worrying too much about who gets the nod. Rodgers won’t make the same number of changes as he did against Falkirk, but I can see him resting a few players with Dortmund in mind. Four changes from the usual lineup wouldn’t surprise me.

That’s not to underestimate our opponents in Perth.

At Celtic, we respect every challenge. But it’s also an acknowledgment that we’re built for long campaigns. As quiet as this week has been, I’m sure the work behind the scenes at Lennoxtown and Parkhead has been anything but complacent.

I’m looking forward to hearing what the boss has to say later today. Hopefully, we’ll get some clarity on the fitness of Carter-Vickers and Johnston. Whether they’ll be risked is another matter.

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