This last week has added what Celtic fans have missed; anticipation and excitement.

Aye, here we go again! Another Celtic game, another day when I can feel that wee Celtic excitement bubbling inside me like a cauldron that has been left on the fire for far too long.

And do I need to explain why I am excited today? Because I want to see Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur in that beautiful green-and-white shirt. I mean… wow.

There is something absolutely delicious about seeing brand-new Celtic players stepping onto that pitch for the first time. You don’t really know what is coming yet. You have watched clips, read stories, heard the whispers, looked at statistics and listened to everybody telling you how brilliant they might be.

But then comes the moment when they actually pull on the Hoops. That’s when the magic begins. And my Ginger Witch instincts are already twitching.

I have been watching this Celtic squad take shape and I am beginning to feel something rather dangerous brewing around Parkhead. It is that feeling I get when Celtic are quietly gathering strength while everybody else is busy looking somewhere else, moaning constantly or being a raging bear.

Today, I want another Celtic victory; it’s a cup quarter final place that is up for grabs, not just three more points. If we want the first silverware we can’t afford a slip.

Haissem Hassan particularly has got me very curious. The Egyptian international has arrived with a reputation, with experience and with that wonderful wee ingredient I always look for in a Celtic player — the ability to make something happen.

I don’t want players who simply exist on the pitch. I want players who disturb the opposition. Players who make defenders look over their shoulders and leave full-backs wondering what the hell has just happened.

I want that little bit of unpredictability which makes a Celtic attack exciting.

And Hassan, from everything I have seen and heard about him, looks as though he could bring exactly that.

Then there is Mika Baur. Another fresh face. Another player who makes me curious. Another little piece of the Celtic puzzle waiting to be placed onto that beautiful green-and-white board. And this is what excites me most about this team.

It isn’t simply about buying players for the sake of buying players. I want to see how these different personalities, abilities and footballing ideas fit together. I want to see the chemistry and the movement, and players beginning to understand where their teammates are going to be before they even receive the ball.

That takes time, of course. But sometimes you get that magical moment when everything clicks. And when it does, Celtic can become a very dangerous team indeed.

And speaking of dangerous…

KASPER HØGH. My goodness. What a way to introduce yourself to Celtic supporters. Three goals against Kilmarnock. A bloody hat-trick! I am still enjoying that one.

I remember all the excitement surrounding his arrival, and now the man has walked onto the pitch and basically announced: Hello, I’m here to score goals.

Well, Kasper, carry on then! I certainly won’t be complaining.

Actually, I have a wee confession.

I wouldn’t mind another hat-trick today.

There. I have said it.

Why settle for one when this team can have it all?

This is Celtic. We are allowed to dream. And I absolutely love the feeling Høgh has already given the supporters. There is something wonderful about seeing a new striker arrive and immediately look as though he belongs.

That is what I want from all these new players. I don’t expect perfection immediately, but I want them to see those green-and-white Hoops and think:

Right. Let’s get to work. Now we have Hassan. We have Baur. We have Høgh. We have Durán. And we have the rest of this squad continuing to grow together.

Suddenly I am looking at Celtic and thinking that the buzz we associate with watching this team is well and truly back.

Of course, I am not going to start declaring everything won in August. I am a Celtic supporter, not a fortune teller with a crystal ball — although, between you and me, the Ginger Witch has been known to have a reasonably good ability to see the future. (James told me the other day I was the only person in his orbit who was still confidently predicting that Celtic would win the league at the turn of the year!)

And what do I see? Green. White. Goals. And a lot of opposition defenders having extremely uncomfortable afternoons.

But seriously, this is where Celtic have to keep building. Every game matters. Every three points matter. Every new player getting minutes matters. Every little partnership beginning to develop matters.

Today gives us another chance to see that process happening in front of us. Dundee United will be waiting at Tannadice with their own plans, their own ideas and their own determination to make life difficult for Celtic.

Fine. I never want it to be easy. I want Celtic to make it look easy.

I want Celtic to play with the confidence of champions and with that powerful champions’ mentality. Because that’s what we are. Champions. And champions should not walk onto a pitch wondering whether they will break the opposition down. They should walk on knowing that they will, and looking forward to it.

That doesn’t mean arrogance. It means mentality. It means understanding that those Hoops carry history, expectation and responsibility. And I want these new Celtic players to feel that, even the new ones. I want Hassan to experience what Celtic football feels like. I want Baur to get his first proper sense of being part of this team. I want Høgh to hear the supporters singing his name again.

I want every one of them to understand exactly where they are, and when the Celtic support gets going, there is something different in the air.

I shall be sitting here watching, waiting, probably shouting instructions at players who absolutely cannot hear me, celebrating every Celtic goal as though I have personally scored it and casting my wee Celtic spell from my comfy seat.

So Hassan… Baur… Welcome to Celtic. Show us what you can do. Run. Fight. Create. Enjoy yourselves. And most importantly, understand that when you wear those Hoops you become part of something much bigger than yourself.

And Kasper… My man… You gave us three last time. I’m not putting pressure on you. I’m merely suggesting that another three would be rather lovely.

One each for each of the new boys. Three for the established striker! A wee six-goal Celtic early evening wouldn’t exactly ruin my weekend, would it?

So come on, Celtic. Let’s get out there.

Let’s welcome the new boys properly. Let’s let Høgh continue his beautiful madness in front of goal. Let’s play like champions. Let’s win another game.

The cauldron is already bubbling, and I bloody love it.

Come on you Bhoys In Green!

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