da apostaganha： Brendan Rodgers’ arrival at Celtic was met with acclaim from Celtic fans, but even the most optimistic of Hoops supporters must be surprised by how great his impact has been so far.
da bet sport： Celtic went into 2017 with the biggest top-flight lead over 2nd place in the history of Scottish football at the turn of the year – proof that Rodgers has made this Bhoys side one of the best in anyone’s memory.
Added to that, he took Celtic to the Group Stage of the Champions League at the first time of asking, something no manager has managed to do his debut season in Glasgow.
Even considering that fine first half of the campaign, there’s every chance that Celtic are going to be even better in the second half.
There are trophies to win and the prospect of a first treble since 2000/01 is very much on the table.
Here are FIVE reasons Celtic will be even better after the winter break…
Rest and recuperation
Celtic return to Lennoxtown this week to prepare for a Scottish Cup 4th Round match next weekend, which will be their first game in 22 days.
They’ve spent the last week in Dubai, soaking up some winter sun with a relaxed training camp, and, going by all the media posted by the club during that time, it looks to have done the squad wonders.
Nobody else quite had a December like Celtic. The Bhoys had to play a massive nine fixtures across the month that culminated in an energy-sapping performance away to Rangers at Ibrox in the Hogmanay derby.
That took its toll on performances and despite coming through unscathed in December, everyone at Celtic Park is hoping for a return to the blistering performances of early in the season.
The motivation of history
Many people, Celtic fans included, thought dropping points or succumbing to a rare defeat was inevitable given the schedule.
Now that’s out of the way, though, the hype building around a potential unbeaten season is building.
Some may argue that the edge will come off Celtic’s season as soon as they win the title, which could happen as early as March, but we reckon the motivation of making history will be enough for Rodgers’ Bhoys to focus minds on victory after victory.
The Hoops have had an unbeaten season before, but it was in the 19th Century and the campaign only last 18 games.
Going unbeaten this season would be a historic achievement on par with some of the club’s most notable landmarks.
We can’t think of better motivation.
No European distraction
Celtic’s European adventure this season was a thrill but now it’s done and dusted they can focus on domestic football.
The side have played continental fixtures in every month since July, which has the potential to take its toll on results and performances back at home. The fact the team have come so far with the added pressure of Europe has been remarkable.
How good can they be without it?
Let’s not forget the only team to have even drawn with Celtic this season, Inverness CT, did so after a demoralising and draining defeat away to Barcelona.
The Treble
It’s true that Celtic dominate Scottish football, especially right now, but the ultimate dominance, a treble, comes along very rarely indeed.
With the League Cup in the bag already, many Celtic fans think it can be done, and if it does happen it’d be only the 4th time in the club’s history, and the first time 2001.
It’ll be a motivation from now until the end of the season as they juggle Scottish Cup football with the league.
Their cup campaign kicks off on the 22nd January where they face Albion Rovers in the 4th Round of the Scottish Cup, a tie that should see them pick up a routine win.
Can Rodgers emulate Martin O’Neill and bring incredible success in his first season at the club?
A returning hero
Celtic have been missing Kieran Tierney since October – the last game he started was the League Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden.
Even though he’s just 19, his impact on the team cannot be understated. A tireless warrior on the pitch and an avid Celtic fan off it, he typifies many of the qualities of Rodgers’ side.
Emilio Izaguirre has performed adequately for the Hoops, but Tierney adds another dimension to that left flank, linking up with Scott Sinclair, overlapping and generally making things happen.
He’s returned to first-team training after an ankle injury and shoulder operation and could inspire the Hoops to have an even better second half to the season.