Darren O’Dea shares exactly where ‘fantastic’ Celtic start under Brendan Rodgers has stemmed from

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Celtic have been imperious under Brendan Rodgers this season, and there seems to be no stopping the Scottish Premiership champions in domestic action.

The mood music in Glasgow’s east end is overwhelmingly positive, with the Bhoys on a nine-match winning run across all competitions.

Borussia Dortmund are up next for Celtic in the Champions League, which may put that record under threat. However, supporters are optimistic about the direction the campaign could take after witnessing a major improvement pitted against this stage in 2023/24.

There are several reasons why things have clicked into life, with the opportunity for the Hoops to make eight summer signings offering weight in that argument.

However, Brendan Rodgers has also spoken about Celtic’s off-ball work as a defining motivator behind their elevated intensity levels on matchday, which has to be respected in addition.

Either way, there is so much positivity in the air at this point in the season, and Darren O’Dea has provided some insight regarding where their excellent start has stemmed from.

Darren O’Dea pinpoints origins of ‘fantastic’ Celtic start

Speaking to The Irish Mirror, O’Dea has indicated that Celtic’s pre-season preparations, including victories over Chelsea and Manchester City, laid the groundwork for their ‘fantastic’ beginnings this term under Rodgers.

He said: “Anyone could see it and obviously I was privy to it because I was away with them in pre-season, you could just smell it, it was going well.

“Anyone who has been in pre-season knows you can’t judge too much off it and you are nervous that because things were going so well, are we missing something here?

“But I think there was a real quiet confidence that things were going right. You can see the manager has a real hold on the team in terms of it’s his style, it’s imprinted onto the team, the way they move and sync in and out of possession, it’s his identity.

“They have added in players of real high quality, so now they have got a squad. So it really bodes well for the rest of the season and it will allow them to compete on all four fronts – three on the domestic front and one in Europe. And the expectation would be to win.

“When that expectation is there, all you can do is gear yourself up as best you can, have the strongest squad you possibly can and I think the club as a whole, with the manager, the board and the signings, the manager and coaching staff preparing the players in pre-season, I think they have done a fantastic job. It leaves Celtic in a really strong position.”

Brendan Rodgers thinks Celtic can go to ‘the next level’

Celtic are bristling with confidence right now and have no plans to stop there, with Rodgers determined to take the Bhoys to ‘the next level’ with their Champions League meeting against Dortmund looming.

He expanded, saying: “For us, it’s looking to bring our game to the next level. The way we’ve been performing over the past six or seven months has just been increasing, and we come to this level (ready for the challenge.”

His words indeed hold value when analysing their start to life in the Scottish Premiership. 20 goals scored, and a return of none conceded is awe-inspiring; it is hard to know which statistic merits more plaudits.

Regardless, the mission now is to move the dial in Europe. Celtic have been dominant domestically for most of the 21st century, though progressing in the Champions League is where many feel they will be judged in the full course of time.