Extraordinary Celtic ripped up Champions League script and here is what I would say to the doom merchants

Celtic have suffered so many Champions League disappointments in opening games I could have cut and pasted some of the columns afterwards. That’s why it’s nice to be able to rip up the script this time.

You know the doom merchants will be quick to write Slovan Bratislava off as duds, but don’t forget they beat Midtjylland on the way and earned the right to play at this level. Sure, they might be the lowest ranked team in the competition and it was a match Celtic were expected to win. But few will have expected the manner of the victory the other night. Bratislava didn’t look great – but a lot of that was down to the way Celtic played.

And that is why Brendan Rodgers’s side can look forward to the rest of the group stage with optimism. Listen, I’m not one to get carried away. I don’t think anyone at Celtic will either. There are huge tests ahead and there will be times they will need to weather the storm. Yet you look at this team and there is a genuine belief they can do something this season.

I’m not saying they will make the top eight and go straight into the last 16. We still have to be realistic. But finishing in the top 24 and reaching the play-off round? Why not? The door is open. If they hadn’t won the other night it would have been a different story. They would have been up against it, right from the off. Instead they didn’t just win. They won in some style and it will have turbo charged the mood in the camp.

Celtic have made an extraordinary start to the season, in Scotland, and now in Europe. The challenge is now to maintain it. I’ve said often enough, when it comes to the Champions League, fans would as well just turn up 20 minutes before kick-off to get the atmosphere and then leave when the first whistle blows.

The other night you couldn’t get fans to leave 20 minutes after the match. It was a seriously impressive performance. They’ll need an even better one in Dortmund in a few weeks. But the key thing for me is the fact they should not fear anyone in this section. Celtic completely imposed their game on Bratislava the other night and it will be really interesting to see if they can do something similar against a top team like Dortmund.

This is last season’s Champions League finalists remember, so it will be no mean feat. There will be times when they will have to weather the storm, that’s for sure. But you look at the attacking talent and intent in the side, and you would have confidence they can hurt any side – including the likes of Dortmund and Atalanta. Look, I know how tough it is to get points away from home in this competition. In my time at Celtic, we enjoyed some terrific nights at Celtic Park.

We also had some horror shows on the road. It isn’t any easier these days and you’d got to think anything they can take from Germany and Italy would be a bonus. The fact supporters can even consider it is a measure of how far they have come in the last few months. Even if you go back a few weeks, the loss of Matt O’Riley looked like a huge blow.

Yet I’d bet no one was even thinking about him the other night. The performance of Arne Engels helped fans get excited about who was there rather than who wasn’t.

(Image: PA)

The Belgian’s display just proved Rodgers was right to push the boat out to get him. In fact, any scouts or spies in the stands or tuning in would have looked at Engels and felt £11m was a bargain.

It is in European terms. The likes of Brentford spent £30m on Igor Thiago, Ipswich Town spent double the cost of Engels on Omari Hutchinson. Celtic spent a lot in comparison to Bratislava – but it’s still chicken feed compared to the likes of Borussia Dortmund.

It’s obvious Engels is a player though. He’s got ability on the ball and he’s got tremendous physicality. He’s barely in the door and looks like he’s been in with the bricks for ages. For the first time in donkeys, Celtic even look a threat from corner kicks with him on dead balls.

It’s early days and he’s still got to be developed, but he already looks like he’s the perfect fit for Celtic’s model of buying prospects and getting the best out of them before big money offers come calling. Let’s not wish him away just yet though. Engels is a young guy and while he’s shown he’s got terrific temperament with those penalties, there will be a time when his form dips a touch.

Hotline Live: Tune in and have your say In case you haven't heard, we've launched a new Hotline Live show, airing at 6pm every day, with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays. Join our panel for a laugh, a moan and a look at all things Scottish football, as well as having your say on the biggest issues in the game. Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss a single episode. Alternatively, you can watch on Facebook or Twitter. Need to get something off your chest? Have your say on what's happening in the world of Scottish football by contacting us at hotline@dailyrecord.co.uk. You can find out more about the show here and also catch up on previous episodes with our full Hotline Live playlist on YouTube.

That’s where the squad comes in – and we’ll probably see it this weekend. I’d expect Rodgers to rotate against Falkirk tomorrow. He can’t underestimate a side that is in great form in the Championship and who have already put Hearts out of the Premier Sports Cup.

But you’d think this is a chance for Auston Trusty to get minutes, along with Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo and Alex Valle. It’s already talking about strength in depth but what that means is the momentum doesn’t drop when the names on the team sheet change. Celtic’s squad will be tested in the coming weeks. They had the A team out the other night but there will be times when someone is injured or suspended and Rodgers will need to shuffle his pack.

The players coming in need to prove they are more than capable of slotting in and doing a similar job. Celtic ripped up the usual Champions League script the other night – but they need to stick to it on the home front, even if the main characters change.

Click here to read article