A week can truly make a difference, at least when it comes to the general sentiment against Celtic and its supporters.

Rewind the club’s past week to this same moment, when they were coping with the fallout from yet another league point loss—this time to Kilmarnock. They gave up control of the game in the first half, which allowed the visitors to regroup and score a late goal that cost Celtic two more points. In addition, Celtic ended the season in second place for the first time this year, with their upward trajectory pointing directly toward their biggest rivals rather than themselves, following a convincing victory for Philippe Clement’s revitalized Rangers against St Johnstone.

a challenging situation, particularly considering the state the team was in early in the season. Brendan Rodgers and his team had a seven-point lead over the Rangers and were comfortably ahead of all their rivals—until they weren’t. You will get that by giving up points to teams like Hearts, Motherwell, and Hibs. After all was said and done, Celtic needed to come together and embrace their new identity as the “hunters” as an honor rather than a disadvantage.
There were rumors of an emergency meeting on Monday following the draw with Kilmarnock, which suggested that both the team and their hold on the Premiership had been lost. It was imperative to hit the reset button, particularly because the team would be playing shortly after Rangers’ 5-0 home victory against Hearts. Rodgers and his team would be questioned about whether they had the fortitude and stamina to face being forced into a title race now that they were five points behind the new leaders.
It seemed as though they would be unable to defeat Motherwell for forty-five minutes at Fir Park. After falling behind following a spectacular goal by Blair Spittal just before the break, Celtic’s chances of winning the league title were rapidly dwindling, and they faced elimination. Would the weight of expectation cause them to collapse? Or would they get together and compete for the championship that had been within striking distance for much of the season?
Adam Idah, the epitome of a player who knew exactly what was expected of him, is now ready. A few weeks earlier at Easter Road, he had already demonstrated his composure with two converted penalties, demonstrating that he possessed the fortitude needed to perform under pressure. His 45-minute cameo, which resulted in two more goals, revived a Celtic squad that appeared to be about to give up completely. The Republic of Ireland forward’s career has taken a dramatic turn in the last month or so, going from being a third-choice at Norwich City to his temporary club’s hero.
Although Luis Palma’s goal made the score even better, Celtic was aware that they had gotten away with a goal that afternoon. There was optimism that this would be a period of galvanization amongst the players, the manager, and the game-goers, with that game in three days and Wednesday’s home match against Dundee. Could they improve upon their success at Fir Park? Or would it be just another lackluster performance on an ever-expanding roster of awful ones?
They were able to do the former with great success. Celtic defeated Dundee 7-1 at home. Seven goals were scored, and seven different goal scorers were recognized. It wasn’t just about the goals, which were many; it was also about the confidence and style with which these chances were created by their incisive and lively play.
A standing ovation was given to the team both at halftime and at the end of the game because of their comprehensive victory, but it also showed that Celtic was ready to take a position and be taken seriously in this title fight. Essentially, they had demonstrated that they possessed the necessary minerals to compete in this match between Glasgow’s two major teams. Rangers overcame a two-point deficit at the top of the league to defeat Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, a venue where both teams have had difficulty in the past. However, their advantageous goal differential was all but eliminated. Celtic’s seven goals against Dundee played a significant role in this, even though they will be disappointed that they were unable to maintain the clean sheet that would have tied the score.

This past week would have been a much-needed shot in the arm for Rodgers, the Northern Irishman’s trust in his squad. The 51-year-old will feel much better about his chances of adding another Premiership title to the three he helped win from 2016 to 2019 in what is likely his first title fight since his Liverpool days. Naturally, there’s the minor matter of a trip to Tynecastle to play Hearts, and if Celtic manages to secure another three points away from home, a perfect seven days may be in store.

Nevertheless, Celtic’s performance in the last two games has demonstrated that they are psychologically and physically prepared to withstand the difficulties that come with competing for the championship. They appear to have finally gotten their act together, leaving no room for error. Let’s see if this newfound optimism—regardless of when the opportunity arises—is sufficient to propel them back to the top of the table.

There are minerals in the area. The stomach is undoubtedly steady. Whether they hold up till the end of the season remains to be seen. Rodgers will be praying they succeed.