Had Carl Starfelt stayed fully fit, Stephen Welsh could well have found himself on his way to Toulouse before the season started.

The French side had a second enquiry for the defender rebuffed last week, which was no real surprise given the current lack of depth in the centre of defence.

There was no real surprise, too, that he started Sunday’s game alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers although there might have been some eyebrows raised that it was Welsh who opened Celtic’s Premiership account with the club’s first goal just three minutes into the defence of their title.

And yet what has been most notable about Welsh is just how much he has improved since this time last year.

There is always a sense that homegrown players have it that little bit harder as they push their way into the unforgiving environment of the first team. Welsh may not be the first pick when there is a full quota of players fit and available but, in a season in which there are significant demands on the squad due to the two-pronged fight on a domestic and European level as well as the glut of games due to the timing of this year’s World Cup, he will have a decent part to play.

What is clear, though, is that there is no-one who remains in the Celtic team on reputation or past performances.

Jota returned to Parkhead with something of a swagger after a summer in which the club’s support penned pleading social media love letters beseeching him to commit on a permanent basis. They got there eventually with that one and his confidence does not look in short supply on the early evidence of his pre-season and opening-day performance.

Celtic Way:

The Portuguese winger would have been delighted with his goal that got his season’s account off and running and confirmed all three points for Celtic but Ange Postecoglou’s remarks post-match offered some intrigue.

Jota’s popularity among the Celtic support does not innoculate him from criticism and there was something pointed about Postecoglou’s comments as he offered a mild rebuke at how wasteful he had been in the closing stages of the opening half.

The winger is capable of conjuring something from nothing – as evidenced on Sunday – but there would have been a reminder in Postecoglou’s remarks about the necessity of keeping his mind on the job.

One player who may give Jota a run for his money in the fans’ favourite awards this term is Matt O’Riley. A player who was plucked from the relative obscurity of MK Dons last January has already lent the impression of having a pivotal role to play this term.

Still just 21, O’Riley has reportedly been courted by Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City and if he continues to play with the same elegance and craft the likelihood is that Celtic will face a fight to keep him in the long-term.

For now, though, his comments regarding being firmly settled in Glasgow as he finally gets the reward following an unorthodox journey to the club would suggest that he is content to enjoy the first-team exposure and progression.

Keeping him under wraps may prove problematic.

This piece is an extract from today’s Celtic Digest newsletter, which is emailed out at 4pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from The Celtic Way team. 

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