There's a real camaraderie, team spirit and bond within this Celtic team. It's fairly evident.

For instance, the players never tire of talking up their team-mates whenever they get a chance. In fact they often lavish gushing praise on their abilities and attributes as footballers while doing so.

The Hoops squad also make many references to the fact that away from the football and training pitch they are also a bit like a band of brothers; a close-knit group of friends.

It's the very definition of this Celtic team to a man. Remember when Ange Postecoglou said he doesn't just sign players he signs people? He does – the right people. That's why there are seemingly no cliques or splinter groups at Lennoxtown or Parkhead.

Having such a healthy squad of people at your disposal comes with fringe benefits too. While Celtic laboured to a 2-0 win over Ross County, the victory itself came about largely courtesy of two of the club's lesser-used players: Tomoki Iwata and Alexandro Bernabei to be exact.

Last season's J1 League player of the year, Iwata was drafted into proceedings under trying circumstances in the Highlands as tried and trusted midfielders Reo Hatate and Aaron Mooy were ruled out injured.

The 25-year-old stepped up to the plate and then some despite having just seven substitute appearances totalling 152 minutes under his belt before appearing in Dingwall.

As tests go, Iwata showed some class and passed his with flying colours. Postecoglou knew he would though; the surface may have been bobbly but it the Japanese midfielder mastered the tricky conditions and played his football.

READ MORE: Detailed Celtic player ratings as Jota sends champions nine clear

"He was great,” Postecoglou said of Iwata post-match. “He was the one who looked most sure-footed in terms of the pitch and the handling of the ball. He’s so clean technically. He really helped us considering it was his first 90 minutes after three months. He finished strongly at the end. I was really pleased I got him out and he showed his qualities out there."

Having assimilated the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Hatate into his Celtic way long before Iwata, I suppose it was simply a matter of time before the latest brother inside the Paradise dressing room made his mark at the club. There is, the manager says, still more to come too.

"I think Tomoki will get the benefit now,” Postecoglou added. “Last year we found with Daizen and Reo, who we threw in quite early, that they started strongly but fatigued towards the end of the season. They had come off a full season in Japan so it’s a different feel for them at this stage of the season.

"So my inkling, if it worked out, was to get those boys [Iwata and Yuki Kobayashi] embedded slowly and give them opportunities along the way. Hopefully, in the last bit of the season, they will be really strong. We will see the best of them after they’ve had a pre-season but after looking at it Iwata looked really strong and sharp and we are going to need him."

Celtic Way:

Is it a genuine surprise to anyone that Postecoglou looks to have raided former club Yokohama F Marinos and unearthed another gem? If you think the answer to that is yes, you haven’t been paying close enough attention to Celtic lately.

As for Bernabei, well, he saved the best until last when he hammered home a beauty from 20 yards in the 95th minute to double the lead Jota's penalty had given the champions in the first half.

It was the 22-year-old's first-ever goal for the club and it was sweet music to the Celtic supporters' ears – so much so that they then treated him to a rendition of Argentina, Argentina! in homage to his wonder strike. He must have felt like a world champion himself in that instant and indeed his goal was as fine a howitzer as you are likely to see from any player this campaign.

Bernabei has been playing second fiddle to Greg Taylor all season but not this time. The Scot hobbled off injured in the 65th minute of this one and it prompted a timely reminder as to why the Argentinian was signed from Club Atletico Lanus in the first place.

"It was good from Berno (Bernabei),” Postecgolou said. “We know he has it in his locker because we see it in training. Hopefully it gives him confidence and belief. He’s still learning and getting up to speed with the way we play which isn’t easy.

"He works hard every day and has got his reward. We had guys getting on making an impact which is what we ask for."

Postecoglou has an uncanny knack and way of keeping all of these players happy. He's created an environment conducive to producing good football in the park and a place both teamwork and individuality can thrive. Every Celtic player was delighted at the fact that one of their friends, in this case Bernabei, had opened his account in Dingwall.

And yet it’s fair to say Celtic weren't at their best in Dingwall, as Postecoglou duly noted himself.

"We still had the discipline and focus within the structure,” he said. “We were wasteful in front of the goal and that kept them in the game. It was edgier than it needed to be. With the conditions, the way they were it wasn't going to be a free-flowing game of football. Aside from the football, there was steel and character in the group to get the job done."

That's what friends do right? They dig in for one another and achieve results.

Bring on the Rangers was the cry from the visiting support and indeed Celtic remain nine points ahead with eight matches left to play. A win in next week's Glasgow Derby at Parkhead would see the green and white half of the city clasp one hand on the Scottish Premiership trophy again.

This week Celtic got by with a little help from their fringe friends in Dingwall. Postecoglou's men may well have to do the same next week at Parkhead for the visit of Rangers depending on the latest injury roll call. Who knows, Iwata and Bernebei may be called upon to perform another solid service.

The difference is that next weekend the champions will be backed by 60,000 more friends who just happen to be Postecoglou's kind of people. Now that's what I call a real fringe benefit.