With the feel-good factor at Celtic seeming like an all-time high recently, it was very interesting to hear of a moment when that was not necessarily the case.

Indeed, captain Callum McGregor yesterday discussed events that occurred last year at McDiarmid Park, the location of Saturday night’s game versus St Johnstone. Over nine months prior to this weekend’s meeting between the two sides, Brendan Rodgers had to read the riot act to his players at half-time, as Celtic found themselves down 1-0 to Craig Levein’s team. It must have had the desired effect, as the champions ran out 3-1 winners, thanks to second-half goals from McGregor, Matt O’Riley and James Forrest.

After the match, Rodgers admitted that his emotions had hit new levels during this trip to Perth, saying: “I'm still a bit angry if I'm honest. It was nothing to do with tactics, it was about mentality. We had gone a game and a half not scoring against St Johnstone, that's not the demands of this club. One or two were too comfortable and got bullied for the goal.

"There was no intensity whatsoever. We were deservedly behind. But the second half was different. That's what you expect when you play for Celtic."

What a difference nine months has made at Celtic Football Club. Speaking yesterday to the media ahead of their next visit to McDiarmid Park, McGregor spoke openly about the manager’s rage away from home last December. When asked if this was the angriest he had seen Rodgers, he said: “Oh for sure, aye, absolutely.”

“It was a bit of a difficult day, and we managed to turn it around in the end (McGregor scored in the second half as Celtic won 3-1). But, again, it's another lesson. If you don't do your work properly, if you don't do all the small details, if you don’t earn the right to win, then any game can be difficult. 

“It was certainly the angriest I've seen him. I think that's the statement that everyone kind of clings onto because he's normally very, very calm under pressure.”

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Looking back on that time, there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the club, particularly concerning the way Rodgers’ side were playing. After opening up a big lead on Rangers early doors, the champions shot themselves in the foot on more than one occasion, allowing their greatest rivals to claw back the healthy and sizable lead that Celtic had created.

This moment in time – coupled with Glasgow Derby wins and emotional press conference utterances – seemed to light a fire with everyone connected to the football club, whether that be the players, the supporters or even Rodgers himself. After all, the moniker ‘Box-Office Brendan’ does indeed hold some validity when events like these occur, both on and off the pitch.

The captain agreed, highlighting the importance of that rant in Perth all those months ago as a springboard for the successes of today. He said: “Now, nine months on the group is in a really good place and probably better for that reaction at half-time.

"Obviously, different players probably react differently to criticism, or those moments of red-button panic stations. When you see someone like the manager losing his cool and demanding more then it makes you want to turn the thing around and get a positive result, which we obviously did on that day.

“The second half performance was much, much better.”

This weekend, Celtic go back to the scene of Rodgers’ rant, having won every single game they have played this campaign. Eight games, 27 goals and just the four conceded, this start to the season rivals the manager’s debut back in 2016/17 – which he ended unbeaten. While that kind of prediction is far too early to even think about – never mind state – Celtic look to be in imperious form to begin this long old season.

It must be highlighted, however, that this stretch of games will provide unique difficulties for Celtic’s aspirations, both domestically and in European competition. Playing on Saturday evening, they will then travel to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, before making their way to Dingwall the following Saturday to mix it with Ross County in the Scottish Highlands. 

These extended away trips will only whet the appetite of Rodgers, who gives off the impression of a manager who is very content where he is. We’ve been here before with this individual, though it feels somewhat different now, for whatever reason. Whether that is down to the calibre of player now at his disposal, the recruitment of top talents like Arne Engels and Adam Idah or simply the way this team is functioning on the park, everything is clicking presently between the manager and his club.

Rodgers’ contract is scheduled to expire in the summer of 2026, meaning the Irishman is approaching the halfway point of his current deal that was signed last June. He himself promised the Celtic supporters that he would see out his three years in charge, though you get the feeling those of a green-and-white persuasion want him to sign on for longer already.

Regardless of if that turns out to be the case or not, these are special times at the club, in all aspects. Who would have thought that a half-time rollicking from Rodgers would be one of the main catalysts for Celtic’s complete stranglehold on Scottish football currently? McGregor believes this has been a full year in the making. He said: “I just think there’s real good building blocks from the work that we did last year.

“We probably didn’t get the performances for the amount of work that we were putting in, and trying to build what you probably see now, which is a real free-flowing team that understands the rhythm of the game and how to change it. There’s been a really good 12 months of work now, coupled with good recruitment in the summer. 

“The profile of the team looks good and then the confidence of the team when you’ve started the season well - that helps gather momentum.”

McGregor and Rodgers will be hoping for more momentum to be built on, as Celtic’s gruelling away schedule begins…