Celtic keeping their cool ahead of Scottish Cup final, says Brendan Rodgers
Celtic players are preparing with a cool head for what could be a treble-clinching William Hill Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen, according to boss Brendan Rodgers.
The Hoops are unbeaten domestically since the start of the season, including a sixth successive Ladbrokes Premiership title win.
And in a week which saw the Parkhead club celebrate with gusto the winning of the European Cup in Lisbon 50 years ago, excitement levels are rising ahead of what would be an historic achievement at Hampden Park on Saturday.
Rodgers, on the cusp of being only the third Celtic manager to win the clean sweep in Scotland after Jock Stein (twice) and Martin O'Neill - although he would be the first to do it without a defeat - is keeping it low key.
"We have tried to remove the emotion of it all, as we have done for a lot of the season," said the Northern Irishman, who confirmed striker Moussa Dembele is available again after recovering from a hamstring injury.
"We have just tried to look at the next game.
"Of course, there has been a lot of things written and said in the last few months about what the players could or couldn't achieve in terms of going the season unbeaten. I have been asked about that for the last couple of months.
"We have tried to retain our focus, that's what we have done, and it is about concentrating on what we can control and our preparation. And the players have dealt brilliantly with pressure this season.
"We are here to win and we plan to win. We plan that for every competition domestically to do that and thankfully we have been able to do that.
"We have earned the right to be here through our work and play."
The former Swansea and Liverpool manager, who took over from Norwegian boss Ronny Deila last term, stressed that his side will have enjoyed a "brilliant season" even if things do not go their way against the Dons, whom they have beaten five times this campaign.
He said: "We started in the middle of June and tomorrow we arrive on May 27. It is a long hard season but it has been truly enjoyable.
"The feeling around the club and the team is fantastic and we want to continue with that.
"No matter what the result is tomorrow, it has been a brilliant season for us, our first season together knowing that next season we can only improve."
Rodgers, indeed, admitted that his squad had performed better than he had envisaged when he first met them last summer.
The Northern Irishman said: "I would be lying if I said that they have done everything I thought they would.
"When I came in I wanted us to continue the cycle of winning.
"The club had won five consecutive titles. My mind set was, could I foster a mind set to win in a better way and as we go through the season can we adapt and adjust the goals as we progress and develop as a team.
"But they certainly exceeded what I thought they could achieve.
"My job is to lead and push and demand and the players have been able to cope with that.
"Not just their energy and attitude but actually the quality of their football.
"It is how I wanted it to be, creative, attacking, fast, unpredictable and entertaining for the supporters because that is the obligation. It is not the choice, it is the obligation at Celtic to do that."