Craig Gordon: Celtic targeted unbeaten season from January
Craig Gordon has revealed Celtic first started targeting their blemish-free treble triumph as far back as January.
Craig Gordon has revealed Celtic first started targeting their blemish-free treble triumph as far back as January.
The rampant Hoops completed the clean sweep with their William Hill Scottish Cup win on Saturday.
The 2-1 victory over Aberdeen saw Brendan Rodgers' 'Invincibles' chalk up a remarkable 47th domestic game without defeat this campaign.
The Parkhead club became the first Scottish side to pass an entire top-flight season without loss since Rangers won all 18 of their old First Division fixtures back in 1898/99.
And now goalkeeper Gordon has told how he and the rest of his team-mates realised they were on the brink of something special as they flew out to their winter training camp in Dubai.
He said: "We wanted to win everything that we could but to do it undefeated was probably beyond anyone's expectations.
"But I remember when we got to the halfway point and went out to our training camp in Dubai that everyone was thinking, 'This is on, we can do this'.
"We came back from there and stepped it up a level from where we were in the first part of the season. We kept improving as we went along.
"I don't think we've even begun to achieve what we have achieved just now.
"It's an absolutely incredible achievement.
"I'm a bit older than the rest and I know that it's probably not going to get done again, not for a very long time anyway.
"We have to enjoy it for what it is. It was an amazing season and I don't think we could have asked for much more.''
No team has even completed back-to-back Scottish trebles but Gordon reckons that feat is next on his side's to do list.
"We'll try,'' he said. "It's probably unrealistic to think that will get done again but we're certainly going to try and see if we can extend that unbeaten run as long as we can.
"It will come to an end one day but it's just great to be involved in it.''
The Hoops were given their toughest examination of the campaign by the Dons at Hampden.
But they responded immediately to Jonny Hayes' early opener with Stuart Armstrong's leveller before Tom Rogic made history with his stoppage-time winner.
And Gordon believes his team gave a display of a steeliness they have seldom had to rely on this term as they completed the club's first treble since 2001.
He said: "Of course there was pressure on us to wrap up the treble. I think you saw that early in Saturday's game.
"We started a little bit slow which we haven't been doing, especially recently.
"It took us a little bit of time to play ourselves into the game. We went behind but had to show what we were made of. We've not had to do that too often but when we have had to, everyone stays calm as we know what we have to do to get back into the game.
"We got a quick reply from Stuart which really settled us down and we've then ground it out in the end.''