The character and rhythm among the Celtic first-team squad is on the rise, and Brendan Rodgers is aiming for that to increase even further as his side take on Hibernian on SPFL duty this Saturday. The Celts go into the game on the back of progress in the League Cup with a win over Partick Thistle last weekend, and a midweek jaunt to Serbia to rake on Crvena Zvedza on matchday one of the UEFA Europa League group phase. And now, just a couple of days after the hard-fought 1-1 draw in Belgarde, all attention is on the visit of Hibs for the next match on the agenda. The manager said: “It’s on to the next game. “We take a point and some positives in the performance, we showed good spirit and resilience and now we are back playing again, so the team is in good spirit. “Now, and going through, you start to find the rhythm, of course there’s another international break soon, but I think now you start to play games and start to use the squad more and everything else. ‘But, like I said, I think we showed great spirit the other night. It’s not an easy place to go, and plenty of people will tell you that.’ “But we went and found a way to get a result, and make the first steps in the competition, and now players are starting to find their levels.”As mentioned, the next challenge comes from David Gray’s Hibs side who have been in fine form even if they haven’t had the results to match each and every performance. Brendan Rodgers said: “David’s teams are well-organised, with some good results some indifferent results for them. “But David showed last year, at that point when they were suffering, his coaching ability and managerial ability to turn it around and they ended up having a great season. “Unfortunately in Europe they didn’t qualify and sometimes it takes a little bit of time to come through that, but we still prepare for a tough game. “Good players well-coached will make it difficult for us. Even last year we played really well at Celtic Park in the games, but we still had to work really hard to get the results.” Just like last week, the Hoops face another three-game-week, with the visit of SC Braga on Thursday and then Motherwell next weekend, with more of that to come in the immediate future. That impacts onf the time to get work done on the training pitch during this sort of schedule He said of this week: “It limits it of course in terms of the intensity at which you can work. “You play on Wednesday night, you travel back and most of the squad and players would have got home about half-five in the morning. “And then you’re recovering the rest of Thursday and then you’re in today to recover and do some light bits of technical work. “You go through the tactical analysis in here with the players and then you’re straight into the game. “I think for a lot of us, and when you’re at a big club you have to have used to it, it’s part of the challenge. “I’s the rhythm of games–recovery-play games and then that’s when your squad comes into it.” Watch the full video to hear the manager on: Celtic’s attack Daizen Maeda Proposed silent protest Injuries Celtic’s midfield Colby Donovan Experienced players helping youngsters Kelechi Iheanacho Wing options Communication with supporters More on the game Kelechi Iheanacho looking to add to goal tally:
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