With his intervention at Inverness for Stuart Armstrong’s goal, Chris Davies stepped briefly into the limelight.
The Celtic assistant is a vital part of Brendan Rodgers backroom team and seems to have a telepathic understanding of what his manager requires.
Despite the dominant personality of Rodgers the hoops boss does more than delegate with Davies, John Kennedy and others fully involved in delivering the performances that have taken Celtic close to the domestic treble.
Earlier this week Davies spoke to a couple of Celtic websites to give an insight into what goes on behind the scenes and the role that he performs.
All the background work in the world is virtually pointless if results aren’t being delivered with Armstrong’s goal just the latest example of how what is worked on at Lennoxtown is reflected on the park by the first team.
Skipping past the opening game of the season in Gibraltar Celtic have been delivering spectacular results all season.
Having the biggest budget in the country is without doubt an asset but it’s how that budget is applied that delivers results and a 27 point advantage in the title race.
The ‘development curve’ of the team has been spectacular, during his interview Davies picked out four significant matches from the season to date with his boss describing the win over Inverness Caley Thistle as the complete performance.
CELTIC 5-1 SEVCO
The build up to the derby was all about a magic hat and Joey Barton, the aftermath was much the same!
Without Leigh Griffiths a new hero was born with Moussa Dembele scoring a hat-trick, one with his left, one with his right and the opener a header.
In the bright sunshine Celtic laid down a marker, their journey was over, Celtic’s was just starting out.
Davies said: “That game was a statement game. It was a statement that we are here and we blew them away, that was a show of power in terms of counter attacking, ball possession, pressing. Everything.”
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 1-1 CELTIC
After losing 2-0 at home to the Germans many Celtic fans feared another Barcelona type hammering, at Celtic Park the home side were well off the pace but Rodgers and his management team had other ideas.
Davies said: “I felt that it was an important game in our development as a team, The manager made a big thing in the lead up to that game of the importance of personality. “The games away to Barcelona and at home to Monchengladbach had been hard matches.
“Monchengladbach away showed a real maturity there. We should have ended up winning the game but it looked like we had the personality which was exactly what the manager had been on at the players about.
“It came through in that match, we got to the level. We went to a difficult venue and should have won the game. In terms of our play, quality, positional play, compactness defensively, everything was there. It was a good Champions League performance.”
MANCHESTER CITY 1-1 CELTIC
The group was over, City were through, Celtic were out but there was plenty for Celtic to take from the match- including a hammering predicted by some for derailing the Pep revolution at Celtic Park.
Patrick Roberts set the tone with an early goal and although City equalised there was a calm authority about the way Celtic played. They belonged at this level and didn’t have to park the bus to save face.
Davies said: “Away to City we continued on from the game against Monchengladbach, we played well against a good side and could see how the team had developed through the group.”
HEARTS 1-2 CELTIC
After some Champions League ties Celtic opened the domestic season away to Hearts- a crash course in what to expect in the SPFL.
Champions League qualification was the aim at the start of the season but some important markers were laid out at Tynecastle with a memorable debut for one of Rodgers’ former Swansea players.
Davies said: “I was really happy after the Hearts match, Scott had come up and scored on his debut. I knew all about him, immediately when we came up here we wanted Scott with us.
“Seeing him come off the bench and scoring was good, I knew he could do it but seeing him use his pace and directness again was good, it was something we could exploit up here. It was like, yeah, this is going to be good.”