At every turn the influence of Brendan Rodgers is all consuming.
To use a Glaswegian phrase you never see the Irishman lose the rag.
Last night as he watched his side dismantle Partick Thistle there was one moment that should have tested his patience.
As Leigh Griffiths took the long slow walk off the park to be substituted you sensed that something was going to happen, there wasn’t any laughing or joking among the substitutes as there had been at Aberdeen on Friday night.
The Celtic striker voiced his disapproval to boss Brendan Rodgers after being replaced by Scott Sinclair. Is he right? pic.twitter.com/ElmEeSJXlg
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) May 18, 2017
It would have been easy for Rodgers to lose control, hit out at the player and make an example of his authority. It’s what everyone watching expected.
Without giving him eye contact the Celtic boss had his say and pointed the striker towards his seat on the bench.
Griffiths was left to simmer for 30 minutes on the bench, fearing what the repercussions might be, wondering if he had talked his way out of the cup final team.
At the full time whistle, in full view of the television cameras, it was Rodgers that made the move to make things right with the striker who still didn’t seem to be in the mood for peace.
As he drives in to training at Lennoxtown Griffiths will have plenty to think about up against a manager who has the knack of getting things just right regardless of the circumstances.
