Brendan Rodgers kicks off his second season as Celtic manager in a familiar city but unfamiliar surroundings when he takes Celtic to Windsor Park on Friday night.
In football terms it’s the perfect draw but this week Belfast and Linfield is the last place that any sane person would want to encounter.
Last season’s achievements are already in the history books and will undoubtedly be remembered as Brendan’s season.
From the sunny day that he was unveiled he had the trust and backing of the Celtic support, rather than be intimidated he took the challenge full on and delivered the goods.
Game by game, month by month an aura grew around the team with every single player acknowledging the input of a manager totally different from anything that they had ever known before.
August brought Champions League qualification, November the first trophy, December a mountain of games, April brought the title with May delivering the treble.
By the final whistle in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden he was physically exhausted, as he revs up to do it all again he has a season of experience to call upon and a squad bursting with ambition to do it all again and hopefully go further in Europe.
SEVCO SMASHED
They were apparently old friends from the days when Mark Warburton drove the mini-bus for the Watford u-12 side and Rodgers was in charge of the first team at Vicarage Road.
From the first whistle Rodgers team utterly destroyed Warburtons lot, Celtic won every individual battle as the team came together to leave Sevco’s season in tatters.
There was no where for the Magic Hat to turn to, Joey Barton called him out at training a few days later as the two clubs sailed off in entirely different directions, Warbo was never to be seen again at Celtic Park.
THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROARS
After losing 7-0 in Barcelona there were fears that this Celtic side could be badly out of their depth in the Champions League.
Celtic Park was jumping long before kick off as Pep Guardiola brought his side with a 100% record to Glasgow. It was 90 minutes that City would never forget as their defence was cut up and exposed.
Moussa Dembele bundled home a goal in the opening minutes, City bounced back, the game captivated the continent with Dembele’s second goal of the night announcing the French striker on the big time.
FIRST TROPHY
Despite all the early season praise Rodgers wasn’t taking any plaudits until he had something tangible to show for his side’s efforts.
Celtic went into the final still unbeaten domestically but on the back of a 2-0 Champions League home defeat from Barcelona- it was to be the last defeat of the season.
Without Scott Sinclair and Kieran Tierney the hoops swept Aberdeen aside with first half goals from Tom Rogic and James Forrest ending any challenge before Moussa Dembele tied the game up in the second half.
DEMOLITION DERBY (II)
We had all been told about the tactical genius recruited from Qatar but after being turned over at Hampden Rodgers repeated the trick at Ibrox.
5-1 was barely a fair reflection on the match as Celtic took the Ibrox side apart with every goal a delight.
Mikael Lustig finished the rout off and celebrated as only e can, at the final whistle the players knew what the result meant to the players and vice versa.
BRENDAN’S TREBLE
There was a lot of tension and expectation around Hampden and for two minutes fear as Jonny Hayes opened the scoring.
Stuart Armstrong equalised soon afterwards but it was a long long wait for the winner but worthy of the season.
Substitute Tom Rogic waltzed past a few defenders then stroked the ball past the keeper with a sweep of a blue boot to trigger great scenes on the park, in the stands and among Celtic fans worldwide.