Chris Davies has revealed that Brendan Rodgers never flapped during the tense last fortnight that threw up a number of conflicts.
Within that short period the hoops boss brought Dedryck Boyata back into the fold, saw off Suduva to book a place in the group phase of the Europa League, handled the departure of Moussa Dembele then handed out a footballing lesson to Steven Gerrard.
When Rodgers gets around to writing a book on his time at Celtic that period will command a special chapter or two as the Irishman came under greater scrutiny than at any time since he arrived in Glasgow.
Davies has been beside Rodgers every step of the way and wasn’t surprised by the way that he steered the club through stormy waters.
“He has a calm temperament and he’s always had that, right back to when he was coaching me [at Reading in 2004],” the Celtic assistant told the Evening Times.
“That doesn’t mean he wants to win any less but that calmness is a real benefit in high-pressure games.
“To be honest, though, the feeling for me before the match at the weekend was no different from any other time we’ve played Rangers, whether it’s in the league or a cup semi-final.
“I remember all those games, going back to the first time we ever played them, and each one has been significant. Speaking personally, I didn’t feel under any more pressure going into the latest one.”
Rodgers will be back in the eye of the storm next Friday when Celtic travel to St Mirren knowing that a win in Paisley can draw them level on points with league leaders Hearts.