Celtic kicked off their Premiership campaign with a 4-2 win against Ross County. It was not their best performance by any means but they were good enough to get the job done. That is what champions do. Brendan Rodgers’ side will be hoping to improve as the campaign progresses. And their next match is a tougher one, away at Pittodrie Stadium against Aberdeen.
One would be hoping that Celtic take their A-game to Pittodrie Stadium. They certainly need to get the three points on the day in order to build some positive momentum at the start of the campaign.
Of course, last weekend was a chance for the Ross County players to witness the Parkhead atmosphere at its peak. Flag Day is always a special occasion for the supporters.
One of Ross County’s newest players, Will Nightingale, appears to have been blown away by the atmosphere at Celtic Park. As reported by Football Scotland, he said:
"“It has been more familiar than I expected. It was a massive pull for me, the chance to get to play against teams like Celtic or Rangers.“It’s so nice up here. I car-share with a few of the lads. Dingwall is a quiet town, but it’s lovely. As much as I’m settled and enjoying it, I’m up here to play football and I just want the games to come thick and fast.“Down south, we’ve had some good cup runs, so I’ve had the chance to play against some good sides. We had West Ham, Tottenham, Liverpool over the years, and Arsenal in the cup last year.“I played against Saka when he came off the bench at the Emirates. That was a similar attendance, but the atmosphere at Celtic was just another level. I’ve not experienced that to be fair.”"
Ross County player makes superb Celtic Park claim
Nightingale came through the youth ranks at AFC Wimbledon and played several seasons at the senior level for them. It is only this summer that he moved to Ross County on loan.
Nightingale has had the opportunity to play in several top stadiums across England over the course of his career. But it looks like the atmosphere that he witnessed at Celtic Park last weekend has certainly made an impression on the defender.
It remains to be seen how his loan spell at Ross County goes. They certainly will be looking to stay up in the top flight. If they are to achieve that target, Nightingale will have to play his part.
On the other hand, Celtic are aiming to defend their domestic treble. On the other hand, making an impact in the Champions League should be a target for them too.