Luke McCowan has doubled down on his controversial claim that no one in Scotland could live with Celtic at their best, insisting he has been proven right.
The midfielder was widely criticised when he made the bold statement back in February, following Celtic’s away victory over Stuttgart after a league defeat to Hibs.
At the time, a potential Double appeared a distant prospect, with Hearts threatening to pull away from Celtic at the top of the league table.
However, Martin O’Neill’s side ultimately delivered, dramatically pipping the Jambos to the league title in the final minutes of the season.
Celtic then completed the Double by defeating Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup final a week later, vindicating McCowan’s earlier confidence in his teammates.
“The reason I said that is because I’ve got that much belief in this group,” McCowan told Celtic TV, making clear his faith in the squad never wavered.
“I know there’s amazing teams in the league and amazing players in the league. I’ve just got more faith in my team, my squad, my team-mates and the staff than I do anybody else.”
“I knew if we got ourselves going and firing in the right way that we would retain the title, and that’s exactly what we did,” he added with clear satisfaction.
The 28-year-old made 42 appearances for the Hoops last season, though the majority of those came from the bench rather than as a starter.
McCowan has now set himself a personal challenge to secure a regular starting position at the club heading into next season.
“If I’m being harsh on myself, I know I’ve got more,” he admitted, acknowledging there is still significant room for improvement in his game.
“I’ve had big moments throughout the season, but if I want to be a starter at this club and play constantly then I need to contribute more.”
“That’s my aim for next year, to push myself and everybody in my position to the max and try to play as many games as I can,” he continued.
Away from football, McCowan is also preparing for his wedding this summer, describing it as the final piece of what he called an unforgettable personal Treble.
“My partner and I are both Celtic fans, so to go there as Double champions is special. I’m going to make it a treble when I get married!” he said.
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