Bildnummer: 14200817 Datum: 10.08.2013 Copyright: imago/HochZwei/International PROPAGANDA20130810 Football - soccer: Pre-season Friendly, Glasgow Celtic FC - Liverpool FC, Liverpool s Stewart Downing in action against Glasgow Celtic during a preseason friendly match at the Aviva Stadium. (Hinweis: Verwendung nur in Deutschland, Österreich oder Schweiz - only Germany, Austria and Switzerland) xHOCHxZWEIx/xPropagandax PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY ; Fussball Testspiel 2014 xns x0x 2013 quer GERONLY PROPAGANDA Sports - sports Fussball - soccer Football Preseason Vorbereitung Freundschaftsspiel Testspiel Vorsaison Maenner - men Aktion - action Aktionsbild Aktionsfoto Image number 14200817 date 10 08 2013 Copyright imago International Football Soccer Pre Season Friendly Glasgow Celtic FC Liverpool FC Liverpool s Stewart Downing in Action Against Glasgow Celtic during A Preseason Friendly Match AT The AVIVA Stage Note Use only in Germany Austria Or Switzerland only Germany Austria and Switzerland xHOCHxZWEIx xPropagandax PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Football try out 2014 xns x0x 2013 horizontal GERONLY propaganda Sports Sports Football Soccer Football Preseason Preparations Friendly match try out Season Men Men Action shot Action Action Figure Action photo
Luke McCowan has opened up about a whirlwind summer that included a Scottish Premiership title, a Scottish Cup, and a wedding in Tuscany.
The Celtic midfielder married his long-term partner Erin in Italy just weeks after helping the club secure a historic Double with the Hoops.
McCowan was refreshingly honest when asked which occasion tested his nerves more, and the answer was not the one you might expect from a newlywed.
“What was more nerve-racking? The title decider for sure! I think that made me less nervous for the wedding and that because of how much stuff we had coming up before it!” he said.
The 27-year-old had stirred rivalry earlier in the season by publicly insisting that no one could touch Celtic if they showed up and performed to their ability.
Those comments drew criticism from rival supporters at the time, but McCowan backed them up with his performances across a title-winning campaign that went to the wire.
The final day decider against Hearts proved to be the defining test of the season, and McCowan admitted the tension of that match put everything else into perspective.
“Just had to get the Double out the way first, which wasn’t an easy task. But lucky enough we got that done and I was able to go and enjoy the summer,” he said.
The wedding itself became an extension of the celebrations, with McCowan noting that the Double was the dominant topic of conversation among guests throughout the day.
“Obviously, the main topic off most of the dads and the uncles was all about the Double and I just was focusing on what good music was on and what good food there was,” he said with a laugh.
McCowan also reflected on how the occasion highlighted the quality of the people he surrounds himself with, both in football and in his personal life.
“I think that was the biggest takeaway from the wedding, was actually realising how special the group we’ve got,” he said, noting that guests repeatedly commented on the company he keeps.
The midfielder also had to deal with some cheeky wind-ups at the wedding, with photos circulating online showing guests making a handball gesture referencing a controversial penalty incident against Motherwell late in the season.
He brushed it off with good humour, noting that some of the images were artificially generated, saying “A couple of them were AI, I will say! I really hope you don’t think my missus has get one tooth and the floating flowers!”
Erin was quick to ensure the celebrations did not linger too long, pushing McCowan back into professional mode almost immediately after the wedding concluded.
“Erin said to me right away, as soon as that finished, it was just back to serious mode and making sure you’re ready to get back into pre-season,” he said.
The widespread reaction to Celtic’s title win only became truly clear to McCowan during his honeymoon, where strangers abroad immediately recognised the significance of the Hearts victory.
“Even when me and Erin were on holiday, as soon as you spoke people would say ‘Glasgow?’ ‘Celtic or Rangers?’ I’d say ‘Celtic’ then they’d mention the Hearts game,” he recalled.
Now fully focused on pre-season, McCowan has one clear ambition driving him forward into the new campaign.
“How do you top it? Go and win it again. That feeling of winning, you want to chase it, you want to get it back,” he said.
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