Celtic defender Liam Scales has issued a frank assessment of where the reigning Scottish Premiership champions must improve to secure six-in-a-row.
The Hoops scraped to the title last season despite losing eight league games, eventually leapfrogging Hearts on a dramatic final day to claim the championship.
Scales acknowledged the standard of competition in the Premiership rose significantly last term, and that Celtic cannot afford another inconsistent campaign.
He said: “100 per cent. I think we know we need to be better. We need to get more points, win more games. I do feel like that’s possible because last season was full of disruptions.”
The defender pointed to the unsettled nature of the previous campaign as a major factor in Celtic’s inconsistency, with multiple managerial changes disrupting the club’s rhythm throughout the season.
He added: “There was a lot of outside noise, and having so many different managers in one year, it was hard to get that rhythm.”
Scales believes the full pre-season under manager Martin O’Neill will be a significant advantage compared to last year’s disrupted preparations.
He said: “We didn’t have a pre-season under Martin last season. So having a pre-season under Martin and Shaun, that’s going to help us a lot.”
O’Neill has been pushing for reinforcements, with Egypt World Cup star Haissem Hassan and Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh among the names on his wishlist this summer.
So far, £6 million striker Camilo Duran remains the only new arrival at Parkhead, despite Parkhead chiefs promising a major summer rebuild ahead of the new campaign.
Scales praised the early impact of Duran, who has scored in both pre-season friendlies against Sporting Lisbon and Middlesbrough since completing his move to the club.
He said: “He seems like he’s really sharp. Obviously, he had a good season last year so we’re hoping he can kick on for us.”
The defender also highlighted the changing nature of Scottish Premiership football as something Celtic must adapt to in the coming season.
He said: “I felt like the standard was really high and teams tried to play more. It was a little bit different than maybe previous years, when the majority of teams were going direct.”
Scales pointed to sides like Motherwell and Hibs as examples of teams that pushed Celtic hard without receiving sufficient recognition for their performances.
He said: “I think they only finished a couple of points off Motherwell, didn’t they? They didn’t get that much credit for that.”
O’Neill has also made subtle changes behind the scenes during pre-season, including the appointment of new set-piece coach Ross Grant, as Celtic look to sharpen up ahead of another demanding campaign.
Scales identified stability as the cornerstone of any successful title defence, and expressed confidence that the squad now has the right conditions to deliver a stronger, more commanding performance across the season.
He said: “I think that’s the place we need to improve for next season. I think stability is a key thing in that as well.”
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