HAVING not long completed his first season at Paradise, Hatem Abd Elhamed is a relative newbie in the grand scheme of all things Celtic. Still, the Israeli defender is well aware of what the coming season means to Hoops fans far and wide, as the players on the pitch chase an elusive and potentially historic 10th consecutive league championship win.

After three months of at-home routines and solo fitness training during the global pandemic, the 29-year-old full-back has savoured his return to Lennoxtown, to once more see his team-mates and coaches, and return to full fitness with an eye on the season ahead.

“It’s nice to be back with my team-mates and also with the coaches,” Elhamed told Celtic TV in an exclusive interview. “Pre-season is difficult, it’s hard training, but this is our job and we enjoy it. We want to work hard now and then we look forward to playing games again not long from now. To play games – that’s the time that we enjoy most. At training we work hard, and then in the games we can enjoy ourselves.

“This season is very important and I understand it is very special for the fans. As players, we need to make sure that we are up for it and going for 10 in-a-row. We’re looking forward to the next game – the first game, the second, the third and so on. We always look game-to-game, and we always have targets. This season, that’s to win the championship again and to make more history.”

Away from Celtic, Elhamed and countryman Nir Bitton will represent Israel in their European Championship play-off against Scotland – postponed from March 26 earlier this year – whenever it gets rescheduled. The match is as yet without a concrete date, but Elhamed expects a hard-fought game against some of his colleagues on the international stage.

He added: “We need to see the programme, when the game will be, what time and date, and then we need to make sure we get there ready. We are a good team, and Scotland are very strong as well. They have a very strong mentality, so it will be tough – but, I think, we have good determination and a chance to go through.”

Elhamed: I understand what 10 in-a-row would mean to the fans