John Kennedy said the recent run of international fixtures has given him some decisions to make regarding the starting XI for this weekend’s Scottish Cup game against Falkirk, but the Hoops interim manager insisted he will still field a strong team.

Celtic’s Scottish Cup campaign begins this Saturday’s (April 3) at home to League One leaders, Falkirk, and the cup holders will be looking to book their place in the last 16.

Many of the Celtic players have been awa on international duty representing their respective countries and have only just returned to Lenoxtown for training.

John Kennedy said he was pleased to see the players return injury-free but added the busy run of fixtures could have an impact on who is likely to start on Saturday night.

“It’s always difficult when the international break comes around because it always interrupts you a little bit, especially when you feel like you’re getting a little bit of rhythm,” said the manager. “There seems to be a clean bill of health for them coming back, which is always a positive.

“Some guys got games, some more than we wanted, but it is what it is. It’s the international teams’ call to do that but they’re squeezing three games into the space of a week, which is more than you’d normally get at this point in the season. The players are good, though, and everybody’s come back healthy and well.

“There are a lot of guys itching at the bit to get a game but, at the same time, we want to be going out with a strong team to win the game.

'It’s an important competition for us so we’ll put out a strong team and there’ll be one or two decisions to make with players who’ve come off the back of a busy schedule.'

“The competition we’ll start this weekend is really important for us, not just for the campaign itself but the players’ hunger to keep winning. When you get a couple of setbacks, it hurts, but it’s about using that hurt to motivate the squad to go out and win the next challenge which is the Scottish Cup.”

John Kennedy also gave an update on some players returning from injury and revealed certain key players could be ready to start games.

“Mikey Johnson’s had a period of time out again and it’s been a tough season for him in terms of injuries," he said. "He’s come through most of the training this week and I’d like to get a bit more in him. He’s a young player and is maturing and physically developing. We don’t want to rush him back too quickly and he ends up getting another injury so we need to make sure he’s robust enough.

“James Forrest has had a good week of training and is good to go. We brought him off the bench against Rangers and the Dundee United but he’s had enough training time that he’s in contention to start games now.”

John Kennedy: We'll field strong team against Falkirk