Speaking exclusively to the Celtic View magazine and podcast, he said: “We need to make sure we don’t spoil people’s Christmas, so pressure on Santa Claus and us to make Christmas runs smooth every year!

“There’s a lot of games in a significant period for us in many respects, so it’s one we are going to have to work our way through. We need to try and keep improving our football knowing that we’re going to have to maintain a really high level of consistency if we want to keep making inroads.

“Hopefully the players will enjoy it. All those kinds of things if you’re doing well, you love playing games and that’s what we need to make sure we do.”

For the players, the Christmas period will be a succession of games, training and recovering, but the Celtic manager knows it’s important that they do find time to enjoy the festive period.

He added: “We kind of like to think we are like an extended family here.

'So on Christmas Day, we have the morning with your real family and then share it with your Celtic family in the afternoon.'

“We’re all in a privileged position to do something we’re passionate about and these things come along that other people don’t normally have to contend with.

“It’s a small price to pay for what we do. I feel the players will embrace all of that aspect of that.”

The 100-page Celtic View Christmas issue will be available from Celtic retail stores (price: £5.99) from this Friday, November 26, and can be pre-ordered now.

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Manager: Pressure on us and Santa to deliver this Christmas