Brendan Rodgers also acknowledged the frustrations of supporters following the end of the transfer window, and emphasised that the focus was always on quality rather than quantity in terms of bringing players to the club.

“The club have worked very, very hard in order to help and improve the squad,” he said. “It’s just about the level of player that we want to bring in.

'I’ve said it before at the beginning of the window, we could have brought in players that could fill out the squad but that’s not what this team needs.'

“It needs a level of player that’s going to allow the team to progress and if that’s not available or, the work that we’ve done and we just couldn’t quite get that player to the club, then that’s unfortunately the way it is.

“I can understand it (fans’ frustrations). “Supporters here will always demand the very, very best – that’s what Celtic is – and I’m also here to live with that, but if it’s not the right player that doesn’t fit right for what we want to do – and I’ve always said it’s not about the quantity of players, it’s about the quality and the level we want to bring in.

“If that’s not available for us, and like you’ve seen throughout the game, the market has been fairly quiet, so it’s been no different for us, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort and work from the club.

“So now we’ll move on with the group that we have. I now know where we’re at and, going forward into this next part of the season I’m really positive and really excited about the team that we have and it’s going to be a really exciting four months for us.”

That begins tomorrow (Saturday) with a lunchtime clash with Aberdeen. The Pittodrie side will be managerless for the game, having sacked Barry Robson earlier in the week.

But regardless of that, the Celtic boss is anticipating a typically difficult away game for his side.

“We always prepare for a tough game,” he said. “What I will say is that I really feel for Barry and the situation that he was in because he’s probably punished a little bit for the success that he had – taking them into European football.

“They had a great run last season and got into Europe, and then that’s never easy, because of the expectation but also the physicality of it all, having to play in the weekends, midweek and then go again. So that’s obviously been a challenge for them.

“But it’s sad to see him go. He’s a good football guy and he’ll learn from the experience and be ready to take that into his next job.”

The manager also confirmed that Cameron Carter-Vickers is set to be out for about three weeks, while Reo Hatate, who will return to the club after picking up an injury while on international duty at the Asian Cup with Japan, could be out for a bit longer.

Watch Brendan Rodgers’ full media conference

January transfer window
Adam Idah’s qualities
Injury update
Aberdeen preview

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Manager: I’m really positive and excited about the team we have here