Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has needed to rely on his squad throughout the campaign to achieve a domestic double.
Success never comes easy at any level, and the Bhoys had to juggle their fair share of injury struggles to bring the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup back to Parkhead.
Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate and Callum McGregor will be remembered as the triple axis that Celtic missed the most during their title bid due to their respective fitness issues; however, there were also enforced changes in other areas of the field that Rodgers had to undertake.
Alistair Johnston’s slight facial fracture back in February against Hibernian paved the way for Anthony Ralston to deputise at right-back for a brief period earlier this year, and he arguably delivered one of the most telling moments of Celtic’s campaign in the late 2-1 win at Easter Road.
With the seconds ticking away, the Bhoys were in desperate need of someone to force the issue. Ralston thundered into a challenge on Elie Youan, which eventually resulted in a penalty being awarded from the attacking phase that Adam Idah converted to seal a priceless three points.
In a microcosm, moments like this represent the squad security available at Celtic that perhaps isn’t elsewhere, typifying the collective spirit present in the dressing room.
Celtic’s collective hunger to establish a winning culture
Truthfully, Celtic have always had a winning culture that forms the DNA of the club; nevertheless, re-generating an insatiable hunger for success year after year isn’t an easy feat.
This is where players like Ralston come in. Club captain McGregor and iconic figures such as James Forrest would be more obvious examples; however, their impact is profoundly acknowledged, whereas men like the former don’t always get the credit they deserve.
Once upon a time, the 25-year-old was almost certain to leave Parkhead by his own admission before Ange Postecoglou revived his career in Glasgow’s east end.
Fast forward to 2024, and he has now hit 103 appearances for the club, registering seven goals and 13 assists, playing his part in the Bhoys claiming 12 pieces of silverware [Transfermarkt].
His story is an inspiring example of never knowing when to quit, a quality that is widely shared within Rodgers’ playing group, who had to fight tooth and nail for success this campaign.
Possessing a steely mentality is everything in football, but as Ralston has shown, this isn’t limited to the starting lineup; it is a non-negotiable when playing for Celtic, no matter the role.
What Brendan Rodgers said about Anthony Ralston’s mentality
Speaking last month, Rodgers lauded the defender for his professionalism, stating: “He will feature more for me next season. Part of this season was that Ali (Johnston) was the first choice. Tony came in and played some games. Ali had been out for a while, so when he came back from injury, I needed to get him games to get him up to speed. That meant that Tony hadn’t played so much.
“But there are a few things with Tony. One, I know he is always ready because if he is not playing in games his training is the game. So he trains every day and his standard, quality, and mentality are like that of a game.
“That’s why I can put him in against St Mirren in the last game of the season, and he is running up in the 90th minute, making a cross to score the winning goal. Why? Because he trains himself. He is a wonderful example of someone who treats his training like it’s a game so that when he comes in, he is game-ready.”
Ralston may need to wait his turn a lot of the time, but he always gives 100% when called upon, helping to set a standard that drives the club forward in the process.