Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has admitted the squad within Parkhead will virtually stay the same as he tries to qualify for the Champions League.
The former SPL champions start their season late on in July and Mowbray revealed he will rely on the previous Champions League experience to see the club through what in real terms could be a very difficult hurdle to reach the group stages.
“I think first and foremost, the team is what it is at the moment,” said Mowbray. “I’m not going to change the whole philosophy and the mindset of the footballers.
“We have some very good, experienced and talented footballers at the club, and let’s be totally respectful of their talents. We go into that game with a lot of players with European experience now.
“We have got to draw on that in six weeks time and try to set the team up to come through some qualifying games and as the season progresses try and build on it.
“It’s repetition of good habits day-in-day-out that will manage to gel this team together the way we want it to be, it doesn’t happen overnight.
“There is a period of time you’ve got to go through, so hopefully one day you can sit back and watch your team flow and watch your team play and the good players out on the pitch doing what you work on week-in-week-out.”
And one of Mowbray’s priorities is going to be offering a new contract to Gary Caldwell before his deal expires next summer.
He explained: “I will speak to Gary soon about his contract situation - the first chance I get, I will do that.
“I will talk to him, his advisors and to chief executive Peter Lawwell about it.
“I will see where we are at because I am sure he has been approached before now on a new contract. I assume he has.
“I have not tip-toed into the issue as yet, but I will see what Gary thinks.”