That Celtic could still win two trophies in this most jaw-droppingly turbulent campaign is quite remarkable.
It speaks to the managerial skills of interim boss Martin O’Neill but also to a key core of go-to players who have had precious little help from those recruited, supposedly, to help them.
James Forrest will be 35 this summer and has just signed yet another contract extension with his boyhood heroes. He may well hang up his boots in 2027, having never played for anyone else.
Captain Callum McGregor’s minutes are being meticulously managed. The clear implication being Celtic can’t possibly do without their main man, even if he’s not fully fit.
He’ll be 33 soon, has had some injury problems this season and yet has still made over 50 appearances this term.
Special mention, too, to Kieran Tierney, who seems to have put his myriad injury problems at other clubs behind him and has delivered in defence and attack.
Japan forward Daizen Maeda has three goals in his past two games. An extra yard of pace restored to someone who was already frighteningly quick. Leading the Celtic press in a way he hasn’t since his remarkable player of the year season last term.
Forrest, McGregor, Tierney and Maeda – men Celtic have relied heavily on for much of their success in recent years.
Two other good servants, Liam Scales and Luke McCowan, were also rewarded recently with extended contracts. Scales was signed in 2021; McCowan three summers later. All are delivering for the club, some more than others.
Where, though, are this season’s new recruits? The players signed, some of them, for relatively eye-watering amounts who were supposed to help ease the burden?
About £10m spent on wingers Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha, supposedly to take over from Forrest and Yang Hyun-jun in the absence of the injured Jota.
Tounekti has scored two Premiership goals since his arrival, at least he has played. The same can’t be said of Balikwisha, who has contributed hardly anything at all since a forgettable derby debut at Rangers at the end of August.
The less said about the acquisitions of Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, the better. For fairness and balance, Benjamin Nygren, Marcelo Saracchi and Julian Araujo (before injury ended his season) are proof recruitment wasn’t wholly disastrous.
What though of the January arrivals? Where are Tomas Cvancara, Junior Adamu and Joel Mvuka? Nowhere near the starting line-up at present, any of them.
The latter has only made two brief, wholly unimpressive Scottish Cup cameos. Zero contribution to the fraught race for the league title.
From Adamu’s six appearances, only three were starts. Of those, he only reappeared for the second half once. His late equaliser against Dundee, however, did keep Celtic in the Scottish Cup.
Cvancara made a good initial impression before fading fast. He’ll be remembered for the cool penalty that sent Rangers crashing out of the Scottish Cup at Ibrox but hasn’t even made the last two matchday squads.
Despite all of this, Celtic are five games away from a league and cup double. Martin O’Neill has had no option but to turn back to the old faithful. The key question now is how long can they continue to deliver?