In terms of Celtic’s fixture list, it’s been a hard few months, and Luke McCowan has been working like a dog. So much so, that his own cocker spaniel, Kobe, was beginning to forget what he looked like.
The task of juggling domestic and Champions League duties has been something of a culture shock for the former Dundee man, and also for his pet pooch, who has had to get used to McCowan packing his bags and jetting off on a regular basis.
It is little wonder then that the midfielder has enjoyed something of a lighter schedule this week, allowing him to spend some much-needed time with his family, as well as letting him recharge his batteries and reflect on a whirlwind first season at Celtic to date.
“I just said that to the boys yesterday or the day before, I think I didn't realise how hectic and hard a schedule it was, especially my first time doing it,” McCowan said.
“This week has been a lot better. I've even managed to go to the shops and get a bit of shopping in and walk the dug for a wee bit. I think he didn't even recognise me for that three months! He's off his nut, so the missus needs a bit of help to take care of him.
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“It just feels nice to be at home with my family and mum after training, not needing to pack a bag and get ready to travel anywhere. It's been nice to get a refresher.
“That's probably why I've reflected a wee bit on it. That's the first time I've went through that and luckily I went through it with no scars.
“You're coming away from it thinking that's a good learning curve and hopefully next year you're doing the same because you want to be in as many competitions as possible.”
The next competition facing McCowan and his teammates is the Scottish Cup, and McCowan is determined to get past Hibs tomorrow and get to Hampden for the semi final, having had largely forgettable experiences at the national stadium as a player so far.
Such as the first and only time he has played there, a Scottish Challenge Cup defeat to Queen’s Park just after breaking into the Ayr United first team.
“Funny story actually about that,” he said.
“That game went to penalties, and I was told I wasn't allowed to take a penalty because they got a guy sent off, so you need to take a guy away. And I was the guy they told to bolt!
“It was Ian McCall. I think I was the youngest in the team at the point, and just said, aye, you, off. And I was like, right, fair enough.
“I think I had that extra-large top on as well.”
On his most recent visit, McCowan was forced to watch from the stand as his Celtic teammates lifted the League Cup, having already played for Dundee in the group stages of the competition at the start of the season.
He was delighted for his pals and the club, of course, but he couldn’t help but feel as though he was something of a peripheral figure on the day.
“As soon as you're cup tied and you're not involved in the squad, there's nothing genuinely worse other than being injured really,” he said.
“And now I'm able to play in this cup, it's been magic.
“It was horrible actually. I didn't even want to go on the pitch [at the end]. Callum (McGregor) obviously was dragging the likes of myself in, because they understand that it's not just that game, it's the training and the week before it. It's everybody pushing each other to make them better.
“But I didn't even celebrate with the boys really in the changing room because it wasn’t a cup that I won. I didn't play a single game in it.
“So, I know come this one I'm sure if things were to go our way and you go to the end of the season and you've got it, then I'm sure I'll celebrate a bit better.
“But the main focus on is getting through this stage and kind of taking it round by round.”
McCowan doesn’t have particularly happy memories of the last time he faced Hibs either, getting hooked at half time in the recent defeat at Easter Road.
He has managed though, with some help from his mindset coach, to retain some perspective on that bad day at the office after a hugely impressive opening to his Celtic career on the whole.
“It was probably the first time I felt myself being part of a team and it not going well,” he said.
“I was actually speaking to my mindset coach about it, and he was just saying that in your Celtic career, six or seven months in, that's the first time it's gone wrong. It's alright, you'll take it, but it happens in football.
“I'll be looking to do that again on Sunday.”
If Hibs had their way, McCowan could have been lining up in their colours at Celtic Park this weekend, with their interest in snaring the midfielder from Dens Park last summer something of an open secret. But once his boyhood heroes entered the mix, there was only one place McCowan was going.
“I was aware of it, but once Celtic is involved, it's them or nothing really,” he said.
“To be fair, my head wasn't turned at all. It was just one of those things.
“I don't know how it would have panned out if Celtic were never interested, where I would have went, I don't know.
“As soon as Celtic were involved, you can't turn that down. It was never really a question.”
