Tom Rogic insists it’s been sweet to answer the critics who wrote Celtic off in the early weeks of Ange Postecoglou’s reign.
But the Parkhead playmaker is adamant the squad are taking nothing for granted in the title race and the team still have hard work to do to get over the line.
Rogic and his colleagues have thrived under Postecoglou this term to win a Premier Sports Cup and surge six points clear in the Premiership with just four games to go.
After losing three of their opening six title contests, doubts were placed on Celtic’s ability to mount a challenge.
But Rogic and his team have hit back sensationally and he said: “A season is always difficult, always quite gruelling, and you always have to earn it.
“Particularly at the start of the season, we were written-off quite early.
“To perform the way we have and play the football we have is the most pleasing and, on the back of the hard work, results have come. It’s been good.
“It’s funny sometimes when people write you off early. I don’t think it is extra motivation, but it is nice sometimes to prove people wrong.
“It wasn’t really our focus. Our focus was still the same throughout all the matches regardless of the result.
“We knew if we played to our ability and the level of effort was there, the results would come with it.
“If you look at the start of the season and the amount of players who came in and played virtually after they signed with one or two training sessions before a match, it took a bit of time to get everyone together. But once it did, we gelled it together pretty good.
“We’ve enjoyed some success, but we still have four games left and want to finish as strongly as possible. I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”
The title is close, but Rogic says Celtic have to stay in the zone as he continued: “Any trophy you win is extremely satisfying and rewarding and you have to work very hard for it.
“I’m fortunate enough that I’ve been a part of really successful teams here and won a lot of trophies.
“What I’ve learned in that time is nothing gets handed to you. It will be potentially rewarding, but we’ve got a lot of work to do over the next four games.
“We certainly don’t take anything for granted. Football is a funny game the way it works out and our focus is solely on our next match and making sure we are successful.”
Defeating Rangers at Parkhead on Sunday would push Celtic virtually over the line, but Rogic said: “We have four games left and they are all going to be important. It’s the same number of points for each match.”
Rogic has a brilliant scoring record against Rangers, but he smiled: “I don’t think it matters too much who scores. It’s the team that matters.
“I’m sure maybe I’ll look back at some point when I’m retired and feel pretty proud about things, but right now I don’t really care who scores.”
Rogic spoke after being nominated alongside Celtic skipper Calum McGregor, Hearts ace Craig Gordon and Ross County’s Regan Charles Cook on the shortlist for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year Award.
He said: “It’s pretty cool recognition. These are players who are experiencing the same things you are every day and you come up against them every week.
“It’s nice to have that recognition from your fellow professionals, but Callum and I are well aware that individual recognition comes off the back of the collective group.
“I dare say you could argue that a good number of our boys could have been in this position we are in. But I’ve certainly grateful to be nominated.”
