'Off days don't exist' for Celtic 'mentality monsters'

When Kasper Schmeichel, a Premier League winner, tells you that what Celtic do year in and year out is "extremely difficult and shouldn't be underestimated", you should probably listen.

The 38-year-old was passed the Celtic gloves by long-time pal Joe Hart last summer when he was reunited with Brendan Rodgers.

At Leicester City, the two won the FA Cup and Community Shield. Before that, Denmark international Schmeichel was part of the team who won the league under Claudio Ranieri, and he has scooped up a bounty of individual awards in his career.

Now he has a Scottish Premiership and League Cup in his cabinet and - although injured for now - hopes to be back in time to add a Scottish Cup medal and help Celtic complete a sixth domestic treble in nine years.

While the first title win of Schmeichel's career couldn't have been more unforeseeable in his Leicester days, the second couldn't have been more expected.

But he does not care for that narrative.

"Much is made of the Scottish league and the competition, but you have to win every single game," Schmeichel told Sky Sports.

"It's extremely difficult and definitely shouldn't be underestimated. Off days don't exist for us."

'They're mentality monsters. It's phenomenal'

For so much of this campaign, it has been a case of when, not if, Celtic would clinch a 13th title in 14 seasons, such is there utter domestic dominance.

In recent weeks, there has been discourse around the routineness of these trophy days.

Captain Callum McGregor, Rodgers and now Schmeichel have all shot down that sentiment. 'You don't get sick of it' has been the gist of their retort.

"They're mentality monsters," former Celtic striker Chris Sutton said of Rodgers' side on Sky Sports. "They've made winning the league look so easy again and it's anything but."

When Sutton joined in 2000 from Chelsea, Celtic won their third treble in his first season. Now they're on course for their sixth in nine campaigns.

"They're winning them every other season now, their mentality is phenomenal," Sutton said. "It's so underestimated.

"It is so, so difficult to win games of football - Martin O'Neill used to emphasise that to us on a weekly basis - but to do in the style they do as well."

'Rodgers drives relentless nature'

Celtic have been Scotland's dominant side in the 21st Century

A sticky start at Tannadice on Saturday was soon forgotten as Rodgers' Celtic scored five goals in the game that clinched the title for the fourth time running.

They don't fall over the finish line, they sprint over it.

When Nicolas Kuhn cushioned in his second of the afternoon - and 20th of the season - it was Celtic's 100th goal of the league season. Adam Idah added the 101st and 102nd after the break.

In the manager's first season in charge - the invincible campaign of 2016-17 - they hit 106 goals. Pre-match, Rodgers said the target now was to better that.

They have four games to score five goals and do that. With 10 in their last two - 15 in three if you include last week's Scottish Cup semi-final scudding of St Johnstone - you would fancy them to do that.

"That relentless nature is what we're all about," said Schmeichel.

"Any championship-winning team has to have that internal drive. It starts with the manager and it's up to us to implement them.

"We are constantly striving for better, striving for more."

That's a harrowing thought for the rest given Celtic have now claimed 21 of the last 26 available major domestic honours. Unprecedented and utter domination.

'Someday it'll all be over, so cherish it'

Evidently irked by the outside noise surrounding the perceived monotonous movie of title after title, trophy after trophy, Celtic will make sure they enjoy this one.

McGregor will lift his ninth trophy as captain on the final day of the season against St Mirren. His 24th in total with the club.

James Forrest has moved out on his own as the most decorated player in the club's history with 26 major honours, overtaking Lisbon Lion Bobby Lennox.

If you focused on the two senior players at the full-time whistle, you would be forgiven for thinking it was their first time feeling it, such was the way they immersed themselves in the celebrations.

"You have to cherish it and live in the moment because someday it'll all be over and you'll never get the chance to do it again," McGregor, 31, told BBC Scotland.

For much of his career, though, the former Scotland international has had good odds to do it again. Team-mate Schmeichel, not so much.

He got a taste for it down south but now has the opportunity to cash in on that buzz season on season.

"When you win a game in the Premier League, you're celebrating, but here it's totally expected and I love it," he said.