Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has used the international break to give those who haven't went away with their country a much-needed time to recharge ahead of what's set to be a packed fixture schedule over the next month. 

11 first team stars joined up with their respective nations over the past week for the second enforced stoppage of the domestic season - just seven games in. 

This stop-start nature is becoming ever-so common, and Rodgers actually reckons modern day football is starting to veer towards being a 12-month sport. 

Celtic faced Sligo Rovers in a friendly last week before the gaffer allowed his remaining squad to rest up. 

Meanwhile, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate have travelled across the world hoping to represent Japan, with Hatate failing to make a single appearance and Maeda being reduced to a small cameo from the bench.

James Forrest was forced to withdraw from Scotland's camp due to an injury worry, while Kasper Schmeichel has come under scrutiny for his role in Denmark's latest defeat.

There were some positives, though, since Arne Engels earned his second cap for Belgium on Monday, and Liam Scales netted his first Ireland goal last week.

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(Image: Celtic TV) Rodgers took the opportunity to chat with Celtic TV and detailed what's been going on at Lennoxtown since the last competitive fixture against Ross County on October 6. 

“The players who stayed back had a chance to recover," he said. "We played in Sligo midweek, which was a great exercise for us. After that, some of the players got a bit of breathing space to rest and recharge for the next batch of games.

"They’ve been back in training since Monday, and we’re preparing well for the weekend.

"Recovery is as important as training hard, and while the international players are away, we’ll get them back as soon as possible, recover them, and be ready to go again for the busy schedule ahead."

Many of the Celtic squad didn't get a substantial break over summer due to the European Championships and then flying out to the United States for their pre-season tour shortly after. 

Now with internationals breaks even more frequent since the introduction of the UEFA Nations League, Celtic are faced with seven games with 23 days across all competitions. 

That includes a two Champions League clashes, four league matches and a huge Premier Sports Cup encounter at Hampden Park. 

Rodgers is lucky that he's built a large squad that's been curated ready to deal with competing strongly domestically and in Europe, yet the Celtic boss still believes a packed schedule could become a widespread issue. 

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”Yes, there’s definitely more football crammed into shorter timeframes," he replied when asked if he feels the fixture congestion caused by frequent international breaks is a concern.

"Looking forward, I think football is heading towards becoming a 12-month sport. Players may not get rest in the summer, but at different points throughout the year.

"There are more games and higher demands on players. They love playing, but we want to maintain quality in every match.

"We’ll continue to prepare the players as best we can, motivating and inspiring them to perform well, and so far, they’ve done a fantastic job.”

Rodgers also discussed Celtic's near-perfect start to the 2024/25 campaign as he side gear up to face Aberdeen on Saturday, with only goal difference separating the pair at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

(Image: SNS Group) The only blemish on last seasons double-winners resume this time around has been a 7-1 away defeat to Borussia Dortmund. 

"I’ve been absolutely delighted," the Northern Irishman stated. "As you said, we’ve played 11 games, won 10, and lost just once to a really strong opponent.

"The unity, the spirit, and the quality within the team have been fantastic. Now, we’re looking to carry that momentum into the next set of games. We’ve got seven matches in the next 23 days, which will be a busy period, but we’re determined to keep things going."