THEY could be considered Celtic's Odd Couple, a nod to the chalk-and-cheese flatmates, Felix Unger and Oscar Madison, in the Neil Simon play, film and TV series.

 

But while Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven may be diverse characters away from the pitch - the former studying for his law degree, the latter working hard to improve his personal best on his Playstation - they have been as one when it has come to improving Ronny Deila's side since they arrived from Dundee United at the end of the January transfer window.

They have even managed to share the same disappointment in being left out of Gordon Strachan's squad for the matches against Northern Ireland tonight and Gibraltar on Sunday.

But this omission has allowed Armstrong and Mackay-Steven a bit more time to settle into the flat they have moved into together.

The training centre at Lennoxtown has been thinly populated this week with no fewer than 12 first team squad Bhoys - Scott Brown, James Forrest, Craig Gordon, Nir Bitton, Jason Denayer, Emilio Izaguirre, John Guidetti, Stefan Johansen, Anthony Stokes, Aleksander Tonev, Liam Henderson and Mubarak Wakaso - away on international duty.

Those left behind are about to be given a long weekend off before they return on Monday to begin preparations for the following Friday's SPFL game against St Mirren.

Chances are that Armstrong will have his head buried deep into his reference books during this down time while his 'roomy' Mackay-Steven is up north visiting friends and family in Thurso.

That may mean the law books have to give way to the cookery version as Armstrong revealed Mackay-Steven is the one who generally assumes the domestic goddess responsibilities.

He said: "This is the first time we've hared a flat together, so it's the first chance to see his cooking and cleaning skills. They are poor."

Given how much importance Deila attaches to diet, Mackay-Steven may be due for a crash course in the finer aspects of culinary craft.

But considering how well the duo have played since arriving at the club, they appear to be fare-ing fine.

Now they are only hungry for success, having been forced to sit on the sidelines as their new team-mates defeated their old team-mates to lift the League Cup then knock them out of the Scottish Cup.

The league championship is the one trophy Armstrong and Mackay-Steven can get their hands on, and a couple of winners' medals would look good in their new abode.

Maintaining their form between now and the end of the season - which, for them, is only 10 games away - could also have the bonus of a recall to the Scotland squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in June.

Mind you, that could also throw up an unusual fixture clash for Armstrong as he is due to sit his end-of-term law course exams around that time.

He never bought into the widely-held theory that, simply by moving to Celtic, the chances of a call-up would be enhanced.

The attacking midfielder appreciates how strong Scotland are in that department.

So being left out this week did not hit him too hard.

Armstrong does concede, however, that, having had a small taste of it when still with United, he is hungry for more.

"Every player has that ambition to play for Scotland," the 22 year-old told the Celtic View.

"I have had little tasters of it before, being on the bench or in squads, which is nice.

"You get to see the quality that is there and play with players who have been at that level for a number of years.

"Even training with the boys here and playing alongside guys like Scott Brown is encouraging and helps you develop as a player.

"But I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

"I am happy with the start I have made.

"It could have been better, in certain respects. But it could have been a lot worse, so I am very happy about how it has gone so far."

There have been so many new things to experience and to which Armstrong has had adjust.

One more is about to hit him as Monday will be the first time he has been sitting in the dressing room when so many of his team-mates come in bursting with stories about what happened when they were away on international duty.

Armstrong will listen intently, but not with envy.

"Scotland would be very exciting, but for now it's just about focusing on club form," he explained.

"If you take care of that, Scotland takes care of itself."

And with that, his case rests.