Today is when it all started for Celtic in Dubai.

Some of the players have arrived just in the last day or so, while others have been enjoying the sunshine here in the middle east. Certainly the colour of one or two suggests that.

This place has become a home from home for most of the group. Celtic are staying in the same place as last year at exactly the same time of the year, and the objective surely will be to mirror the boost brought about by their week’s work here 12 months ago.

Read more: Celtic mid-season report card: Domestic dominance continues but room for improvement in Europe

Celtic returned back to Scotland energised and raring to go in the second half of the season and the influence of their winter break cannot be underestimated. A domestic treble was secured thanks to a last-gasp goal in the Scottish Cup final, a goal which may never have arrived if the legs of Brendan Rodgers’ players hadn’t been given time to find themselves during the January blues.

Arguably, the need for this trip is even greater than a year ago. Already Celtic have played 38 games and while they are eight points clear in the Premiership and European football after Christmas has been secured in the Europa League, they have not set the heather alight in terms of domestic performances quite like they did last season.

That was evident in the Old Firm match on December 30 where, in the end, they had Craig Gordon to thank for not losing that game. The implosion at Tynecastle as well hints at a team that could do with refocusing itself at doing what it does best: winning football matches.

Yesterday the players eased themselves gently back in before this morning’s session. Morale is good – as you’d expect – and a team night out last night to kick things off certainly didn’t do any harm. The bulk of the players arrived late on Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

Read more: Celtic mid-season report card: Domestic dominance continues but room for improvement in Europe

Work will continue over the coming days but getting a balance to the week.

We spoke to Craig Gordon for today’s Evening Times and Herald Sport and he almost laughed off the suggestion other teams in the league have sussed Celtic out. That perhaps hints that Rodgers has a trick up his sleeve that will be getting rolled out over the coming days to counter the high-press style that so many teams back home are attempting to implement against his Celtic side.

A year ago the week in Dubai proved to be crucial. A year on it could be season-defining.