Given the magnitude of the games on the immediate horizon for Celtic this month, tomorrow afternoon’s trek to Dingwall could well be regarded as an inconvenience.

The long journey north for an afternoon kick-off, though, is regarded by Brendan Rodgers as important to his team as next week’s trip to Paris to play PSG in the UEFA Champions League and as important as the weekend date at Hampden against Motherwell in the League Cup next weekend.

The small matter of a winning run of games that currently sits at 63 aside, Rodgers has taken Celtic to their current standing through a philosophy that doesn’t allow for any day where permission is granted to drop the standard.

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And the Hoops boss doesn’t plan on starting now.

“It’ll end at some point,” he said of the record breaking run of domestic games without defeat. “But we only focus on the next game and we won’t be giving it up easy, that’s for sure.

“The squad is coming back now. I see the competitiveness in the players now – we have Patrick [Roberts] back training, [Jozo] Simunovic is back training and the players are hungry. We are working tirelessly every day.

“We go in knowing it is a tough game against Ross County but we go into every game planning to win. There is no difference. We don’t think about anything other than the Ross County game.”

For the first time this season, Rodgers is closing in on having a fully fit and available squad to choose from, particularly in the defence.

Simunovic and Erik Sviatchenko have trained with the latter also having got some game time in last week at youth level as he embarks on his return from a knee ligament injury.

In addition, Leigh Griffiths has been able to utilise the international break to shake off a calf injury while Stuart Armstrong and Scott Brown who both had minor ailments which kept them out of Scotland’s friendly against Holland last week are both also set to return to action.

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The availability of a full squad coincides nicely with a defining run of games for Celtic, with the possibility of securing European football after Christmas a possibility while the first silverware of the season is up for grabs too.

It was at this stage last term between now and January where Celtic put down their opening marker and the intention is to repeat that feat again this term.

“It’s the same idea,” said Rodgers. “Once all the players are back from international duty, we will focus in on this next period through to the end of December.

“We have clear goals and targets to try and achieve in this period and that’s something which will make sure we keep our minds focused on our work.

“It’s a great spell of games, it’s where we need the squad, but they are brilliant games for us. “It’s still very early but we just have to keep focusing on ourselves. We have to play well. We’ve got a lot of games, really exciting fixtures. We know what we want to achieve but we know there is a lot of hard work involved.

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“We will see over the next 24 hours where Patrick and Jozo are at. They may need a wee bit more time but we will see how they feel.

“Leigh is back training this week. Erik [Sviatchenko] played 45 minutes of a practice match last week. They are maybe not football fit. There is a difference between fit and football fit but the availability is there.”

Kieran Tierney will reach a significant landmark on Saturday when he makes his 100th appearance for the club.

The left-back also captained his country last week at Pittodrie, an image that Rodgers believes is a sign of things to come.

Tierney has stepped into that role for Celtic this season too and Rodgers fully expects that the player will lead both club and country in the years ahead.

“He has shown those qualities,” said Rodgers. “He is a young guy who is developing and maturing on and off the field. I heard him speak at the end of the season at the Scottish Football Writers’ Association dinner and I thought he spoke so well.

“It is nice to see young players come on in all aspects and see the interpersonal skills improve. It is brilliant watching that maturity develop. Because of his level of play he has the respect and how he carries himself.

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“His first target will be 50 games. That is what they all look to at international level and if he can stay injury free then there is every chance he will go on and get many more caps. He can be a great leader for Scotland and I think he will be a captain here at Celtic one day. He is learning off a great captain at the minute in Scott Brown.”

Callum McGregor also featured for his country for the first time last week with Rodgers expecting that he will play a much fuller role under a new manager than he did under Gordon Strachan.

“At that level, there is still more to come from Callum as he gains more confidence,” he said.

“He has this great ability to keep the ball and that’s so important at international level.

“You see it in the Champions League, so he’ll be an important player over the next 10 years for Scotland.”