Mad. Carnage. Not words that Brendan Rodgers is likely to have included in his pre-match preparations for Sunday’s League Cup final against Rangers. That is what the Celtic manager and – thankfully - the rest of us got, though.
Liam Scales was thrown into the maelstrom at half time, and it only got crazier from there. It is easy perhaps from the vantage point of a favourable outcome for his team (and of course, from his own personal let-off with the now infamous ‘penalty’ incident involving Vaclav Cerny), but the defender is now able to have a wry chuckle about putting the Celtic fans through the wringer.
They will probably not mind so much either, because no matter how these big games seem to go, the one constant seems to be that Celtic come out as the winners.
And that may affirm their status as the top dog in this country in the minds of their opponents as much as it reinforces it in their own – and therefore be equally as dispiriting for a Rangers side who threw everything at their rivals and still left Hampden empty-handed.
“It was mad,” Scales said.
“It's always hard to control games, you know, cup finals at Hampden.
“It was similar to the Aberdeen one we had last year. Just carnage. Both teams attacked, both teams were on the front foot.
“It was probably a good game for neutral. There wasn't probably as much quality as we would have liked from us, but we got over the line in the end.
“I think that shows, you know. It's almost like the win feels better when you’ve not played quite so well. We still got over the line.
“It was unbelievable. The way it finished, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way, you know. To go and win on penalties makes it that little bit sweeter. I'm delighted.
“There was a lot on the line. Obviously, it's the first trophy available to us this year and we desperately wanted it.
“So, we were really, really, really wanting to win the game and I think all the lads did brilliantly.”
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Scales admits that he thought the game was over when Nicolas Kuhn put Celtic 3-2 ahead with just three minutes remaining, but he says the way that Celtic regrouped and came back from the setback of Danilo’s instant leveller for Rangers is a further sign of their resolve and will to win.
“That's just the type of game it was,” he said.
“It's just cup finals, anything can happen.
“Once Nic scores, we think, ‘right, we've probably got five minutes left to see the game out’, and straight away they come back and score a goal.
“To be fair, it was a bit of a quality football, a good ball into the box and a good header. But I think the longer it went on, we were hopeful going into extra time that we were going to get the winner.
“I think we were a little bit fresher or whatever. Both teams in extra time were still on the front foot. It was just a tight game, but a really good game. It's just great to come out on the right side of it.”
The capture of the League Cup, as the first trophy on offer during the season, is often described as a springboard for the rest of the campaign, but Scales says it is also a bookend to a hugely satisfactory start for Celtic.
“I'd just say we've done outstanding, to be honest,” he said.
“We haven't really put a foot wrong since even going into last season.
“Obviously, we had a blip in Europe at Dortmund, but apart from that, we've been quite consistent in Europe and got good results.
“I just think it's a credit to the squad and the manager and everyone involved that we're doing so well.
“I think the key thing is that we're all moving in the same direction. The players on the bench, everyone wants to win, and I think that's what's what did it for us on Sunday.”
Having such a strong squad though comes with its own downsides for the individual. Scales, for instance, was left out of the starting XI at Hampden, with manager Rodgers preferring the partnership of USA teammates Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty.
The fact he was called upon in place of Trusty at the interval because of his ability to break the lines with his passing from the back should provide reassurance, if not much condolence.
“I wouldn't say it's pleasing, but it's enough, and I'm happy to do the job that I'm given at any time,” he said.
“I'm part of the team, I'm part of the squad and I just want to keep being successful here and that's the main thing.
“I think that's key. We do have a really strong squad. We've signed good players, and we kept players in the summer, and you can tell that.
“We've had really good fortune. We've pretty much got everyone fit at the moment, so it's great to have everyone available and I think it's showing.”
