Josip Juranovic insists he’s not seen anything from Rangers to strike fear in to him or Celtic – because he hasn’t watched the Ibrox men all season.
Or anyone else for that matter.
The Hoops ace doesn’t concern himself about his side’s big rivals as he’s not a man to tune in to games on the box.
The Croat only has eyes for his own team and is convinced Celts are in good shape going in to tonight’s crucial crunch Premiership clash in Glasgow’s east end.
When asked if he’d been keeping tabs on Gers, Juranovic bluntly said: “Honestly, I didn’t. I don’t watch football when I am off the pitch.
“I will not say much because we need to watch ourselves. We need to talk between us about them – and that’s it.
“We set our rules, our achievements each game, each training session.
“If we continue like that, that’s perfect.”
Celtic winning and going top of the Premiership would be just what the doctor ordered at Parkhead.
But Juranovic isn’t feeling the heat and he said: “Pressure is when a doctor wants to save some lives.
“We are only playing football. We have pressure, but not like that. We want to enjoy it.
“In 90 minutes I don’t think about anything else, just play football. Because of that I just want our fans to be happy after.
“We will see after the season.
“I come here and we lift one trophy. Then we will continue like that.”
Juranovic has already proved he can keep his cool in the Glasgow showdown.
The former Legia Warsaw man was thrown in at the deep end at Ibrox earlier in the season when he was handed a start having barely walked through the door.
The Hoops side was hastily cobbled together back then but were still unfortunate to lose after missing several big chances before being caught by a sucker punch.
Juranovic believes Celts are stronger now – and it will be a different contest.
He said: “I am quite excited because it will be a stadium full of our fans.
“It’s a big game and we’re looking forward to playing our football.
“We are always ready. You cannot say that we played badly when we played against them in my first game.
“It was a great game from us because we had four chances, I think they didn’t have one. They scored with a corner kick.
“Then we were only playing maybe two weeks together.
“Now, it’s a little longer and we know each other. It will be a totally different game.”
There will be new faces on both sides – possibly including new Gers recruit Aaron Ramsey.
But, typically, Juranovic won’t be quaking in his boots.
He said: “That’s good for them. We have really quality players here and we need to watch ourselves.
“It’s just Ramsey. It’s nothing special. If you have say, Cristiano Ronaldo in the team and the team is not going well, it’s not just one player who will change the game, you need all 11.”
Right-back Juranovic’s no nonsense attitude has helped him adapt wherever he’s been asked to play, filling in on the left and even on the wing as the Celtic treatment room has resembled Emergency Ward 10.
He could be in centre midfield tonight if Callum McGregor isn’t risked with Nir Bitton suspended.
Juranovic said: “That’s good. I have not played in the middle for a long time.
“But if our manager says ‘Jura, I want you to play striker’ then it doesn’t matter, because I will do anything he says.
“I am really happy at Celtic. It’s five months but I feel like it’s been three or four years.”
Ange Postecoglou would love his squad to have a clean bill of health but it’s not happened much this season.
He could be without Kyogo, David Turnbull, Tom Rogic, Yosuke Ideguchi and Daizen Maeda as well as McGregor and Bitton tonight.
But there will be no sick note from Juranovic.
He said: “We are very strong. In each position we have two players. That is the strength of this team.
“All of the team needs to play good and then after the last whistle we will know who is man of the match.
“We have Hatate and Jota, but that’s just two. But also, we have Carl Starfelt, then Cameron Carter-Vickers, then Rogic – who is not here – we have Liel Abada, Kyogo, Giorgos Giakoumakis.
“We have so many players who can damage them.”
Celtic could soar top of the table tonight but nothing will change for Juranovic.
The Croat said: “It is not like it is the last game of the championship.
“It will not decide who is first or who is second or who is third.
“We need to play our football from the first minute to the last – and then after that we will see where we will be.
“In our minds, especially in my mind, I want from the first minute to the last minute that I win that game.
“That’s my attitude.
“Everybody here thinks like that and it is because of that we are playing for Celtic.”
