Celtic have great physios and medical staff. They have experts in muscle conditioning but the greatest area of undeveloped real estate lies in the top two inches. There is only so much physical strength and skill can do and every team aims for this. I have no idea whether NL realises this and wants to change it. I don't know whether the squad appreciate that mental strength is not the same as intelligence. Mental strength includes stubborness resilience and determination and passion. These can all be enhanced and worked on.
Let me tell you a true story.
When I was 12 I was selected and went to St Mungo's. I knew one other boy in my class. On the very first day the maths teacher came in and opened by saying you "You 40 boys are in the 1A class. Apparently you are the brightest so i'm told. OK Here's a question , Who wants to be in the top 10 for maths?
Every boy put his hand up.
" Ok First maths lesson -there are 40 of you and only 10 can be in the top 10, But which top 10 do you want to be in. Options are the class, the year, the school, Glasgow, Scotland, UK, Europe or World. So I'm going to take the register and find out your answer. stand up and give me you answer when i call your name
Anderson? -Class
Bell? - Class
Bennett-Class
Class class class class, class class class. Everyone said class.
My surname is about No 20 and I stood up and said "Glasgow"
He eyeballed me and repeated my name then said "Why not Scotland?"
I replied "That's perhaps a bit arrogant Sir" and sat down. Every boy in the class stared at me. From that moment on I had to come top. No one has ever called me mediocre. I think that moment changed my destiny.