It’s not just the prospect of a 7,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan next week which is offering Brendan Rodgers grounds for concern at this moment.
While the addition of several serious operators would appear to be the minimum requirement for Celtic manager across the next fortnight, it’s conceivable that the closing days of the transfer window may also see certain players moving in the opposite direction.
The challenge which Kairat Almaty may pose Celtic is likely to be substantial enough across both legs of this Champions League play-off. Just as dangerous, from Rodgers’ perspective, would be fielding players whose minds are not fully focused on the job at hand.
Speculation linking Reo Hatate with a move has abounded for over a year. It will swirl around Daizen Maeda’s head for as a long as he keeps a contact extension at arm’s length.
The same applies to Auston Trusty. No international defender can ever be content sitting on the bench. Adam Idah has also yet to consistently deliver in the manner of a Celtic striker.
Until such time as any of their situations change, though, they will be Celtic players. And as Rodgers was quick to stress yesterday, that comes with a big responsibility.
‘I’ve been in enough changing rooms to know how stability can be lost in this moment because some players will be thinking, are they staying, are they going?’ he said.
‘But in the midst of that, you’ve got really important games.
‘So, I’ve already mentioned this to players a number of weeks back, just about respecting and acknowledging that it is a difficult part of the season.
‘The money will be in your bank every month and it’ll be from Celtic. And whilst it is, you need to perform. So, you don’t need to worry about anything else.
‘I respect and acknowledge that it can be tough. It’s basically, are you going to be here or are you not? Celtic pay your wages and while they do, you focus on doing the very best you can for Celtic.’
Falling just as clubs around the world begin to finalise their plans for the first part of the season, the scheduling of these play-offs is far from ideal.
Rodgers has endured them three times before. Before a sore defeat away to AEK Athens came two experiences which probably still have the Celtic manager breaking out in a cold sweat.
After a resounding 5-2 win over Hapoel Be’er Sheva in 2016, the Parkhead men put their manager through a second leg in Israel which he claimed was akin to being put in a tumble drier.
‘I think the Be’er Sheva one was the best 2-0 loss I ever had in my life,’ he said with a smile.
‘It was funny, because we were so good in the game here, and then we conceded a couple of late goals for 5-2, and then all of a sudden over there we’re 2-0 down.
‘And then the guy at the end of the game, he’s had a brilliant shot from outside the box that looked like it was rocketing right into the top corner for 3-0. But we got through, and that was important.’
A year later, came Astana. A 5-0 home leg framed the return in Kazakhstan as a formality. Or so we thought.
‘Okay, the end result, the end aggregate score, that was 8-4,’ Rodgers recalled. ‘But there was a little period in the second half where we had to calm everything down.
‘We conceded three quick goals to put it to 6-4. At the end, it didn’t look like there was anything to worry about, but you always have moments.’
The aggregate loss to the Greeks the following year came against a backdrop of much disquiet at a lack of new signings. Not too far removed from the current situation, you might say.
No doubt recognising that his choice of words back then probably didn’t help the situation, Rodgers now cuts a more diplomatic figure.
‘You’re a little bit more philosophical on it,’ he said. ‘It’s so important because that emotion can get through with players.
‘There’s even more noise now around the game, not just Celtic, but around the game.
‘But it is very much experience that helps you massively, of course.
‘It’s understanding that you can control what you can in the squad of players that you have.’
Even for seasoned observers of transfer windows at Celtic, this summer has been a truly bewildering affair.
The recalibration of the Champions League means there’s £40million on the line across the next week but, to date, the Scottish champions have acted like a punter trying to win a jackpot without first buying a ticket.
Still without a replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi eight months on from his departure, the bulk of the £16.5m the club received from Como for Nicolas Kuhn has still to be reinvested.
Rodgers remains hopeful, though, that the necessary additions can yet be made.
‘I think that we gave a hint last season of what we can do when we improved the squad last year and went into the Champions League in a really good way,’ he said.
‘We felt we showed what we can do at the level. And for me, the job is to keep trying to develop and, at minimum, sustain that.
‘And for that, you need that constant improvement of your squad. But currently, where this group’s at, with what we have, the players are doing very, very well.’
Celtic will still be expected to progress across these two games, but it would be foolish for anyone to underestimate the challenge offered by the champions of Kazakhstan.
Having started in the first qualifying round, Kairat have taken care of Olimpija Ljubljana, KuPS then Slovan Bratislava. They are deserving of every respect Celtic will afford them.
‘Like a lot of teams at this level, in qualification and in the Champions League, they’re a team that’s used to winning,’ said Rodgers.
‘You also look at them, they’re 20 games into their season. So, they’re going to be at a good level of fitness.
‘They’re a team that like to build the game from behind, mostly short. And then as they progress through the pitch, full-backs go high, wingers come on the inside. So, really what you expect from a modern team at a really good level.
‘They’re technically strong and play some really good football.’