Focus on the Game, Not the Rivalry
Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan has made it clear that he will not be watching the title showdown between Hearts and Rangers at Tynecastle tomorrow. Instead, he is fully focused on Celtic’s upcoming match against Hibs at Easter Road this afternoon.
McCowan, who recently signed a new contract with the club, emphasized the importance of securing a victory against Hibs. He also revealed that he won’t even watch the televised clash between their two title rivals in Gorgie.
“I will maybe just avoid their game and look at what happened after it is done,” McCowan said. “I have a few things on and don’t want to get overexcited. I will take a look at it once it is finished. I’ll probably be looking back at clips from the Hibs game to see how the team performed or whether there are aspects of my own game that could be improved upon.”
McCowan stressed that the key for Celtic is to focus on their own games, regardless of when they play. “You really just need to focus on your own games. Regardless of when you play, you need to win. Whether you play ahead of Hearts and Rangers or after, the pressure is on us to win. The expectation here is always for us to go and win matches. It’s really all about putting on a performance that gives you the best chance to do that.”
A Growing Sense of Unity
Celtic has started to hit their stride over recent weeks, with Martin O’Neill’s men showing signs of form. Their 3-1 victory over Falkirk last weekend was a positive sign, and there was a greater sense of unity around the stadium following fan protests that have been put on hold until the end of the season.
McCowan believes this unity could be crucial in the title run-in as Celtic travel to face Hibs, a side still chasing European football. “I thought everybody was brilliant at the Falkirk game,” he said. “The whole stadium was rocking. To get that amazing reception when we were walking in the door and have it continue when you are playing helps you. It gives you extra motivation.”
He acknowledged that the match against Hibs will be tough. “We know it will be a tough game at Hibs. They are top five for a reason, they are pushing for fourth and they are not far off it. The games we have played with them this season have been close and they will be right up for it because they have still got their own targets to aim for.”
A New Contract and Memories of Promotion
McCowan joined Celtic from Dundee in 2024 and last week signed a contract extension that secures his future at Parkhead until the summer of 2028. He was part of a Dundee team that won promotion from the Championship in dramatic fashion on the final day of the 2023 season.
“I am buzzing with it,” he said. “Just to get it signed and my future here secured for another two years is a dream come true. My time at Dundee feels like a different life now to be fair. But it is something I look back on with fond memories.”
When asked about the promotion campaign, McCowan recalled the nerve-wracking final day. “When we won promotion, that was a season that was tight as well. It went down to the final day. We won 5-3 (against Queen’s Park) and I got the fifth. It was a crazy first half, as I remember. That is a couple of years ago now but still good memories. I don’t think I can go through another game like that. It was not good for my heart! But it was a title and if you offered me that now I would take it.”
Life Beyond Football
Away from football, McCowan is an ambassador for Guide Dogs Scotland and has found a welcome distraction in his four-year-old cocker spaniel, Coby. “I have a four-year-old cocker spaniel Coby, who is electric,” he said. “He has a bit of separation anxiety and needs attention every single minute of every day — and I have a fiancée, Erin, who is the same!”
“Those two give me enough distraction and then when the weather is nice I try to play a bit of golf. Try and switch off that way. Getting a dog was probably the best thing I have ever done as he takes my mind right off football. He takes a bit of walking.”
And tomorrow, one assumes, Coby might be enjoying a bit of fresh air from 5.30pm as Celtic’s title rivals go head-to-head at Tynecastle.
