CELTIC manager Ange Postecoglou admits he is focusing on the here and now after the Scottish Government announced new Covid restrictions that will come into effect on Boxing Day.

No more than 500 spectators will be allowed to attend matches for "a period of around three weeks", Nicola Sturgeon revealed earlier today following a cabinet meeting.

Celtic host St Mirren on Wednesday evening and there are concerns the game could be called off folowing an outbreak of Covid at the Paisley club, while the January 2 derby with Rangers looks set to be played in a virtually empty stadium.

"I don’t like it," Postecoglou said of the new restrictions on Sky Sports. "I don’t like football played behind closed doors.

"I had a season of it in Japan and I just didn’t enjoy it. It becomes a different game and a different sort of environment for the players.

"Of course, my preference is to play with supporters in there – even if it’s only with a reduced capacity.

"As with all of these things we have to follow the guidelines and the protocols put in place and we as a club have to accept that and just get on with it."

When asked if he thought the prospect of playing Rangers behind closed doors could be beneficial to Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his players, Postecoglou replied: "I tell you what, mate – that’s so far removed from me, mate.

"We’re dealing with things almost on an hourly basis here. I understand the context of your question but we have a game tomorrow night that’s still undecided.

"Your headspace stays with what we can deal with right now, not what may potentially happen.

"There’s not a lot a great deal of certainty right now about everything and on an hourly basis we’re trying to figure out how to just take the next step.

"That’s something that will become relevant if and when that’s thrown at us but right now the most important thing for us is the next 24 hours because it’s an important period for us."