Celtic have had a quieter start to the season than usual this year as, for the first time since 2008, the club has not had to navigate any Champions League qualifiers.

Ange Postecoglou is the first manager since Gordon Strachan to have the luxury of the opening league game being the Hoops' first competitive match of the campaign.

This has allowed the Australian to have plenty of coaching time with his players on the field and he will be hoping that the extra minutes at Lennoxtown will make all the difference come May next year.

The Bhoys can now look forward to the draw for the premier European tournament, which takes place on Thursday August 25.

However, before that exciting occasion, the Parkhead side have a trio of domestic fixtures to take care of - with the rare luxury of at least a week in between them all.

The first takes place against Ross County in Dingwall on Saturday August 6.

What follows is another away trip, this time in Ayrshire, the following weekend as the champions face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday August 14.

Finally, the Hoops face Hearts at home in what will potentially be the toughest of the pre-draw fixtures given the form of Robbie Neilson's side last season. This game takes place on Sunday August 21.

After Celtic find out their Champions League group stage opponents the schedule ramps up no end.

They travel to Tannadice to face Dundee United on August 28 before another trip to Dingwall just three days later in the League Cup last 16.

Factor in the first Glasgow Derby of the season on September 3 and the commencement of the Champions League group stages and it marks a busy period which will essentially contain two games a week regularly until the break for the World Cup in November.