Tuesday 22 August 2017 08:01, UK
Scott Brown claims Brendan Rodgers has transformed Celtic since the Hoops last visited Astana.
Celtic go into the second leg of their Champions League play-off boasting a 5-0 lead over the Kazakh champions and are all but guaranteed a spot in the group stage.
Just over a year ago Celtic drew 1-1 with Astana in the first leg of their third-round qualifier and it took a stoppage-time penalty from Moussa Dembele in the return game to see them progress on aggregate.
The Scottish champions, who are set to be boosted by the signing of 20-year-old defender Rivaldo Coetzee from Ajax Cape Town, also captured the domestic treble last season, all the while going unbeaten on the home front.
"Looking back 12 months, we weren't that great a team," said Hoops captain Brown.
"We haven't made that many changes but the gaffer has brought us together and brought confidence and belief into probably the same players who have been here for three or four seasons.
We are never complacent, we never take anything for granted and that is a daily part of our life.
"It's the way the gaffer wants players to be, in peak condition all year round.
"He understands that we go on holiday but he wants us to eat the right food and make sure you come back in the right physical condition.
"We are a lot fitter than last season. We came back in better condition, we watched a lot more videos of Astana, how they played and how we can attack them and create chances.
"That's due to the gaffer and backroom staff who have looked into that.
"But on behalf of the players, the lads are looking a lot sharper than we probably ever have done."
Rodgers was keen to stress that complacency will not be an issue in the Astana Arena.
"In every single game we play we are always relaxed but focused and there is no change in this game," he said.
"We are never complacent, we never take anything for granted and that is a daily part of our life.
"When you play for a huge club like Celtic every day you have to prove yourself, and in every game, so there is no question of being too complacent."
