Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arriving at Celtic Park. (Image: Andy Buchanan/Shutterstock)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arriving at Celtic Park. (Image: Andy Buchanan/Shutterstock)
Celtic's upcoming Champions League play-off against LASK will undoubtedly be a referendum on both the work completed this summer and, more widely, the direction of the club.
Last year's calamitous exit to Kazakh champions Kairat Almaty demonstrated not only what this tournament means to supporters but also the strength of blowback that results from Celtic being seen to fall behind European peers.
It could be said that all the drama, twists and turns that have occurred at the club over the past year can be traced back to that fateful night 3500 miles away.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may be taking a more individualistic view of what a return to Europe's elite stage would mean, but he understands the stakes of such an important encounter so early in the season.
“It's massive,” he said. “It's definitely something I've always seen from being outside Celtic - seeing how special the Champions League nights looked.”
For the former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder, qualification would represent the chance to once again compete on the biggest stage in club football.
“From an individual point of view, I haven't played in the Champions League for a few years now, so it would be nice to be back and hearing that music again.
“It would be great for this group of lads as well. It's a really exciting thing and for a club like this, I'm sure the rumours are true how special Celtic Park is on those European nights.”
That highlights something that has perhaps been forgotten amid the recriminations of the past 12 months. Celtic are still an attractive proposition. There remains a pull to representing the club under the lights at Celtic Park against Europe's elite.
That allure is precisely why failure to qualify last season wounded supporters so deeply. It was not simply about the financial implications, substantial though they were. It was about prestige, and perception. It was about whether Celtic still belonged among Europe's regular participants or were drifting into a category below.
The club has spent this summer attempting to answer those questions, albeit sluggishly. With so much squad work still left to do, a club-record fee for Kasper Hogh, the arrival of Camilo Duran and the experience of Oxlade-Chamberlain at least point towards an intent to build a side capable of competing in Europe.
That investment now must be validated on the pitch. Nobody inside Celtic will underestimate the challenge that awaits. LASK represent awkward opposition and the scars of Kairat remain fresh enough that there will be no danger of complacency.
Oxlade-Chamberlain knows from experience that these qualifying ties have a habit of making life uncomfortable for even the biggest clubs.
“It won’t be easy,” he admitted. “But we know what we need to do to get there. That would be nice. We can't look too far ahead beyond the play-off because these draws can be tricky.
“I played in a few of them with Arsenal because it used to be the fourth place in the Premier League went into the qualifiers.
“I've done it a few times and it's definitely not easy. It wasn't as if they were convincing wins or walks in the park. We know how tricky these games can be so we have to focus on that first.”
There is a temptation every summer to look beyond the qualifying rounds towards the more glamorous nights. The league-phase format only increases that excitement, with eight high-profile fixtures awaiting those who make it through.
However, any chance of belief building around Martin O'Neill's squad will quickly evaporate if they stumble at the final qualifying hurdle again. Conversely, qualification would generate momentum in Celtic’s season well into the autumn and winter.
It would justify a summer built around adding proven quality rather than simply accumulating squad numbers. It would vindicate difficult recruitment decisions and provide the financial platform to continue strengthening before the transfer window closes.
“I don't want to look too far forward, but if we reach our goal of qualifying and being involved, we don't just want to show up,” he said. “We want to go there and have a good go. I've not played in this new Champions League format but we'll think about that if we can get there.”
Before any of that comes LASK. They are the reigning Austrian champions ahead of Sturm Graz, a side Celtic tussled closely with in the Europa League and who recently destroyed Hearts. The ‘other’ Bundesliga holds plenty of danger. LASK are also motivated by the chance to make history by navigating past these qualifiers for the first time in their history.
Last August, Celtic discovered the hard way that European ambitions can unravel in the space of 180 minutes, and with them any sense of positivity. While Oxlade-Chamberlain and his teammates dream of the bright lights, if they fail, many of the questions that have dominated the past 12 months will simply refuse to go away.