Brendan Rodgers relishing start to new season after Double win

Celtic F.C.

·4 July 2024

Brendan Rodgers relishing start to new season after Double win

Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers is back running the rule over the early arrivals at Lennoxtown while the pre-season training intensifies with each passing day.

The returning Celts are already a few days into their preparation for the coming season after lifting the league and Scottish Cup Double at the end of last term.

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Speaking exclusively to Celtic TV, the manager said: “It’s absolutely brilliant to be back. We had a great end to the season and I think everyone enjoyed the off-season, so it’s really nice to be back and good to see the players and the staff again.

“At that point, it was really all about enjoying that time of winning. We saw that in the Scottish Cup final when I got all the guys in on that line of staff and player to just actually get a real sense of that present moment, and enjoy it, because sometimes it can pass you by.

“But then that’s gone, you take the acclaim - a fantastic end to the season - go away and recover, but now you’ve come back and you refocus.

‘And it’s all now about sacrifice and commitment to going forward. That’s just about creating the mind-set over the course of these coming weeks.’

“This is when they build a lot of their base fitness. Of course we have lots of players that will drip-feed themselves back in over the course of the next few weeks, so not everyone is here, but by the time the first game of the season comes, the players will be at a really good level.

“And, as I said, it’s where you have time to build that base fitness, it’s where you’ve got the time to again look at the vision of going forward and what it is you want to achieve around your goals, around your values, and also with the introduction of new players into the club.”

The pre-season match action starts tomorrow (Friday) with a trip to Somerset Park to take on Scott Brown’s Ayr United before playing Queen’s Park prior to a trip Stateside to play Manchester City, Chelsea and DC United with all FIVE games being shown live on Celtic TV.

The manager said: “You build your way through pre-season. Firstly I think it’s important to recognise the teams at home, teams like Ayr, teams like Queen’s Park.

"They are really important clubs back here at home and we want to be able to support and help those clubs while maintaining our fitness.

'And going away to America, for our football fitness we come up against a level of opponent which is the very highest level with Chelsea and Manchester City.'

"That elevates your game and your fitness to another level, and playing against DC United, obviously one of the MLS teams, so that is always good.

“But I also think that bringing Celtic to the world is also important. Going back to America for the first time in a number of years, it’s a really special country and to take this club there obviously develops and grows the brand of Celtic around the world, which is also important in the modern game.”

And giving a message to the supporters, he added: “We are just going to work very, very hard over the course of this pre-season.

"We look forward to seeing you again in some of the games locally, and if you’re travelling to America we look forward to seeing you then.

“It feels a much different place than 12 months ago coming back, so I’m really excited about this season and producing a team and a level of football that they can be really proud of.

“So we look forward to seeing them on the journey over this pre-season and then we all get ready to unite and go forward together for what will be a really exciting season with the new format of the Champions League and everyone being together.”

For the full interview and to hear the manager talk about Flag Day and bumping into Scott Brown on holiday, see Celtic TV

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