BRENDAN RODGERS welcomed the old and the new as the Celtic boss prepared for a series of “tests” before the Premiership launches the new season when St Mirren visit Parkhead on Sunday August 3.
The Hoops gaffer is delighted to have Kieran Tierney and Ross Doohan back on board as the champions aim for their fifth successive title, their fourteenth championship in 15 years and their 56th crown in their glorious history.
And Rodgers is also looking forward to charting the progress of £2million winger Benjamin Nygren and teenage striker Callum Osmand, who has arrived from Fulham.
The spotlight, of course, falls on comeback Bhoy Tierney who is returning to his boyhood favourites following a six-year absence following his £25million switch to Arsenal in August 2019.
Rodgers, looking tanned, fit and raring to go, said: “The players who have come through the system here are so important.
“They understand the values of Celtic and, for me, they should always be at the heart of the club.
“That’s why it was important to bring back guys such as Kieran and Ross, guys who have come through the system, because they play such a huge part in keeping the culture that’s created here.
“For Kieran, I’m absolutely delighted. We’re getting a top player back. Sometimes top players like that might come later on in their career, but we’re getting Kieran at 27 years of age. I was with him during the summer so I know first-hand how excited he is to be here.
“And it’s great for Ross to be back. He was here during my first spell and he left to go and gain experience. He’s an international goalkeeper now. He answered the call and got his cap, which is absolutely brilliant.
“I know where his heart is and I know that in bringing him back to here, he’ll make a really good contribution in that goalkeeper department for us.”
Rodgers, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “In the early stages of pre-season, it’s really about the physical preparation and getting the players prepared mentally.
“They don’t come together as a group until later on, but we saw the benefits of a really good pre-season last year.
“And for us, from a tactical perspective, it also gives us the opportunity to make little tweaks to keep improving and keep ticking away the unpredictability of the team.
“Pre-season is always a tense and difficult period when you’re one of the big clubs because there are no pre-season friendlies.”
Images courtesy Celtic TV.
The Irishman, who has won 11 of the 13 domestic honours available to him in his two stints at Parkhead, added: “I always call them tests. When you’re a big club they’re never friendlies.
“Then you add in to that the qualification for the Champions League. That means that you’re trying to get to the end point that little bit quicker, because it’s something that’s very important to us.
“So, we’ll take that last qualification round when it comes and, hopefully, we’ll be in a really good place by that time.”
The champions kick off their pre-season schedule with a match against Queen’s Park at the City Stadium on Friday before heading for Ireland to play Cork City on Tuesday.
