Man City legend ‘buzzing’ when presented with new Celtic shirt, talks up ‘special’ Bhoys game
Celtic’s pre-season will ramp up in intensity and difficulty over the next three weeks after a pretty low-key start in Scotland.
There’s no training camp in Europe this summer with the Bhoys deciding to stay back in Scotland before embarking on a three-game stint in the USA.
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The full squad has yet to even return to Lennoxtown after international matches and holidays. Two friendlies have come and gone against lower-league Scottish opposition.
The biggest date on the pre-season calendar is a champions vs champions clash against Manchester City at the 50,000-capacity Chapel Hill stadium on July 21st. It’s a tough task.
Will it be a competitive affair? Former City star Paul Dickov believes so, discussing the match with Celtic hero John Hartson on the English club’s official website.
Paul Dickov and John Hartson on Celtic vs Man City
A massive life-long Bhoys fan, Dickov said he was “buzzing” to be presented with the new Adidas Celtic shirt by Hartson as the two swapped colours and reflected on the upcoming match.
The former Scotland international said [Man City]: “It’ll be competitive. Back in the day when we were teammates at Arsenal pre-season games were really to get yourself fit and you managed your way through it. The champions of England versus the champions of Scotland, there’s not going to be any easing in.
“For both sets of fans in the States, it’s going to be special. Celtic fans globally are massive. I know travelling with City now, the global fanbase is getting bigger and bigger all the time. To take this to the States is going to be special.”
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Hartson added: “It should be a great game. If City can take it easy on Celtic a little bit that would help because some of the players they have got are incredible. I love watching Man City play.
“Celtic will take a big crowd with them. I think it’s a brilliant fixture. Celtic will be pitting their wits against the very best and it’ll be a really stiff test for them.”
Elite warm-up will serve Celtic well
The upcoming friendlies may not have the intensity of competitive fixtures but facing Manchester City, Chelsea and, to a lesser extent DC United, is a great chance for Celtic to test themselves.
As the Bhoys embark on their biggest UEFA Champions League group stage to date, playing eight games in a new 36-team table, Brendan Rodgers must have an idea of where his players are at against top players.
Rodgers will not be treating these games as relaxed encounters. He was urging more application against Queen’s Park on Wednesday night so you better believe he will be asking his players for all they’ve got against City and Chelsea. They will serve as useful warm-ups for the challenges ahead.
