Celtic defender Anthony Ralston believes that the advantage of no Champions League qualifiers this summer has Ange Postecoglou’s squad in a good place.
The Bhoys have returned to Lennoxtown to continue their preparations for the new season after a 10-day to Austria and the Czech Republic last week.
During their time in Europe, the Celtic squad got to work on the training ground and competed in three friendly matches against varying opposition.
The luxury of time on the training ground isn’t something Celtic have been afforded all that often in recent years, including the hectic pre-season schedule last summer.
However, with the Hoops securing automatic qualification to the Champions League group stage, they will have had several uninterrupted weeks on the training ground.
Anthony Ralston believes that the time working under Postecoglou and his coaching staff will have the squad in a good place coming into the first week of competitive action at the end of this month.
He said [Celtic FC]: “We’ve come into pre-season, and we’ve hit it off right away, in terms of both training and the games. We have had a good few challenges already and looking forward to another one tomorrow.
“All the boys are in a good place, and we’re just ready to kick on.
Ralston continued: “It is a good change to be able to get more training sessions under our belt, to come together as a team, get the friendlies in and focus on the start of the league campaign.
“Rather than playing the qualifiers, automatically qualifying (for the Champions League) is brilliant. We have all had a good bit of training under our belts, a few games now, a few games more to go, and we are all in a good place; we are all fit.
“We have a bit to go, but we want to keep improving and not just now, the start of the season as well. We are all looking forward to it.
“It is where you want to play your football, at the highest level, which is the Champions League. We will all have a part to play in terms of on the training pitch and also when it comes to the games.
“So we need everyone ready and fit, and I am sure we will be.”
Ralston ready to kick on after first pre-season as Celtic regular.
The right-back had an incredible season under Ange Postecoglou, producing a turnaround that no one could have seen coming.
This pre-season has provided Ralston with the chance to kick on and solidify his place further within Ange Postecoglou’s squad.
The Scotland internationalist has continued his impressive form into his first game of pre-season against Banik Ostrava and was even given the opportunity to wear the captain’s armband for a short spell.
Like many members of the Celtic squad, Ralston will be buzzing to get the season underway, and it sounds as though the Hoops squad are putting in the work to make sure they are ready.
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