Brendan Rodgers couldn’t be happier with the work his Celtic squad have put into their pre-season preparations and projected excitement in his pre-match media conference on Friday.
Celtic face Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on Sunday in the opening Scottish Premiership match of the campaign, unfurling the league champions flag before shooting for their first three points.
Pre-season results mean little – everyone knows that. They are nothing but fitness exercises. However, the attitude and effort shown by the players over the last month has been pleasing.
The team look sharp, motivated and eager to find attacking combinations that can punish opponents. There’s hope for improvement on last season’s performances despite the eventual double win.
Rodgers is now taking personal pride in the development he sees in this group of players. He’s also found comfort from what he heard Chelsea saying about the Bhoys after the recent friendly in Indiana, which the Scottish champions won 4-1.
Brendan Rodgers hallmarks are on this Celtic team
The manager explained [Celtic FC]: “I am very pleased with the fitness and technical aspects. We’ve worked on some things in pre-season, especially out in America, against some really good opponents.
“It was interesting because I had one young player of mine who played for Chelsea, a former player. He said after the game when he played against them – he was talking on the bench – and he was talking about ‘That was a Brendan team we were playing’.
“So that was a good sign for me on a personal level because he has played for me before, he knows what I expect and demand. He can see it in a different team but playing the same way. From that side of it, we are in a really good place.”
Celtic must translate form into Premiership points
It’s now important that Celtic don’t become complacent or start thinking their electric pre-season displays guarantee anything in the Premiership.
This is a tough, physical league and the Bhoys will be playing a completely different style of opponent. Low blocks, dogged defending, tactical fouls and all the rest. It can sap the best teams of free-flowing energy.
They’ll have to show up for a battle against Kilmarnock, as they do against every team in the league this season. Showing that fight will allow the team space to demonstrate their quality.
Hopefully, it all clicks this weekend as it did in the USA.
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