Celtic’s summer in 2024 looks a bit different to many years gone by with the club not embarking on a traditional training camp in Europe.
Austria, Portugal and England have all been destinations in recent seasons to best prepare for the season’s challenges, often playing opposition local to whichever area they choose to travel.
This year there’s a bit more glamour to proceedings with the club taking the commercial opportunity to play big matches in the United States against Manchester City, Chelsea and DC United.
Lennoxtown is often used in the early stages of pre-season but it’ll be used as a base of operations well into July before that trip across the Atlantic, with Celtic choosing to stay in Scotland until then.
Many players have already returned from their holidays with those on international duty expected to return in phases over the next fortnight.
John Kennedy on Celtic’s early July preparations
Speaking to Celtic TV, assistant manager John Kennedy has discussed why the club aren’t off to Europe before making that journey to America.
He said: “It’s a bit different for us this year. We normally go away to Austria or Portugal and have a camp then start the games. Now we’re going to the States we just thought we have a great facility here. The way the players are filtering back in it was best we base ourselves here for a couple of weeks before we head off.
“With that we have the chance to play more local games here in Scotland. The fans will get to see that. It will be good for us. It’s just those building blocks. We’ll get the work in with the training. But there comes a point when you have to get that match time. It’s a different kind of fitness.
“It’s a really important phase when you start getting into that match routine. You know the preparation for the games, how you can execute and how you want to play. The review process starts with that as well at that point.
“It’s important for us, regardless of opposition. We’ll get the minutes in early doors and then when we go to the States we have some challenging games. That’ll be another step forward and great preparation for the season.”
The change-up in pre-season activities is welcome. The trip to the USA is the kind of thing we want to see the club participating in and it’s a great opportunity for Celtic fans based in North America to take in a match in person.
Although the Queen’s Park match next Friday night will not have an away crowd, it will be broadcast on Celtic TV and it’s always good fun to see the team back in action for the first time in a summer.
Thousands of Bhoys supporters are expected to visit Ayr on July 10th to see the Bhoys take on Scott Brown’s team, so that’ll be an occasion to savour, too.
Roll on the return of Celtic!