We’re barely a month removed from Celtic’s double trophy victory at Hampden, but the club’s summer holiday has officially ended.
The coaching staff and players have all had wonderful vacations in various parts of the world, even if Brendan Rodgers’ phone hasn’t stopped ringing since that legendary full-time match against Rangers.
Supporters have had a very quiet few weeks. Transfer rumors aren’t exactly flying around right now, and there are no signs of an impending transaction.
Many of last season’s heroes returned to the Lennoxtown training facility on Thursday, with others on international duty due to rejoin in the coming week.
It won’t be long before we see a team back on the pitch. The pre-season friendlies begin next Friday night against Ayr United, with thousands of Celtic fans expecting to cheer on the team at Somerset Park.
Celtic must strive for a constructive summer
Most are waiting for transfer activity, however. Several positions require strengthening or upgrading, with Joe Hart retiring, Adam Idah returning to Norwich City following his loan, and Paulo Bernardo in limbo at Benfica. And that’s only to keep the statistics consistent.
Assistant manager John Kennedy stated in a media interview yesterday that the club is working hard behind the scenes on deals, but after a slow 2023 window, fans will be looking for indications of action in the early days of the summer.
It would certainly be advantageous to have a couple in the door before the club embarks on its pre-season tour of the United States in mid-July.
That would set the tone for a hopefully productive summer. Celtic must not stand still, with a minimum of eight UEFA Champions League matches next season and the domestic trophy chase unlikely to be any simpler than last season.
The departure of Mark Lawwell earlier this year demonstrated Rodgers’ growing power over moves, and the club’s board must support his desire to add true quality to the squad given the finances available to the champions.
With everyone back in the building, we should see this begin to play out over the following few weeks. Few would have expected much movement during the last month, but it’s time for Celtic to begin moving and start playing. The winning machine must keep rolling.