With Celtic set to embark on their 2024 USA Summer Tour, Brendan Rodgers and the players will be looking forward to getting some much-needed game time into their legs.
With fixtures against DC United, Chelsea and Manchester City coming up, Rodgers knows he will face a much stiffer test than he has already against Ayr United and Queen’s Park.
However, this isn’t the first time Celtic have ventured across the pond. In 2010, Neil Lennon took his team on a pre-season tour of North America which was made up of three fixtures in the USA and one in Canada.
So here we take a look at the squad Celtic had at that time and the teams Lennon faced in their week-long tour of the region.
Celtic’s 2010 squad
Neil Lennon had a 24-man squad to prepare for the season 2010/11 and here is the list he took on the North American tour of the USA and Canada.
Goalkeepers: Lukas Zaluska, Dominic Cervi
Defenders: Glen Loovens, Jos Hooiveld, Charlie Mulgrew, Thomas Rogne, Cha Du Ri, Mark Wilson, Paul Caddis, Milan Misun, Andreas Hinkel.
Midfielders: Scott Brown, Kris Commons, Nial McGinn, Joe Ledley, Marc Crosas, Ki Sung-Yeung, Paddy McCourt, Simon Ferry, Paul McGowan.
Forwards: Giorgos Samaras, Shaun Maloney, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Morten Rasmussen, James Forrest, Aiden McGeady, Cillian Sheridan, Ben Hutchinson.
Eagle-eyed supporters may see the likes of Anthony Stokes, Ki Sung-Yeung and Fraser Forster are missing but they didn’t join the club until later that summer.
Celtic organised to play US sides Seattle Sounders and Philadelphia Union as well as English Premier League giants Manchester United and Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon.
Celtic 0 v 1 Philadelphia Union
Celtic lost as Joe Ledley and Charlie Mulgrew made their debuts for the club. Sebastian Le Toux scored the only goal of the game in the 23rd minute.
Celtic helped the Philadelphia Union make history on that day as it was the US side’s first-ever international friendly in its history. [MLS Soccer]
Celtic 1 v 3 Manchester United
Another friendly and another defeat for Neil Lennon’s side. An opener from Dimitar Berbatov (34) was cancelled out by Georgios Samaras in the 61st minute.
However, late strikes by Danny Welbeck (79) and Tom Cleverly (86) were enough to give Alex Ferguson’s team the win and Lennon’s second loss on the tour.
Celtic 2 v 1 Seattle Sounders
At the third time of asking, Neil Lennon picked up Celtic’s first win of the tour over the American team.
Goals from Samaras (32) and Paddy McCourt (64) were enough to wrap up the victory despite Seattle pulling a goal back in the 66th minute by David Estrada.
Celtic 1 v 1 Sporting Lisbon (Celtic won 6-5 on penalties)
The final match of the tour ended in a stalemate after Helder Postiga’s late equaliser in the 82nd minute cancelled out Celtic’s opener.
Samaras was on the scoresheet once again after tucking away a 72nd-minute penalty after he was tripped in the box by Daniel Carrico.
Celtic eventually won the match 6-5 on penalties with Paul McGowan netting the final spot kick ensuring that the Fenway Football Challenge Trophy made its way back to Glasgow.
Rodgers will be hoping that his team will pick up a few wins as well as getting some much-needed minutes into their legs as he prepares his Celtic team to defend the SPFL title next season.
