Celtic B coach Stephen McManus has described next month’s pre-season game against Newcastle United as an important opportunity for the first-team squad in their preparations for the new campaign. Speaking to CeltsAreHere earlier today, the former Hoops captain stressed the benefits of facing strong opposition early in pre-season.

With preparations already underway behind the scenes at Lennoxtown, Brendan Rodgers’ side are building towards a busy summer schedule which includes the friendly against Newcastle on July 19. The match will see Celtic take on the Premier League side as part of their efforts to sharpen up ahead of the competitive season.

McManus, who works closely with the club’s younger players, believes testing the squad against high-level opposition is the best way to accelerate their progress as they approach the new campaign. He also acknowledged the unique challenges that come with pre-season fixtures as players work to regain sharpness after the summer break.

The meeting with Newcastle will be one of several key friendlies organised to ensure Rodgers’ men are ready for the challenges that lie ahead, both domestically and in Europe.

He said: “Certainly for our club, you want to make sure that you’re going to test yourself as quickly as you possibly can against a very good opposition, because, again, the quicker you can get that feeling of the opposition that you’re playing against, the better it is for the start of the campaign.

“As a player, pre-season games are always the hardest games to play in because you’re trying to find that rhythm as quickly as you possibly can.

“Now, when you look at the quality of the opposition that both sides are playing throughout pre-season, they’re really good quality games. Like I said, the players will look forward to it and they’ll relish the game.”

The fixture against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side will serve as a valuable reminder for Rodgers as he assesses his squad ahead of another demanding season. With European qualifiers fast approaching and the defence of the league title to consider, Celtic will be eager to hit the ground running.

Facing opposition of Newcastle’s level offers a real opportunity for the squad to test themselves against players operating at a high level, something McManus feels can only benefit the team in the long run.

Pre-season will also give Rodgers a chance to bring in any new arrivals, experiment with starting XI’s and ensure fitness levels are where they need to be before the real business begins.

As always, Celtic’s preparations are being carefully planned to make sure the squad are ready for success when the competitive action kicks off in August.