Brendan Rodgers’ much-anticipated rendezvous with the Celtic squad at Lennoxtown has been scheduled for July 3, meaning the players will have to wait two weeks until they meet their new manager, with internationalists waiting longer, SunSport reports.
The Northern Irish manager, with his reputation of enforcing high standards, is set to re-take the helm and infuse new energy into the team.
Alongside Rodgers, John Kennedy has been confirmed to serve again as his trusted No2.
This reappointment will see first-team coaches Gavin Strachan and Harry Kewell maintain their roles, supported by the irreplaceable goalkeeping specialist Stevie Woods and B-team coaching talents Stephen McManus and Darren O’Dea.
Rodgers is renowned for his meticulous approach to the game. Back in 2016, upon replacing Ronny Deila, he notably presented each Celtic player with a comprehensive dossier outlining his expectations on an individual and collective basis, as well as the broader lifestyle changes they would undergo under his management.
This strategy sparked an incredible response from the Hoops, resulting in two consecutive Trebles, a remarkable 2016-17 Invincibles campaign, and a record of only one defeat in 12 Old Firm derbies.
As he steps into his second managerial tenure, Rodgers inherits a robust Celtic squad from Postecoglou, a team that has continued to dominate and is packed with stars, quite the contrast to when he arrived at the club for his first spell in charge.
As it stands, Rodgers’ first game in charge will be against Yokohama F Marinos in Yokohama on July 19, with a follow-up match against Gamba Osaka in Suita three days later. The team will then jet to South Korea for a face-off with Premier League Wolves in Suwon on July 26.
Celtic’s first home game under Rodgers’ return is scheduled against La Liga side Athletic Bilbao at Parkhead on August 1 for the James Forrest testimonial. The start of the 2023-24 cinch Premiership season is slated for the weekend of August 5-6, with fixtures released next Friday.
