Celtic’s final leg of the US Tour ended an impressive two weeks in the States for Brendan Rodgers and his team.
The 4-1 win over Chelsea capped off the three-game winning pre-season stint where Celtic let their football do the talking on the pitch and the club raised its reputation off it.
The Celtic Foundation played its part in making $10,000 donations to local charities at each stop of the tour and the team raised the club’s profile on the park by handing out thrashings to DC United, Chelsea and teaching Man City and their players a lesson or two.
But it was Celtic’s win over Chelsea that had Andy Townsend waxing lyrical over Brendan Rodgers’ players as he named five that really impressed him in the win over Enzo Maresca’s side.
Townsend blown away by Reo Hatate and four Celtic teammates
The all-round performance of Brendan Rodgers’ team against Chelsea was very impressive and every player got pass marks.
But for Townsend, five of the team were namechecked as the former Republic of Ireland international was left blown away by Celtic against the Premier League club.
Townsend said [talkSPORT], “It’s encouraging for them, it’s great for them. It’s always good if you can get people among the goals in pre-season, and that’s the kind of morale-boosting confidence-boosting victory for them.
“They have got some nice players. I like [Reo] Hatate and I like Kyogo [Furuhashi]. I think they are both very, very talented footballers. I really do.
“Matt O’Riley is also another really useful player. Obviously, Kasper Schmeichel is there now, which is interesting. I think they will like him too. Kasper’s distribution is usually very, very good.
“Now James Forrest is a player, he has been there a long time now, James, and he always had a lot of talent and I often wondered if someone might come and try and poach him or get him.
“But he is still there and he is still playing. They obviously are going to be the team to beat again as ever in Scotland.”
Celtic’s wins in all three results have got the fans excited for the new season ahead despite the lack of summer signings.
Brendan Rodgers has had a meeting with Michael Nicholson and aims to have new faces in the door before the end of August.
With the team performing so well with the current crop of players, the Celtic supporters will be keen to see who Rodgers adds to strengthen because the showing they put on in the US Tour means that when the Hoops boss does add fresh faces, Celtic are going to be very difficult to stop next season.
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