spirits high as pre-season intensifies

GREGOR KYLE in Portugal
HAVING already faced Southampton and Fulham in England, the Portuguese ‘leg’ of the pre-season tour will kick off against Middlesbrough in the Algarve Challenge Cup this evening (July 22).

Played over the course of the coming week, the cup also includes Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes and FA Cup finalists, Cardiff City and will provide a competitive double-header of matches for Gordon Strachan’s men.

Since starting back on July 4, the games have got steadily tougher for the players, as has the rigorous pre-season training and as Gary Caldwell explained, it has in many ways been the perfect warm-up to the new campaign.

"It is tough but that's pre-season,” Caldwell said. “You have to find your form and get your fitness and that's what we're doing. We did a lot of running in the first week, but we're shortening that down and getting into games now to improve our sharpness.

"It's been good and I've enjoyed it. Nowadays players come back to pre-season training a lot fitter, you don't really have a settling-in period as you had in days gone by.

"We all came back on the first day looking fit and sharp and were ready to go. In the games we've had so far we've been tested and that's what we wanted. We don't want to play ‘friendly’ games.

“The intensity has to go up as each game comes,” he added. “The two games we've had have gone up a notch each time and we will go up again in our games this week in Portugal.

“We have to keep improving so we're ready for the start of the season. Come August 10 that's when it really matters and we'll be ready for that. That is the time you will be judged.”

Since joining Celtic from Hibernian, the centre-back has worked hard to establish himself as a first choice for club and country and last season played a pivotal role as the team built up momentum in the closing stages of the season.

As the pressure of the title race intensified, the defensive partnership of Caldwell and McManus proved to be particularly formidable, with Caldwell outstanding in the vital double-header against Rangers.

It has, as the 26-year-old explained, been ‘a long journey’ and one that he does not want to end.

"If you stayed here all your life it would be great,” he added. “Under the manager I've loved it so far and hopefully we can continue to have the same success that we've had in my first two years.”

You can watch tonight’s Algarve Cup tie against Middlesbrough live on Channel 67 - with the game available to ALL of the club’s online subscribers.

The game kicks off at 9.30pm (Celtic Park time) with the programme beginning at 9.15pm. To subscribe and never miss another live match – click HERE