Stephen McManus: Newcastle match-up will be a great test for the players

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Celtic F.C.

·12. Juni 2025

Stephen McManus: Newcastle match-up will be a great test for the players

With all eyes turned towards the upcoming 2025/26 season, the buzz was kicked off earlier this week as Kieran Tierney was officially unveiled as a Celtic player once more as he gets set for his return to Paradise.

That occasion will be a special one for the full-back, and the first opportunity he may have to take to the Celtic Park surface is also a big one!

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As part of Celtic's pre-season preparations, Brendan Rodgers and his squad will take on English Premier League side, Newcastle United, at Paradise on Saturday, July 19 (KO: 3pm).

Earlier today (Thursday), both Stephen McManus and former Newcastle shot-stopper, Shay Given were at Celtic Park to look ahead to that match as the winners of the Scottish League Cup, take on the winners of the same English competition.

McManus, who previously faced Newcastle United in Alan Shearer’s Testimonial back in 2006, believes it will be a good occasion for supporters.

He said: “These are really good games! For the players, you want to play against real top-quality opposition, so it’s going to be a really difficult game.

'It gets the players and staff really honed in and focused for the start of the season, which is important, and for both sets of fans, you want it to be as competitive a game as you can possibly have.'

“Newcastle always bring a really, really good travelling support. So when you add that to the support we will obviously have. On matchday, it will make for a really good occasion hopefully!"

With Newcastle having already qualified for the UEFA Champions League, there is a chance both sides could meet once more if the Hoops are to advance through their play-off round tie in August.

For McManus, these tests at this point in the season are always important to go up against some of the best players from south of the border as the Celts prepare themselves for the coming season.

“You want to test yourself early on against proper players, and a real good opposition because it then lets you see exactly where you are at individually and collectively as a team,” he said.

“It’s going to be a good test having Newcastle come here. You see the success they had last year winning the League Cup

“They’ve got loads of top young and experienced players. So it’s going to be a really good challenge.

“It’s a game where you want to test yourself, so you can see the level of opposition that you are going to face throughout the season and hopefully, within the Champions League.

'You want your pre-season games to be competitive and feel as if it’s a proper game. It’s going to be a great experience for the fans too.'

“Both sets of fans will travel well and come in their numbers, so it makes to be a really good occasion.”

The news of Kieran Tierney’s return to Celtic was a welcome one to all fans, including McManus.

But particularly given his role as Head Coach of the young Hoops B Team, Tierney continues to be a source of inspiration for the next generation of Academy prospects.

Not only will the left-back provide another example within the Celtic squad, but bring real quality to the side, which McManus cannot wait to see.

“It’s a brilliant signing,” he said. “It’s a real high-level signing for the football club to make.

'With Kieran coming back, you look at his age and the stage he is at in his career - his best years are certainly still ahead of him.'

“So it’s not as if Kieran is coming back and he is going to play for a couple of years, then that’s going to be him.

"He’s going to be coming back, adding value to the team and stamp his personality back within the football club. It’s what he did the first time.

“He’s a wonderful player, a brilliant personality to have throughout the football club and I have no doubt he will be desperate for success the same he had first time around.”