Alan Thompson pulls back Celtic curtain on USA trips as he talks Strachan fallout, O’Neill miss and Sutton pride
The former Celtic great regularly jetted across the Atlantic during his storied career with the Hoops.
Alan Thompson went Stateside with Celtic so often he could have been forgiven for starting every season at the Hoops with a southern drawl. But when it came to putting the accent on a flying start to the season back in Scotland the former Parkhead midfielder reckons there was nothing better.
The Hoops will head back across the pond this summer as Brendan Rodgers prepares his players for the new campaign with glamour friendlies against Manchester City and Chelsea. Twenty years ago Thompson was part of Martin O’Neill’s side who, fresh from winning the league and cup double, took on the cream of the Premier League in three glamour friendlies across just five days in Seattle, Connecticut and Philadelphia.
Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United were the opponents in the blazing north American heat. O’Neill missed the opening two matches as he stayed in the UK to be with his wife who was ill.
Nine goals were shipped to a Blues side inspired by Frank Lampard and a Pool team driven on by Steven Gerrard before Chris Sutton and Craig Beattie restored some pride with the goals in a 2-1 win over United. But Thompson insists the run-outs had Celtic in tip top condition to start the SPL campaign on flames. They did just that winning every one of their opening five league games.
And Thompson said: “We went that many bloody times to America it’s hard to remember which trip was which! I think I was there four times in total. But it’s a great break. Definitely not a jolly but a great chance to prepare. The weather is great. The training facilities are great and you get looked after.
“If you have new team mates then it’s a chance for them to get to know the lads better rather than being in Scotland and just going home after training. The games are of a high level and you get big crowds in nice stadiums. That summer of 2004 is a good example.
“Martin missed the first two games and we got thumped by 4-2 Chelsea and 5-1 by Liverpool. John Robertson was in charge so that’s probably why we got hammered! But the gaffer flew out and took us against Manchester United and the next thing you know we’ve beaten them 2-1.
“Those were really good teams. Chelsea had John Terry, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Arjen Robben. A proper Premier League side. Against Liverpool I was up against Steven Gerrard, John Arne Riise, Dietmar Hamann, Harry Kewell. It’s top quality opposition and the result doesn’t really matter. The fitness and sharpness is what matters and it certainly serves a purpose on that score.
“It looks like Brendan Rodgers has the same idea this summer. Chelsea will be a great test for Celtic. And Manchester City ... wow. Listen, these are great games for the players. They want to be playing at the highest level.
“No disrespect but they are playing week in and week out in Scotland but here they get a chance to go up against some of the best players in the world. If that was me I’d be buzzing. Not just Haaland but they have top players from back to front. I love watching them. It’s a great opportunity for the Celtic lads.”
Celtic’s love affair with the States is no real surprise when you consider their first trip across the Atlantic, in 1966, prepared the side for their greatest ever season when they became champions of Scotland and Europe.
It is billed as the land of dreams after all. But there’s been a few nightmares for the Hoops too. In 2006 Gordon Strachan vowed never to return with a team as the travelling took too much out of his players after being humbled 4-0 by DC United and drawing 0-0 with Mexicans Chivas and 1-1 with New England Revolution.
Lo and behold Strachan had his squad back in the land of the free 12 months later as the commercial opportunities proved too good to miss and they took on an MLS All Stars side with David Beckham watching on from the stands. Thompson reckons Strachan’s groans about exhaustion don’t stack up. But he is first to admit he missed most the travelling on that 2006 trip - after being sent home early with the writing on the wall for this Hoops career.
He said: “Saying it takes too much out the players is nonsense. You’re in one base and fly out there business class - it’s not like you’e cattle class and can’t move. It doesn’t take that much out of you.
“The players enjoy it and not only that but it’s a big opportunity for the club commercially and for the fans that are out there to be able to see the team they support. The 2006 one I got sent home early so it didn’t take too much out of me!
“Gordon had put me on in a game against DC United with two minutes to go and I just thought ‘what’s the point in being here?’ I went home the next day. It was a joint decision. I spoke to Gordon, he said he understood I wasn’t getting the game time I wanted. The writing was on the wall at that point. I left the club the next January.
“But in terms of summer trips to America, they are the ideal way to prepare for a new season. If I was in that Celtic squad I’d be buzzing.”