New bhoy Tilio discusses his Rodgers phone call

After speaking to Brendan Rodgers by phone Marco Tilio can’t wait to sample pre-season training with his new club.

Celtic announced this morning that the Australian winger had signed a five year contract to become their second summer signing.

Tilio is in the process of packing his bags for Scotland to take on the opportunity of following up on the successes of Tom Rogic and Aaron Mooy.

The Melbourne City man will have been carefully watched by Celtic’s recruitment team but it is working with an elite manager in a young, progressive squad that is the big attraction- with the bonus of Champions League football in September.

Speaking to the Celtic website about his call with the manager Tilio said:

I did have a chat with him a few days ago and I was really excited to have the opportunity to speak to him, and the plan the club has for me and for the team is a great opportunity as I said I couldn’t deny, and I’m really looking forward to getting over there to Scotland.

I’m just finalising a few things and I’m trying to pack up everything here in Australia, and as soon as I can, I’ll head over to Scotland, meet all the team, the whole club.

I’m really excited about that and hopefully I can get over there as soon as possible and get right into the thick of things.

I think it’s amazing, obviously the pre-season is so long, it drags on, and in Europe it’s a lot shorter than what it is here, so I’m looking forward to getting right into it and playing games, and I think that’s exciting as well that you get over and start to gel with the team as much as possible before the competitions and season starts.

Tilio faces a tough task getting game time as a winger at Celtic but clearly both the player and his new club feel that there is a definite pathway to regular first team football.

At the training camp in Portugal and pre-season matches he will get his chance to impress before the competitive action starts at home to Ross County on August 5.