New Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has attempted to reassure worried supporters that hard work is already underway at Lennoxtown ahead of the new season.
Celtic’s first competitive fixture of the 2021/22 campaign kicks off on July 20th at Celtic Park. It comes against FC Midtjylland of Denmark in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. The second leg takes place eight days later.
The club’s lack of preparedness has been a point of serious concern for many supporters over the last few months. Neil Lennon resigned in February, and until the appointment of Postecoglou, there was little sign of planning for next season.
However, the new boss has attempted to reassure fans that hard work is already underway.
Speaking to the official Celtic website, he said: “I’ve been hard at work already and it’s been great to connect with everyone at the club and get to know everyone. I’m keen to hit the ground running and try to get as much work done before I get there, but my own view is that we can’t be more prepared than what we are at the moment in terms of the conditions we’ve had to face.
“I’m fully confident that once I hit the ground, we’ll get started and I’m really excited about the fact that we’ve got something to look forward to and a bit of a target there over the next four or five weeks.
“The work’s already started, to be fair. A lot of the lads, the staff at the club, are already putting plans in place. I’m talking to them daily, so they kind of know how I want us to work.
“There’s a lot of work been done already and certainly, in the first few days, the staff there are really keen to set the new tone and the agenda that I’ve got. So I think the players will feel a difference straight away, but, obviously, for me, the real impact will come when I get there, and I can talk to people.”
No reason not to trust Ange Postecoglou, but talk is cheap for Celtic
Obviously, we take the new boss at his word here. I’m sure he feels he is doing all he can to prepare the squad for a difficult summer.
However, all we’ve heard from Celtic over the last six months is reassurances. There’s been little to back it up. Supporters are weary of the talk coming from the club. They want to see action. They want to see the benefits of preparation in matches.
There’s more pressure on this pre-season than I can ever remember before. We need new signings, clear direction for the football department and backroom staff.
Until that starts happening, fans wouldn’t be reading too much into club interviews.
In other news, Ange Postecoglou is in London, update on the timing of Celtic arrival.
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