Ange Postecoglou has insisted Celtic’s big task when it comes to improvement in Europe is a consistent qualification for the UEFA Champions League.
Celtic have undoubtedly had a difficult time of it in their first four matches of the tournament this season after an absence of five years. Criticism has, of course, followed, with some pointing out the performances of teams such as Club Brugge as an example of clubs punching above their weight in the groups.
However, Postecoglou has reminded everyone that the Belgians haven’t been a historic contender in the competition, coming to prominence this season after years of successive group stage participation.
Speaking in a press conference, he said: “Look at those clubs historically. Have they always had those results? They haven’t, I’ll tell you. What it means is, the longer you’re in this competition, the more opportunities you have to grow and make an impact, but you’re not going to go in there for the first time and expect you’re going to dominate the most prestigious club competition in the world.
“We earned the right to be in this competition. We know the areas we’ve come up short in, but at no stage do I, or any objective observer, believe we’ve looked out of place. It’s about being at that level and having the chance to play at that level on a consistent basis. That means having to qualify for it, and every year you want to grow.
“That’s what our objective needs to be, like most clubs our size. If you take away the big five leagues, the clubs that have made an impact at the Champions League level are the ones that are consistent qualifiers for it. If this were our fifth or sixth year of being in the competition on the spin, I’d be having a different discussion.”
This is a spot-on assessment for me. It’s actually a point I made earlier in the week when there was a lot of chatter about the performances of Brugge and Shakhtar in this year’s groups.
Not only has regular qualification helped Club Brugge in terms of mentality and approach, but it has also unlocked finances that have allowed them to ramp up spending in the transfer market.
It’s absolutely crucial for Celtic’s long-term progression that we see similar back-to-back-to-back participation in the cash-rich tournament. It will be a gamechanger in our ability to compete, rather than it just being an every five-year event that results in disappointment.
In other news, One change, first-ever start; Celtic Predicted XI vs Hibernian.
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