Anton McElhone is making a big impression on the Celtic squad at Lennoxtown, a report in The Athletic has shared today.
McElhone was added to Ange Postecoglou’s staff in September after the club’s previous head of sports science Jack Nayler made the move to RB Leipzig a few months earlier.
The report cites sources close to the first team and states that McElhone’s name is one that keeps coming up when the impact of the backroom staff this season is being discussed.
It’s said that players have come to really appreciate how passionate and engaged McElhone is when it comes to his work.
It’s also stated that he has been a big believer in Postecoglou’s high-intensity training, with sessions said to be even more demanding since he arrived at the club.
Injuries have been a problem this season, but it’s fair to say that they’ve become less frequent since the turn of the year when McElhone’s influence will have started to make an impact.
The other obvious factor, more high-quality players being added in the transfer window, also has to be taken into account.
It’s true that there have been one or two injury frustrations in 2022 – Josip Juranovic’s latest blow being an example – but it seemed that at one point in the season these muscle issues were a weekly occurrence.
Postecoglou has insisted all season that Celtic’s rebuild has been as much about his staff as him. In fact, he’s made sure everyone receives their time in the spotlight with the photocalls following manager of the month wins.
That hasn’t been just for show. Celtic’s progress has been a group effort and it seems McElhone’s addition, in particular, has been a big success so far. Long may it continue.
In other news, Boli Bolingoli training alone away from Lennoxtown; Celtic contract situation.
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