Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou gives excellent update on backroom staff

By Euan Davidson

October 15, 2021

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou says he’s been identifying areas of improvement for his backroom staff with acting CEO Michael Nicholson.

Postecoglou brought in Anton McElhone to bolster the club’s Sports Science department, after the departure of Jack Nayler to RB Leipzig. Since then, supporters have been anxiously awaiting updates on who’ll be brought in to back the boss.

But Postecoglou insists he’s not just chasing some familiar names. Instead, it’s a rigorous process. Additionally, he said that Celtic need to bring more bodies in to depleted areas of the backroom team.

Postecoglou said [Newschain]:

“We brought in Anton in terms of our sports science and he has been brilliant since he came in, not just with what he is able to input, but also helping the existing staff because we have been a man or two short in that area.

“There are other areas we are looking to bolster particularly in terms of scouting and recruitment.

“It’s not about replacing people and it’s certainly not about me bringing people in I have worked with in the past.

“I have always tried to bring in the best people possible, irrespective of their backgrounds or whether I have worked with them or not, because when you go down that track, you are limiting yourself.

“We will cast the net far and wide, we will get the best people in. We need to bring in more people to bolster the existing structure.”

Great news as Postecoglou looks to bolster Celtic backroom staff

Even the most optimistic believers in Ange Postecoglou at Celtic would’ve been concerned that nobody came with him to join the backroom staff. The fact that he came alone to the club is extremely unusual, particularly these days.

Given the departures across the club’s footballing operation, from Nick Hammond to Jack Nayler, it was disconcerting to see so few incomings. That, and fans’ ongoing frustrations with Gavin Strachan and John Kennedy, from Neil Lennon’s tenure.

If Postecoglou is a long-term choice at Celtic, and we’re hoping sincerely he is, then he needs to have some of his own backroom staff around him.

As he says, they don’t particularly need to be ones he knows – although you can imagine that would help a bit, provided they’re qualified.

It’s some reassuring talk from the Celtic boss. More than that, it’s a sign that he and Michael Nicholson are working in tandem. After Dom McKay left, it was reasonable to wonder whether everyone behind the scenes was on the same page.

As far as Postecoglou says, that seems to be the case. Going forward, that’s a comfort.

Read more: Ange Postecoglou delivers Celtic transfer and rebuild update after recent talks with board