Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou steps up and takes responsibility

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Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou isn’t shying away from the club’s critics in recent days, insisting the European disappointment this season is ‘down to him’.

I don’t think Celtic supporters were expecting too much from the Bhoys in UEFA competition this term, but it still feels like the team missed out on a couple of excellent opportunities.

The most recent tie against Bodo/Glimt was a chance to be competitive in a knockout round of a European tournament and, frankly, the players weren’t.

But Ange isn’t interested in anyone taking the blame but him.

Speaking to The Scottish Daily Mail [26/02 print edition, page 120], he said: “It’s not like I just expect us to perform well all of the time. But I think there are parts of the team that should be embedded into us to perform at certain levels and we just didn’t over the two games.

“That’s down to me. That’s my responsibility to make sure we address that because we want to be a team that does well in Europe, we want to make an impact whatever competition. When you look at it this year, we haven’t done that.

“We were way too passive in two games against Bodo/Glimt and it’s disappointing because there was an opportunity to progress and we didn’t. That’s ultimately the level that you have to be at all the time and you can’t drop below that level or else you are not going to be successful.”

Elsewhere in the interview with the written press, Postecoglou refused to consider the tie as a ‘reality check’ for his players, defending their mentality this season and insisting they aren’t getting ahead of themselves.

Postecoglou wants Celtic to address its Euro woes next season, no doubt, but as a group. He isn’t interested in throwing his players under the boss or having anyone else take the criticism on their shoulders.

Simply, he is being a leader. And at a critical time for Celtic and the confidence of these players too. Let’s hope they do him proud tomorrow.

In other news, Chris Sutton challenges Ange Postecoglou Celtic comments.