Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou gives his verdict on Hoops tenure thus far

By Euan Davidson

October 29, 2021

Ange Postecoglou has given a one-word verdict on his tenure at Celtic Football Club so far:

Entertaining.

Postecoglou, brought in from Yokohama F Marinos, was parachuted into a perilous situation at Celtic. Huge changes needed to be made to a squad utterly bereft of confidence. Supporters were furious at the board, when a deal for Eddie Howe looked all but done, and the title had been lost in meek fashion.

Add to that Covid-19, boardroom upheaval and having to adapt to a new culture, you’d have to say it’s gone alright. Entertaining, even.

A reinvigorated, new-look Celtic squad have shaken off all the problems of the summer, and could sit top on Saturday if we beat Livingston. For Ange Postecoglou, it’s all about progression. That’s both as a team, and with individuals making significant improvements under the former Australia boss.

Asked for his take on the first chapter of his Celtic tenure, Postecoglou said [Celtic FC YouTube]:

“Entertaining.

“We’ve had some extremes in there for sure. We had some good performances, some good performances without getting results, and you know, we’ve had a couple of games where we’ve struggled.

“The main thing for me is I’ve seen growth and improvement in the team. If you cut the season up into quarters, that’s what I’d like to see in this next quarter.

“If we keep doing that, then we’re going to be a team that gives itself a chance of success. So that’s the key thing. But I think even if you look at the first game of the year against Hearts, and look at the starting line up… on the day where Kyogo literally got off a plane to sit on a bench, things have changed quite significantly.

“Just in general, I think our football’s improved since then.”

Ange Postecoglou has entertained the Celtic faithful, there’s no question

I think we’d probably argue it’s been entertaining from our perspective, too. Given how torturous Celtic’s brand of football was to watch last season, that’s quite the sea change.

Celtic supporters, even those who were deeply cynical about Postecoglou’s credentials, have left Paradise with smiles on their faces. The noise inside the stadium is abundantly back. Attacking football is back on the menu.

Given all the frustrations Ange has had to put up with, from Covid-19 affecting transfers, to injuries and fixture build-up, it’s good to hear he’s entertained, too.

If he wasn’t enjoying himself, he wouldn’t be here. That much is obvious from his demeanour. And as a manager who whole-heartedly embraces big challenges, even he’d probably admit he’s had his plate full since he took over from interim boss John Kennedy.

The start of the season almost feels like an age ago. It’s hard to believe how different the squad looks. New players have become heroes, players written off in the past have become regulars, and there’s an immense feel-good factor about Celtic. From a footballing perspective, at least.

He’s enjoying himself, clearly. Safe to say, we are too.

Read more: Ange reveals Josip Juranovic hospital trip but he’ll be ready for Celtic vs Livingston