Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has explained his important pre-match ritual; and it barely involves the players!
The Hoops manager has said in an interview with Open Goal that he barely spends any time in the dressing room on match-days. Instead, he feels like it’s the space for the players to bond, talk through plans and motivate each other for the upcoming game.
In a wide-ranging chat with Si Ferry and Paul Slane – who, to their credit, get some really fantastic answers out of the Celtic boss – Ange Postecoglou revealed he likes to read and plan out what he’ll do during a match.
It’s a fascinating listen. The Celtic boss said [Open Goal]: “I’ve always felt that the game day is the players’ day.
“I don’t go in the dressing room until literally sort of, 10 minutes before the boys run out. I stay out of the dressing room.
“That’s their space. I don’t even go out to see the warm-up, I leave them to their own devices. Again, I just go back to my playing career; I hated people in my face, in the dressing room before a game. The worst thing was the coach telling me different things – we’ve had a week to work on it, now you’re telling me this priceless bit of information.
“I just sit in my office, read, watch a bit of telly. Read the programme, pass the time as much as I can. It’s my way of kind of, just going through the process of what I’m going to do during the game.
“The one thing you have to do as a manager is be prepared for every possible scenario.
“I’m playing all these scenarios in my head before the game, so that’s the time when I just prepare myself for the game.”
Celtic boss Postecoglou gives fascinating pre-game insight
Again; really, really insightful stuff from the Celtic manager, Ange Postecoglou.
Weirdly, you don’t often hear about manager’s pre-game habits and rituals. Gone are the days when managers would grumpily smoke cigarettes in the dugout before kick-off, or give pre-emptive hairdryer treatment to players. Insert your own favourite clichés here.
The Celtic boss seems oddly zen in his approach.
Not that I know anything about being a professional footballer, I assume he’s right – hearing belated instruction from a manager just before heading out to play would confuse me. I’d risk suspecting that footballers feel the same way.
The last thing you want is an unclear message. Instead, Ange Postecoglou times his team-talks for maximum effect. Less is definitely more, especially when you’re working with the same group of people day-in, day-out. The minute Ange Postecoglou loses his hold on the group, or the message, problems start.
He doesn’t look like doing that, and he certainly doesn’t sound like doing that. And it’s showing in the results and performances coming out of Celtic this season.
Read more: Ange Postecoglou shares “elite level” physical attribute Celtic forward has
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