“A better version of ourselves” says Celtic captain as mainstream media narrative heads in one direction

You can be guaranteed the narrative from the MSM is heading in one direction, after Ange Postecoglou and Callum McGregor faced up to the pre-match media ahead of Celtic’s second leg tie against Bodo/Glimt in Norway tomorrow night.

With the Hoops chasing a two-goal deficit, the majority of the assembled media seemed determined to ensure the Celtic manager highlighted apparent defensive deficiencies, after the first leg defeat, rather than focus on the attacking intent that is clearly required to address the 3-1 turnaround Celtic need to focus on.

However, a frustrated looking Postecoglou was not a man for changing, as he stated, Celtic, under his direction, play one way home or away, and that is on the front foot, defiantly stating Celtic’s issues in the first leg defeat were down to chance creation and conversion as an attacking side rather than the concession of chances.

“No, because that would be changing, which is what I said we don’t do. The perfect game plan only exists in a mythical land well beyond my comprehension.

“We’ll play our football. We played our football the other night, they were more clinical than us but we’ve been clinical this year in terms of scoring goals. We weren’t as efficient in our front third in terms of chances, they were. So, if that changes, we’re in a better shape.

“We don’t need to be more solid defensively. If they had 20 chances, hit the crossbar and Joe made 15 saves, I’d be saying we have some issues defensively. That’s what I focus on. I look at the performance and the way we play. They were a lot more clinical with their fewer attempts on goal, obviously we need to improve that but it’s not something that’s been ongoing.

“Our approach has to be the same, just go out there and play our football with no ‘buts’ in it at all.”

This press conference was a strange one from the off. Postecoglou’s initial hand on chin exasperated pose, struck a position of a man who expected the negative from the get-go, and that’s not something we’ve seen since early in the season – meanwhile his captain struck a similarly defensive pose as he took his opportunity to speak to the assembled press.

Perhaps that points to the task at hand, or alternatively a culmination of Postecoglou’s general exasperation as to a lack of understanding as to how his team will play no matter the wall they have to climb.

That said Ange looked a fed-up individual today, whether it was questions around the decision not to train on Bodo/Glimt’s plastic pitch, or whether it was a deep dive into Celtic’s obvious defensive weaknesses exhibited in the first leg schooling at the hands of a team who played the Ange way, but arguably executed it better than his own, Ange preferred to deflect rather than engage.

It’s difficult to read the manager’s demeanour this afternoon, after all he was happy and engaged when talk of an offensive approach was mooted, however he seemed distant when fair questions surrounding Celtic’s naivety in the first leg were raised.

Was today’s press conference an early indication of a coach who realises his opposite number had, and has, his card marked, or was it a deliberate act to ensure nothing is given away, and a gameplan awaits that will ensure Celtic proceed from a sticky situation?

It’s a difficult situation to call, however between manager and captain, exasperation seemed to overrule inspiration. I guess we’ll need to see how the match unravels tomorrow as to why that was and if perhaps, we’re reading too much into a pre-match press conference.

Either way there was a change in tack today, and it appeared Ange Postecoglou and Callum McGregor appeared to wish to keep everyone at arm’s length. It’s possible however there is method behind the approach, and we’ll know just that 24 hours from now.

Niall J