Celtic finished off their Sydney Cup duties with a penalties defeat to Everton, a game which took Ange-ball back Down Under. It was a success, maybe not in terms of victories on the pitch but the sight of Green and White in the stands was incredible. The tour was dubbed Ange’s Homecoming Tour but the manager admitted that there were other things at play, things that ‘big clubs’ like Celtic need to embrace in the modern world.
After the game, Ange told The Herald that he sees this as being the first in more exciting trips abroad for Celtic as the club embraces the global outlook regarding pre-season friendlies and spreading the brand across the world.
“Absolutely. I know how big a market that is as well. That’s not me driving it, that’s Michael (Nicholson) and Chris (McKay) and the commercial and management team.
“They understand it, but we have to buy into it as a football department. We have to acknowledge it helps us in the long run. Sure, it puts some extra demands, and it would have been easier to give the boys an extra week off.
“This has been an important week for the football club. That’s how big clubs operate, and that’s what we have to want to be.
“That’s what we are, we just need to be disciplined about what we do and not get side-tracked by other things if we are to be the club we know we can be.”
The manager clearly understands that the ability to stretch across the globe will increase the ability to attract players to the football club and, as a result, increase the performance levels across the squad. The club is steeped in history but the visibility that it enjoys is dwarfed by the English Premier League so endeavors such as the Sydney Super Cup appeal to the fanbase already established in Australia and invite new members into the ranks.
The team will come back from their nine-day holiday ready to go again as the manager has warned them that they will not be able to rest up. Celtic return to action against Aberdeen at Pittodrie, a game that threatens to be difficult given the Dons resurgence under Jim Goodwin. Ange will want to navigate through to the New Year with the nine-point gap intact.
Giovanni Van Bronckhorsttttt
+9 🥵 🍀 pic.twitter.com/HaqPYb7UWE— Déaglán_m (@deaglan_m) November 12, 2022
As a result of Ange and his team’s relentless football this season, Rangers have decided to part company with Giovanni Van Bronkhorst. They must now attempt to rebuild in the three weeks before the return to action (home to Hibernian) as they try and keep their season competitive. Ex-Rangers Assistant Michael Beale is the frontrunner.
The clubs are separated by nine points in the league table but behind the scenes, Celtic are miles in front. The transfer market trading, the business outlook and then the cohesion in decision-making both on and off the pitch.
