Ange Postecoglou today provided a positive update on the four players who are back in the squad and challenging to get the nod tomorrow evening against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership match at Celtic Park. The Celtic manager admitted that he’s looking at freshening up the side after a tough match in difficult conditions at Hampden on Saturday evening.
“It’s fair to say the game itself and obviously the conditions took a fair bit out of the boys,” the Celtic manager said at today’s Media Conference.
He added: “I haven’t kind of made final decisions yet but there will be some changes tomorrow. I think both because it took a fair bit out of the lads on the weekend and also we need to kind of freshen up the team I feel.
“So we’ll make a few changes, obvious the pleasing thing for me is guys who have been out recently Hakšabanović, Ralston, Welsh and McCarthy are all training and available. Obviously from my perspective, we’ve got some options there now and Alistair Johnston is good now after not starting the weekend game.
“It’s fair to say we’ll make some changes tomorrow off the back of the weekend game but also it’s a good one to sort of freshen up the team a bit.”
There was no sign of striker Giorgos Giakoumakis in the training gallery photographs from Lennoxtown posted on the official Celtic site today. That’s not to say that the Greek striker wasn’t there but his omission from these photos is enough to add to the ongoing speculation, despite Ange Postecoglou once again playing down the transfer talk this afternoon.
One player who certainly could do with a rest is surely Kyogo, but without the ongoing transfer speculation Giorgos Giakoumakis would surely be a likely candidate to start against St Mirren.
For now he remains a Celtic player ahead of Wednesday’s cinch Premiership clash with St Mirren despite mounting speculation over a transfer, manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed. The news that Urawa Red Diamonds have apparently had a £3.5million bid for Celtic’s Greece international strike accepted was NOT confirmed by Postecoglou who explained that any negotiations would be dealt with by CEO Michael Nicholson before it reaches his desk.
Urawa Red Diamonds have reached an agreement with Celtic for transfer of Giōrgos Giakoumakīs. Understand it’s €4m package. 🟢🇯🇵🇬🇷 #transfers
MLS side Atlanta still trying to sign the player — while personal terms are still under discussion with Urawa. pic.twitter.com/VsCtH2xKbC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 16, 2023
“It is pretty much the same. I said, Michael is dealing with all that stuff and, as we sit right here, nobody is leaving or coming. There is always going to be speculation around the place but from our perspective at this moment there is nothing definite happening.”
If that is the situation and Giakoumakis omission from the Gallery photos was merely coincidental them you would expect Giakoumakis to be very much in the manager’s thoughts as he looks to make some changes tomorrow night.
Here’s Ange Media Conference…
