Boyd backs Celtic boss to shop smart this summer

Celtic legend Tom Boyd is backing Ange Postecoglou to shop smart this summer just as he did when he arrived this time last year. Postecoglou hit these shores as Celtic boss when the club was in a melee of chaos and despair from the previous campaign. However, with a calm and collected demeanour, Ange set about writing the wrongs of previous regimes in the transfer market and managed to build a side that transformed Celtic FC on the pitch.

Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi and Carl Starfelt joined, they would be followed by Joe Hart, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Jota and Giorgos Giakoumakis at the end of August. It took time to mould but at the terminus of the season, all these players had proved their incalculable worth as we wrestled our cinch Premiership crown back from the clutches of the gloating club that play out of Ibrox.

Now with the booming success of his signings and a League and Cup double in the bag from last season, Ange Postecoglou is to be aided further as be sets about the second phase of his rebuild at Parkhead. This will be aided with the not so negligible Champions League money secured in lew of the Hoops finishing first – entering the group stages of the top table for the first team in donkeys years.

Tom Boyd reckons the big man can be trusted to deliver on the transfer front again, having watched his recruitment bear fruit on an unimaginable level considering the folly of Celtic two seasons ago. As reported by Record Sport, he said: “I trust him. That’s what managers are judged on. The players they bring into the club and can they make an impact? Unfortunately, a couple of years ago, the players we brought in didn’t have that impact and that is one of the reasons why we didn’t win the league.

“Now you look at what Ange has done and every player that he has brought in has made a massive impact to help us win the league and a cup. What he is doing, he is doing right and that is why we trust what he is doing. The adjustment of style, the formation which was alien to many of us at the start was working by the end of the season by winning the league and getting us into the Champions League proper.

“That’s the faith we have in the manager and because he has done it. And it has given us that confidence to go into next season hoping he can bring in more better players. It’s the best time to try and do it. You are guaranteed that bit of money from the Champions League, so you can go out and do that a little earlier. Maybe that helped us get Cameron done and we’re looking for more players.

“The one thing I would say is that so is everyone else, but, hopefully, we can find some gems along the way. We want to improve in every transfer window and, up until now, he has been able to create that in terms of the players he has brought in. They have been able to make an impact. But where we go and what players come in? We put our faith in the manager. They know and have a better outlook than we see. If we see a player who is linked with them, the due diligence has been done well before that by the club.”

After already having forked out £6 million or so – with the potential to rise to £10 with add-ons – for Cameron Carter-Vickers, the club and Ange aren’t messing about when it comes down business this summer it would appear. It is a tactic that Boyd insists makes perfect sense. He said: “You see is the impact he made last season. Sometimes we miss out on players like that because they have been playing so well.

“It is great credit to everyone at the club, the board and whoever, who sanctioned the move. We’d seen there was a player there and the impact he had on loan which worked as it allowed us to see him as a player. He just got stronger and stronger and by the end was competing for the Player of the Year. You don’t want to lose someone like that and we’re extremely happy everyone on the board and the management managed to get done to continue the squad depth we have got at the moment.

Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic applauds the crowd . (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

“I’ve no doubt his experience within the club whether it is playing in front of the fans or being told about the atmosphere, he’s heard it from the best players in the world saying what a magnificent atmosphere the Champions League nights have, but he sees it every week. Whether it be home or away, he sees that and, like anyone, you would want more of it and, thankfully, Cameron will be with us for a few years and can experience some more great nights.”

Let’s hope Tom is right in his observation of Celtic this pre-season and we put the pedal to the floor as we should have done several times in the past. If we do that, the second Ibrox club has no chance. All that can derail us is ourselves. The fans deserve better after enduring many a poor or botched transfer window, failing to build on positions of strength. Now is the time with Ange Postecoglou.

Keep his mantra in mind in the boardroom and we can achieve unprecedented levels of sucess.

‘We Never Stop!’

Paul Gillespie

It’s Father’s Day this Sunday so why not order a copy of David Potter’s new book, Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style and we’ll get it posted straight away. You can order from Celtic Star Books – using the link below – or alternatively you can pick up a copy from any of the official Celtic Stores…

Alec McNair – Celtic’s Icicle by David Potter and both Invincible and Harry Hood Twice as Good by Matt Corr are also available from Celtic Star Books.  Both of Matt’s book currently come with a free t-shirt featuring Tom Rogic or Harry Hood as part of our Father’s Day promotion.

About Author

I'm a Garngad Bhoy through and through. My first ever Celtic game was a friendly against Italian side Parma at Celtic Park, in 2002. Currently a student of English Literature and Education at the University of Strathclyde for my sins. Favourite game would be a toss up between beating Manchester United with that Naka freekick, or the game against the Oldco when Hesselink scored in the dying seconds. I'm still convinced Cal Mac is wasted playing that far back.

Comments are closed.