It’s fair to say there was a rush to Google the name of Ange Postecoglou when he was announced as Celtic manager last summer, as most of us soon realised our football obsession was perhaps a tad too eurocentric.
Yet even after the gentlest of delves into the managerial record of the incoming Australian, it was clear Celtic were getting someone with both experience and a track record of success, and although there were no guarantees any of that would transfer to Celtic, the vast majority within the support were more than willing to get behind the new boss and support him in his task.
That wasn’t the case it must be said for the mainstream press, who appeared to revel in early defeats, and had Celtic’s title challenge done and dusted as early as September, when Ange commented how the press in Scotland ‘call things early here’.
Ross county at Celtic park. English football could only dream of an atmosphere like that. https://t.co/WpVN9IcKln
— Sean Lav (@SeanLav1) March 22, 2022
Now Celtic, with a League Cup in the trophy cabinet, sitting three points clear in the title race and in a semi-final of a Scottish Cup to boot, thoughts of an unbelievable Treble consume us all.
And Ange Postecoglou speaking to Optus Sport, in a superb one on one interview with former Australian international ‘keeper Mark Schwarzer, believes a big part in his success and allowing his team, many of then new to Celtic and the ways of Scottish football, to have the room to breathe, came down to a Celtic support who got behind he and his players, even when those early results didn’t match the levels of performance we were seeing develop.
“The fans have been unbelievable and, to be fair, they’ve been unbelievable from, pretty much, day one.
“They obviously didn’t know who I was, for the most part but it’s funny… at the same they’re fiercely loyal about their own people. Once I was announced, they just figured: ‘He’s one of ours now, we’re going to back him, lay off him.’
“Even at the start when things were a bit rocky, particularly with results… from the moment I arrived they’ve been right behind me. They want me to succeed and then it’s up to me to deliver.
“It was important for the team as well, because I thought putting a new team together, new players who are also experiencing Celtic for the first time, what I didn’t want was them having the pressure of trying to appease a crowd, or not having the crowd behind them.
“Inadvertently, by backing me they were supporting the players and that helped us enormously.”
The connect between the support, the players and the manager has been a huge factor in the feelgood factor returning to Celtic, and it’s great to hear the Celtic boss recognise the time and patience exhibited by a support, who could see something building even if early results didn’t match the efforts being put in by the team.
This season we all hope for the success Ange Postecoglou and his players efforts deserve, but even if it wasn’t to be there can be no denying the future looks assured as long as Postecoglou is at the helm and is supported in his ambitions for the club at Boardroom level, because those ambitions are also in line with those of the support.
Niall J
The full interview with Optus Sport is available to view now, see below…
