Ange Postecoglou dismissed the idea of title chasing pressure believing it’s better to think of it as an opportunity to do something special and in all honesty having already won the League Cup, bringing home the Scottish Premiership trophy in his first season, given the situation at the club he inherited last season and after coming into 2022 six points adrift of theRangers, will certainly be something very special indeed and will be savoured by the Celtic support, that’s for sure.
And for those lurkers reading this, that bleak prospect for fans of theRangers is only going to get worse next season as The Celtic manager re-states that his vision for club is still in it’s early stages and there’s much more to come in terms of player recruitment to improve the squad and other changes behind the scenes that we discussed yesterday on The Celtic Star.
Ahead of today’s Scottish Premiership match in Dingwall the Celtic manager looked ahead to the exciting end of season run-in, reflected on the job that has been done so far at the club and by the players and started with a promise that there’s more to come next season.
“The vision is still on track. This is just year one. We’re nowhere near where I want us to be. That’s only natural because we’ve had to totally rebuild a squad,” Ange Postecoglou said, as reported by Scottish Sun. “Whatever we do this season, my motivation is to make us a better team next year and the one beyond that. We’ve got a lot of improvement and many areas can still be stronger.
“What’s been important is that hopefully I’ve gained the trust from people inside and outside the club. When you gain that trust, it gives me the confidence to take us down the road I want us to go down. That’s in terms of the kind of team we want to be, how we want to play and the type of players we want to bring in.
“And it’s about the success we want to have. Hopefully the season finishes well for us,” Ange added. The thrill of it all is certainly something that he is relishing.
“Everyone is on the same page here and I’ve felt that since I got here. If I’m working with the right people, it gives me the best opportunity to bring success to Celtic. I’m really happy in the role. I’ve enjoyed this season, it’s been a hell of a journey and a challenge.
“I want us to finish strongly but I’ve got real encouragement that we can build something special together. There are still a few areas we need to look at. We’re still rebuilding the squad and I want us to be stronger next year in terms of quality in the squad.
“We’re in a better place than we were 12 months ago but we still have to strengthen and that’s what we’ll do.”
On pressure, Ange takes the view that a single mum trying to feed her children is real pressure, not what football throws up in situations like a league title run-in. “I think that’s right, you have to keep things in perspective. I’m under no illusions. I know that our supporters see this as very important.
“To them, it’s not just football. For the fans of this football club it’s not just about the team winning or losing. It’s a way of life for them so it dictates their whole week.
“We understand we have a responsibility and there are massive consequences if you’re not successful. So there is perspective to that. But there are a lot of people who have to deal with far more difficult things than I do on a weekly basis. At the same time, we also carry the responsibility of representing this club. I’m totally invested in that and what this club is about.
“Can the players handle the pressure? Until you go through it, you never really know. But at the same time, after round six of this season, we’d lost three games. That meant for the next 32 games, we could probably only lose one more. That’s pressure the players have had to deal with every single week.
That’s what people have missed about this group. They’re really determined and resilient — and prepared to tackle this stuff. The pressure that’s on now is no different to what’s been on us on a weekly basis from round six.
“From that perspective, the players are in a good place. As for me? I enjoy it. It’s why I love what I do. If you know what the outcome is going to be, I wouldn’t enjoy what I do.
“The adrenaline of that fine line between success and failure is what excites me. We could have won last week, it could have gone our way. But that’s the beauty of the sport. I don’t see it as pressure. This is the bit I love.
“That probably tells you about me as a person. But I love going into a game with it all on the line. Potentially you could end up with something fantastic or come out of it bitterly disappointed. You want to go into another big game, with big consequences. You want to win it because you know how it will make you feel, along with the players, the staff and, most importantly the fans.
“That’s what drives me, wanting to create these moments. From the outside, maybe people see it as pressure. But I just see it as an opportunity to do something special.”
Ange talking about a single mother feeding her kids as real pressure. This man knows the craic. We are so lucky to have him as our manager. Legend Mr Postecoglou,Legend.