“Jock would have approved,” Wispy on Ange Postecoglou’s brand of football

You may remember when Brendan Rodgers was the Celtic manager, after one of the heavy defeats in the Champions League, Lisbon Lion Willie Wallace criticised the Celtic boss and came in for a fair bit of criticism from some supporters, perhaps the ones too young to understand the perspective of a Lisbon Lion, sitting at the other end of the World, watching Celtic play as Champions League no-hopers and getting thrashed repeatedly.

Wispy, who scored 140 goals for Celtic in 239 appearances,  thought that was unacceptable and said so. He reckoned it was down to the approach being taken by the then Celtic manager. It was perhaps the first bit of criticism that Rodgers encountered and such was his overall popularity among the support that it was Willie Wallace who ended up taking stick about his comments. The Celtic Star then spoke to Willie and to clarify what he was saying and while he recognised the success domestically he was adamant that Celtic must retain our European ambitions.

It was easy to look at that view and think it was coming from a relic of another era and that football had now changed so much that clubs like Celtic, what is it UEFA call us, ‘historical clubs’, don’t really have any chance against the Champions League’s top sides who dominate the competition and have huge budgets compared to the likes of Celtic, Ajax, Porto and other former European Champions who don’t come from the so-called top five leagues.

25/5/1967 European Cup Final Football. Celtic v Internazionale (Inter Milan). Willie Wallace.

One man who would have agreed with Wispy, had he been reading all that stuff, would have been Ange Postecoglou, who the Lisbon Lion knew as a boy in Melbourne. Postecoglou has come to Celtic and has made it clear that re-establishing the club as a force in the Champions League is his top priority. In this year’s debut campaign for his team – the club hadn’t qualified for five years previously – there was no change of tactics from domestic football, or approach as Celtic took the game to their opponents, including European Champions Real Madrid in all six matches.

It’s fair to say that the performances were better than the results and that came down to missed chances and lack of experience. And while Postecoglou will look carefully at the reasons why his players passed up so many opportunities to score, he knows that they will be better the next time around as a more experienced Champions League outfit. Then there are the two transfer windows to come which the Celtic manager has already indicated that he will be aggressive and innovative as he looks to build a Champions League ready side.

Photo:imago/Kicker. Angelo Domenghini (Inter Milan) Willie Wallace (Celtic)

That’s all music to the ears of Wispy, who has been speaking to Scottish Sun, as the Celtic focus turns to Australia where the Celtic squad are currently preparing for the two Sydney Super Cup matches on Thursday and Sunday.

“Ange is held in great regard down here. Make no mistake, he’ll get a great welcome back,” the Lisbon Lion said. “I’ve known him for a very long time. I had a business in Melbourne where he was raised and Ange will know a lot of the guys I knew.

“I remember him as a little Greek lad playing for a Greek team. I thought he was a good player in the years that followed. Ange achieved so much in Australia at club level and for the international team. He delivered in Japan too.

“The football he’s got Celtic playing now is excellent. He’s doing a fantastic job. Ange has brought in players carefully, guys he’s convinced will suit the way he wants the team to play.

“I don’t think you can fault Ange since he’s become manager. They’re playing great, attacking football and scoring plenty of goals — just like Celtic of my day. I enjoy watching them,” Wispy added.

And the Lisbon Lion had no problem at all stating that he believes that the late, great Jock Stein would have approved of the approach that Postecoglou is taking to the Celtic job.

Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Celtic (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

READ THIS…Success in Champions League, “That has to be my goal,” Ange Postecoglou

“I believe Jock would have approved,” Willie Wallace said. “He would have appreciated Ange’s way of going about things. Jock always wanted us having a go at the opposition, especially in Europe.

“Look at the way we beat Inter Milan. We were relentless and they couldn’t cope with us. We also weren’t crazy at the back. I often feel our back four, led by Billy McNeill, never got the credit they deserved. But with the likes of Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Lennox and Stevie Chalmers we were such a strong attacking force.

“Jock always told us we couldn’t stop in a game. It didn’t matter if we were ahead. As soon you ease off you lose something. Ange established the same way of thinking as soon as got the Celtic job — be relentless.”

Recently we reported on the 40th Anniversary of the Sydney Celtic Supporters Club which Willie and his lovely wife Olive attended (Olive’s wee brother is married to my sister). You can read about the celebrations and the former Celtic stars who attended below…

READ THIS…Celtic Stars come out for Sydney Celtic’s 40th Anniversary Celebrations

“I’m looking forward to seeing the team play live. I was actually in Sydney recently for a Celtic supporters’ 40th anniversary event. It was a terrific week. There was Alan Thompson, Paul McStay and Scotty McDonald. No one should ever under-estimate the size of the Celtic support here in Australia.

“It’s always emotional for me to go to functions like that as one of the Lisbon Lions. The cherished team-mates who are no longer with us never leave my mind and I always think they’re still with me when I attend these events.

“I keep most of my medals in an old leather shaving bag which has my initials on it. Some are also at Celtic Park. I’m in my 80s now, but I still intend to go to as many events as I physically can.”

A wee story, which I’ve mentioned before. Back in 2013, Willie Wallace wanted Celtic to look at a young midfielder from Australia and had organised a trial period with the club. He asked us if we could provide lodgings for the player as we’ve three young boys and at that time lived in Glasgow’s West End.  Just after the player arrived, we spoke about Willie Wallace but it was clear that the young footballer knew him as just a former pro who was involved with football at his Brisbane club.  Willie had made little or nothing about his status as a Lisbon Lion.

So the Australian boy was straight away sat down to watch the DVD of the 1967 European Cup Final and he was amazed at the performance and that this was the level that Willie Wallace had played at.  That week we took him to his first game outside of Australia, where Celtic faced Shakter Karagandy in the second leg of the Champions League play-off round having lost the first leg 2-0. The boy was amazed by that experience too!

 James Forrest of Celtic after scoring the winning goal during the UEFA Champions League Play-off second leg match between Celtic and Shakhter Karagandy at Celtic Park on August 28, 2013.. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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