Listening to the latest Media Conference with the Celtic manager which took place earlier this afternoon, what occurred to me was that Ange Postecoglou is not only winning the battle for the Scottish Premiership, after losing three of his opening six league matches as Celtic’s new boss, but he’s also won the battle with the Scottish press who are more subdued, passive, submissive even and that’s in start contract to earlier in the season when they sensed a second consecutive season of crisis for the club after defeats to Hearts, theRangers and Livingston.
Remember Ange having to stand his ground and tell them that he thinks it remarkable that they were calling the season early and the mild mannered Jota reminding them that there are no champions in September.
🗣 ‘There are no champions in September the last time I checked’
On loan #CelticFC winger Jota hits back at claims the Hoops are already out of league title race
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Today the only potential for sparks to fly came from the Celtic Fan Media questions at the very end and even then Ange decided to stay away from the controversy and instead reminded the authorities that it’s their responsibility and not his to deal with the unacceptable events that happened at Ibrox last Sunday.
The earlier Celtic Fan Media questions – two representatives are selected on a rotational basis for each round of conferences, usually involving a player and the manager – asked Ange about his reference the the Proclaimers 500 Miles Song he referenced when being interviewed by Dermot Desmond for the Celtic job, as we reported this morning, and if he could choose another song that would sum up his season so far.
Ange declined that opportunity so we’ll make a choice on his behalf, many of you of a certain vintage will have happy memories of the one from the Centenary season….
Here’s that Celtic fan media question and Ange’s answer…
Celtic released an interview today with Dermot Desmond. He was pleased with how you approached the management position when it was open in the summer. One of the big quotes was, you said you’d Walk 500 Miles to manage Celtic. If you had to choose a song to sum up the season so far, have you got one for us?
“No and, to be fair, I did just say it I didn’t sing it just so people are fully aware. No, not really, mate. The creative side of my brain is not the strongest particularly this time of the year.
“I’ve been very fortunate since I’ve got this role. As I keep saying, I’ve just felt totally supported from day one. And it’s been really important for me to do what I need to do because, as people are aware, I came in by myself and that can feel fairly isolating if you don’t get support straight away.
“I’ve been really fortunate, the fans have been unbelievable towards me, the staff here, the players, but that includes the management and the board, Dermot. He rang me after we lost against Hearts the first day and he said “Ange, I can see what you’re trying to do”.
“He said “all I’ll say is your first assessment will come at the end of the year, nothing will happen before then so you just keep doing what you’re doing”. I don’t need people to tell me that but I can’t do what I do without support.
“With Michael Nicholson and people like Chris Mackay and others in management right behind me, the board right behind me. Peter Lawwell has been really supportive since I’ve got here. So, yeah, I think part of the reason that I’ve been able to do what I do is I felt really supported by everyone involved in the club from day one.
“And I know that externally that didn’t always look the case because of who I was and people weren’t aware of who I was it may have felt like, you know, I was unsteady in those early times, but at no point did I think people are trying to second guess me here.
“I mean, it wouldn’t have worked the way I want it to if that happened. I’m pretty good at making my views clear to people I’m with but you still need that support. The support I’ve had this year from everybody – from fans to players, staff, management, board has been outstanding and I sit here today on the foundation of the fact that these people were prepared to back me right from the start.”
Our manager, it’s all worked out just PERFECT.
Full Media Conference below…
