Winning the Scottish Premiership this season will almost certainly mean a £40m cash influx through automatic Champions League Group stages qualification and for Ange Postecoglou he sees that as a chance to take his Celtic team to the next level – by convincing the players already here on season long loans – Cameron Carter Vickers and Jota – to sign permanent deals and also to bring in fresh recruits to meet that challenge head on.
Speaking to the media ahead of the Scottish Cup quarter final against Dundee United at Tannadice tomorrow evening, the Celtic Manager recognised the significance of the getting his side over the line in the title race this season.
“If we are playing in the Champions League next year, and that should be our goal every year, then it will be an attraction for players to stay. But it will also be an attraction for players to come,” Ange said, as reported by Scottish Sun.
“The appeal to come here is playing in front of 60,000 people every second week. It’s competing in Europe, competing for trophies and playing for a club that’s universally known around the world. That’s the attraction,” the Celtic Manager continued.
“This is a two-way thing. The player has to want to be here and we have to want them. When you have that sort of thinking, I’m sure we will get a deal done. There’s no issue if players see their future away from here or have different motivations.
“Both Cameron and Jota are saying all they need to say to me with their performances. They have been outstanding contributors all year and are great young men as well and I am loving having them as part of his football club.”
So Ange is pretty relaxed about the situation with both CCV and Jota but the way the next few months will go could have a huge impact on what the eventual decisions are with both players and their Celtic futures. Players who don’t want to remain at Celtic can leave and with Postecoglou’s blessing too, as we witnessed last summer with the likes of Ajer, Christie and Edouard going out the door all with Ange’s best wishes.
“That’s OK, I would never deny that. We could get offers for some of our other players, depending on how we finish the season. That’s the choices they make. There’s no problem.
“If that’s what they desire for their next move, I have no issue with them. But while you are here with me, you give everything you can to this football club to make it successful. If you do that then whatever your next step is I am happy for you.”
A win tomorrow night will be a significant step in the wider aspirations of the Celtic support this season. Celtic will probably only face one trip outside of Glasgow after the Tannadice trip tomorrow, an indication that the season is drawing to a close and for Ange the chance to get back to Hampden is most welcome, he certainly enjoyed the League Cup semi-final win over previous holders St Johnstone and the dramatic fightback to win the final against Hibs.
So how did the Celtic Manager celebrate his first trophy win for the club? “I celebrated, but it will sound pretty boring to what you guys might have in mind as a celebration. I had a couple of quiet Scotches to myself and that was the extent of it.
“I wanted to make sure the players celebrated their efforts because I think it was a fantastic day. The semi-final and the final at Hampden were sensational days and my experience of them as Celtic manager. I enjoyed them immensely.
“It helps when you are successful, but it was a great atmosphere and occasion. For us it was important because it showed people we had made progress.
“We didn’t rest on our laurels and say, ‘OK, we’ve won a trophy, we are OK for the rest of the year’. If anything it whet the appetite for more.”
So the big question, is the Treble on? “I just don’t think that way,” Ange replied.
Listen to this, it’s brilliant. Just been recorded over the past few weeks, a 1970s Celtic fans classic song…
