If Ange Postecoglou had the second season syndrome that’s been alluded to in Daily Record today I don’t see it in his statistics from previous clubs.
Indeed, the only stumbling period he’s had at any club appears to have been during the Covid 19 impacted season at Yokohama F Marinos, and we all know that season will be written off by anyone analysing football history in years to come – my word even theRangers managed to win a first title when stadiums were empty and players operated in the sterile atmosphere of training in small bubbles.
Former St Mirren, Ross County and Motherwell player Steven McGarry – who was with Perth Glory whilst Ange Postecoglou managed Brisbane Roar – certainly doesn’t expect there to be any letting up from Celtic next season, as he’s been on the end of an Ange Postecoglou side dominating Australian football, even when hamstrung by a salary cap.
“Ange is never the type of coach to stand still. He’s always been quite innovative in terms of formation, tactics and styles. He’s not afraid to try new things and to mix things up.
“As an opposition coach or manager, it is hard to second guess him because he is constantly trying to evolve and make his teams and players better.
“Ange’s teams definitely get stronger with every season. They won a couple A-Leagues when he was at Brisbane. He kept them winning at Roar and it’s hard in Australia because there is a salary cap and a lot of the teams have similar budgets and then it becomes more about your tactics and your recruitment.
“There are so many aspects that Ange can tweak and will use to his advantage.”
And its recruitment where McGarry believes Ange Postecoglou will have the edge over his rivals, as he points to the manager’s ruthlessness in moving unsuitable players on and focusing on bringing in specific skill-sets in new recruits that fit into his playing philosophy.
“When I went out to Perth Glory, he took over at Brisbane Roar and made a lot of changes in his playing staff. Craig Moore and Danny Tiatto all left. Ange came in and made his own signing and they were smart signings.
“There were Europeans who were top players for Brisbane and the A-League for two or three years. He has a real eye for a player and he has shown that in his first year at Celtic.
“Look at all the players he has signed and the majority if not all of them have made a real impact. He knows players and the ones who fit into the way he wants to play. They have to fit into how he wants his teams to play. His teams have always played football, he likes to get the ball down and to have high energy and movement.”
If second season syndrome is anything at all, it seems McGarry feels tactically the Celtic players will improve still further as they get used to the managers ways, and as they do so their fitness and footballing intelligence will also improve.
“At Brisbane he liked the full-back, midfielder and winger all rotating. I’ve seen a few Celtic games and I see a big play has been the inverted full-back going and joining in. You’ve seen Greg Taylor, Josip Jurnavic and Anthony Ralston have all done well. The other issue is that even when you predict what Ange’s teams are going to do it’s hard to stop them putting it into practice.
“He’ll not only be improving their fitness but footballing IQ. Ralston is an example; he would have been on the periphery of the squad but is now a regular and in the Scotland side. Under Ange, he looks fitter, stronger, confident and an intelligent footballer who the manager is getting the most out of. He’s excelled and that’s what Ange does. That’s a sign of a good manager.”
Ange Postecoglou has already stated he felt his first season at Celtic had seen him fit two seasons into one – the transition season as everyone got used to his methods and the playing squad is overhauled – and then the Championship season.
Postecoglou has now earned his stripes as a Celtic boss and as a result he already appears to have a level of autonomy that hasn’t been offered to many who have inhabited the manager’s office. As a result, if anyone has to worry about second season syndrome in Scottish football it’s likely to be the opposition, when they realise Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic have only just got started.
Niall J
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