Ange Postecoglou’s Media Conference yesterday afternoon ahead of the Easter Sunday Hampden showdown against theRangers at Hampden saw the Celtic manager completely focused on the task at hand and well aware of the magnitude of the occasion tomorrow, something that he is instilling into his players rather than going down the ‘just another game’ route.
As we noted last week there are fewer run ins with the media in these conferences now, although one popped up in the post match conference last Saturday after Celtic had beaten St Johnstone 7-0 only for a hack to ask Ange if he reckoned that Celtic could ‘hang on’ to their lead at the top of the table, to be told ‘we’re not hanging onto anything mate!”
On his approach to a big Glasgow Derby at Hampden in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup, Ange outlined how he’s gone about things this week. “My experience with these things is that there is no point in trying to disguise that it is something that isn’t and you can go in and say to them that it is just another game and treat it as such.
“I think you lose the unique aspect of the fact that you want your players to embrace the big occasion and play the big games. You don’t want them to be shying away from it.
“I don’t think I need to tell them that. I think they’ll realise that themselves in the build-up and when they walk out there. My role in that is to make sure that the focus is on the important things and what has gotten us to this point.
“I also need to highlight the fact that the key to these big games is to be ready to take the opportunity. You don’t want to let many of these opportunities go by in your career. I’m not one for telling the guys to ignore the hype or the attention particularly at this football club as it really important that the guys embrace it and want to be in the big games.
“The bigger the game the bigger the opportunity to make a statement.”
Asked if it was becoming more difficult to select his team and also if past Hampden experiences for players helps him, Ange replied: “I know people would think it is difficult, it’s easier because I have got options. The difficult bit comes when you are going into big games and you are not really sure of the line-up that you are going to put out there.
“I am pretty confident that whatever I decide to do we will have a strong enough team to do well in that game. That’s because I see the training every day and everyone is presenting well and working hard and looking in good form.
“It’s easy for people to say I got my selection right but to be honest, I could go a different way and get it just as right. Coming into every game and particular this part of the season what’s important is to keep a close eye on training as that is usually the best indicator for me about guys who are ready to play. At the moment I have got a good, healthy list of players who are all putting their hands up.”
More to follow…
