Ange Postecoglou almost fell off his seat laughing at the mainstream media hacks at yesterday’s Media Conference ahead of today’s lunchtime kick-off against Hearts at Tynecastle. This match of course will be the first time in the Scottish Premiership that Celtic will be involved in a game where VAR is in operation but having answered questions on this subject repeatedly the Celtic manager opted for a Very Ange Response to these questions…
Making his point perfectly well via the use of amateur dramatics, Ange lifted his head to explain why he’s struggling with the repetition of their questions (as always the better questions come at the end when it is the turn of the Celtic Fan media, although just realising that we’re now repeating ourselves making this point every week!)
“I am totally ambivalent towards it,” Ange said. “The best thing for VAR is that if we do not use it, then all the decisions have gone right.
“It is not like it is an exciting new signing. This stuff does not rock my boat, mate. I know others are excited by it, and good luck to them. I doubt anyone is buying a ticket to see what VAR does this weekend, they will be there to watch the football, hopefully.
“VAR is only there when the referees miss something. Hopefully, the referees do not miss anything major and the games are just allowed to play. It is not there as the star attraction at any game. If it barely comes into play, then I will be the happiest man in Scotland,” the Celtic manager added.
Incredibly after the first hack was slaughtered by some vintage Postecoglou hysterics, another kept the theme going asking the Celtic manager if the introduction of VAR will change the way he coaches?
“No, listen, I’ve been here 16 months now. How many times have I mentioned referees after a game? I know it’s a favourite subject up here and after a game it’s the main talking point but it just does not interest me in the slightest.
“The best referees are the ones we don’t notice because the game is more important and I’m sure the referees prefer it that way as well. It is not going to change my coaching or how I speak to the players,” Ange stated, before reminding them that the squad is already well used to playing football with VAR being included as part of games. “We have already experienced it in Europe.”
If VAR makes the days of ‘Honest Mistakes’ which always seemed to favour two clubs (one no longer around) or through an indirect benefit to them via awarding ‘controversial’ decisions against Celtic that helps you know who then is should be a good thing.
If they check some of the blatant ‘penalty to Rangers’ decisions and blantantly double down on their wrong calls then we’ll really need to do something abiut those people making the decisions in the VAR control room by clearing themn out, to be replaced by ‘neutrals’ perhaps from outside of Scotland.
Watch Ange’s full media conference below…
