Ange Postecoglou was clearly paying attention as he watched Hearts lose narrowly in Switzerland on Thursday night in the first leg of their Europa League play-off against FC Zurich, a famous old club which played a very special losing role in Celtic’s history.
It’s certainly going to be challenging for the Tynecastle club to head back to Scotland, pick themselves up and then travel through to Glasgow tomorrow to face the Scottish Champions, while perhaps having one eye on that return leg.
Yesterday the Celtic manager outlined his thoughts on the Hearts team this season and notes the improvements from last season in terms of squad development. “You can see they have strengthened squad-wise from last year,” the Celtic manager said.
“They had a strong season last year but relied on a core group of players. Obviously, with European football this year, they had to expand their squad. I think with Europe, I have always seen it as a positive experience for the players and given they are still in the tie, I am sure they will have come away with some belief and will give us a tough test on the weekend.”
On what the Celtic manage expects from Hearts tomorrow, Ange was as you would probably expect by now, more intent on emphasising that it’s more about his team playing their football. “Irrespective of what we expect from the opposition it is up to us to impose our game on them.
“Every game is a bit of an arm-wrestle where both teams will try and impose themselves on proceedings, and our job is to try and make sure we dominate the game in the areas we like to dominate.
“We want to play the game in the areas we like to play and if that happens irrespective of how the opposition is set up then we can force their hand to make changes. Hearts have got some good attacking options, and they have brought in Lawrence Shankland this year, and he is already scoring goals as well as Barrie McKay and Liam Boyce.
“They are a threat up front. I thought that last season too. That is why they finished where they did in the league. It wasn’t a game style built around defending. It is up to us to dictate how the game is played. For that to happen, we have to make sure that we start with the right intent and intensity, particularly at home and that makes us hard to stop.
On whether Hearts can challenge for the Scottish Premiership title this season, a somewhat strange question at the Celtic manager’s media conference, Ange wasn’t her going to go down that road. “I don’t really put a lot of thought into what other clubs’ ambitions are, to be honest,” he said.
“All we have got to do is to make sure that whenever we play against any opposition, we are the best that we can be.
“We need to look after our own ambitions as that is really important, and I think we have shown over the last year or so that we treat every opponent with the same respect irrespective of their ambitions and whether they are up at the top or down at the bottom of the league.
“We know that every game has got its challenges. Our own ambitions are more important than other clubs.
On Hearts adding another Australian player in the summer and the general influx of Aussies to the Scottish Premiership, the proud Aussie reckons that it’s good for the game Down Under to have more players getting signed by top tier Scottish clubs, including of course Aaron Mooy, coming in at Celtic this summer.
“It is good for Australian football. This league is a good one for Australian players. I think it gives them a good stepping stone into Europe, and it is a tough, competitive league.
“I think, particularly with Hearts, Cammy Devlin coming in and doing well, it probably encouraged them to go and look again and showed there is good value there. Certainly, with Nathaniel and Kyle, who I have known for a while, they are good characters.
“It is good to see other Australians in the league now, I think they can add something to this league. They will be challenged themselves to perform as I think it is a pretty competitive league.
“There has always been a strong influence here. We have had our platform with Tommy (Rogic) being here, big Dukes (Mark Viduka) being here and Jackson Irvine. Even at other clubs, Ryan McGowan, who is now back. There are some parallels there with the Australian leagues. One thing with Australian athletes is they are strong characters in a sporting sense. I think they will be a good fit,” Ange observed.
Poor old Scott McDonald never got a (well deserved) mention! “Just an oversight, mate,” Ange will probably tell him later.
Here’s Ange’s pre-match media conference ahead of the Celtic v Hearts game at Celtic Park tomorrow, kick-off is at 3pm. Please note that the Celtic FC Women v Spartans game at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium kicks off at 12noon so that Celtic supporters are able to attend both games. You can pay at the gate at Airdrie.
