IT wasn’t quite the old line about Celtic ‘being the only club he’s ever wanted to manage’, but Ange Postecoglou announced himself to his new supporters today with a crowd-pleasing nod to their past as he laid out his plans for the club’s future.
There is a narrative surrounding this left-field appointment that suggests Postecoglou is some clueless outsider who couldn’t possibly know what he is letting himself in for by taking charge of one of Glasgow’s big two.
Perhaps keen to waylay those fears, the Australian detailed how he has had a passion for attacking football passed down to him through his father, and how that led him to having his bedroom wall adorned with pictures of none other than Celtic and Scotland hero Kenny Dalglish.
His working life so far may well not suggest ample preparation for the pressure and intensity that awaits him in Glasgow, but by relaying this story, he was making it clear to Celtic supporters that he understands the principles upon which their club stands, and is fully aware of what he is expected to produce on the field for them.
If indeed there is any substance to the rather woolly concept of ‘The Celtic Way’, then Postecoglou would – on the face of it – appear to have a philosophy that dovetails with the theory perfectly.
“I guess it’s something that’s easy to say, but for the most part, that’s the kind of football people like to watch,” Postecoglou told Celtic TV.
“I’ve had a real passion for the game from a very young age, it was thrust upon me by my father and he loved the entertainers.
“When I was growing up I had Kenny Dalglish posters all over my wall mate, he always pointed out the players who were entertaining, who were attacking, and that just rubbed off on me.
“I knew the moment I started my coaching career that I wanted to produce football teams that my father would like to watch, which is the basic premise, and that people would love to watch.
“You obviously have to be successful in this game, I wouldn’t have lasted as long if I wasn’t successful. I’m as driven to win things as anyone else, but I have a real clear idea on how I want my football teams to play, and that is to make sure that our supporters don’t sit down for 90 minutes.
“I definitely want to entertain the faithful at Celtic Park, and make sure they are excited about the way the team plays.”
Postecoglou knows that he has doubters to win over, and many of them among his own support. First of all though, he says he needs complete buy-in from the players he is going to be working with if he is to succeed at Celtic.
What he has made clear, and as his many evangelistic Australian disciples have also outlined, is that it has to be Ange’s way or the highway.
“I’m going to set us off in a direction, and I’ve always said that people have got to believe in me more than anything else,” he said.
“Anything I say or do beyond that will be fruitless if they don’t believe in me as a person, and that will be my first task, to make sure everyone gets to understand me as quickly as possible.
“Then we start with all facets of the club. The priority is to get this club back to where it should be, and where it’s supporters want it to be.
“From my perspective, there’s no shortcuts to that. We’ll cover every base mate and make sure we’re ready for that first game.”
The notions that there are no shortcuts to success the Postecoglou way, and that the new manager can get Celtic from their current state to being primed for their Champions League qualifiers in a little over a month, seem rather incongruous. But a theme of the many testimonials backing him in recent weeks has been the need to give him time to get his ideas across.
It will be fascinating to see if Postecoglou can get enough results to keep a notoriously impatient legion of fans happy after what will be a short honeymoon period while his players are still getting used to his methods.
For his part, he certainly seems confident he can overcome such early obstacles, with his thoughts already occupied by leaving a lasting legacy at the club.
“I’ve been told so often about the atmosphere at Celtic Park and how passionate the supporters are, and I realise it’s generational support,” he said. “Support that goes back three or four generations.
“Celtic Football Club is part of people’s households, and all I can do is pledge to them that I will give my all to make sure we make them proud of their football club and create something special.
“And something special means something that they will be a part of, and something they can talk about to the next generation of Celtic supporters and their families.
“I can’t wait to get out there and start working. Over time people will get to know me well and understand what I’m about, but for now, I’d like to thank everyone.
"I’ve had some fantastic support from all over the globe.”
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