ANSWERS ON A POSTECARD
Hoops boss Ange says Celts have met every challenge but the burning question remains
ANGE POSTECOGLOU has seen his Celtic stars answer every single title question so far.
Now the biggest one of the lot is being posed. And Postecoglou has no reason to doubt they’ll again provide the right response.
The Parkhead squad have done the hard yards. They fought back. They edged ahead. They have extended their stride towards the finishing Premiership line.
Now it’s about crossing the line to grab the silver which is actually gold.
Postecoglou has seen each examination passed to date and now it’s the last ones as he explained: “All these things have been unique challenges.
“At the start of the year, the question was could we even challenge?
“Then it got to we are good at chasing, but what’s it like if we hit the front?
“Then it was everyone waits for a reaction, but we have got stronger since then and extended our lead.
“All you can say at present is that the players have embraced every challenge and the key now and the question that everyone is asking is: Can they bring it home?
“That’s the only question we need to answer.” Postecoglou knows all sides of the Old Firm experience. Two wins and two defeats since taking charge take him into this decider.
If it’s anything like the last one at Celtic Park, he’ll be smiling by the end. His team ran riot on home soil in February to win 3-0 and take a lead they have never relinquished while Cameron Carter-vickers got the winner in a 2-1 win at Ibrox earlier this month.
He said: “I’m sure there will be a fantastic atmosphere again and our supporters will create something special for us, but all of these things depend on the outcome. We have to play our part.
“With that night at Celtic Park, our performance and the way we played added to the atmosphere.
“You need a combination of both. The off-field atmosphere has to be matched by energy and intensity on the field.”
If he finishes the job off, those who doubted Postecoglou at the beginning will be proven incorrect.
But he said: “People were well within their rights to make their own assessments before they’d seen me work, or dismiss my prior achievements.
“There are plenty of managers who get jobs when there is universal appeal for them and then fail dismally for whatever reason.
“Irrespective of people’s thoughts, I knew we had to be successful this year.
“We have the league cup and now we have the chance to win the championship.”