RIGHT ON THE MONEY
Celtic’s ‘jockey-sized’ front men are starting to look like cash well spent by Postecoglou
WITH a little chuckle, Ange Postecoglou admits the slight physiques of Celtic’s front three might seem more suitable to excellence in equine sport rather than thoroughbred football.
Defenders tend to be wary, though, when Kyogo Furuhashi, Jota and Liel Abada saddle up for action. Their performances in Budapest explain why.
Each claimed an excellent goal in Thursday night’s 3-2 success over Ferencvaros, with Furuhashi and Abada also adding assists as the whip hand was held over floundering opponents.
Much more of the same will be needed on Scottish soil if Celtic are to prevail in what many would expect to become a two-horse title race against Rangers. Already, though, this talented trio are providing adverts for personal development at Parkhead.
With 11 goals to his name, Furuhashi looks £4.5million very well spent. Abada cost around £1m less, while Jota has arrived on a season-long loan from Benfica with a £6m clause for a permanent switch.
Smiles tend to adorn their faces. And the thrilling collective display they spearheaded in Hungary is something Postecoglou believes could make Celtic all the more attractive to future transfer targets.
‘Absolutely,’ said the Australian. ‘That’s the kind of club we want to be and the type of football we want to play.
‘Jota, Liel and Kyogo coming here, their stocks have risen and I think that is because of the platform we give them to let the boys play.
‘It’s too easy to focus on the front three. The type of football we play from the back, we play it so we are not going long to them.
‘They are all the size of jockeys, for God’s sake, so we play our balls through midfield and have to give them that platform.
‘They appreciate that and they have to invest in that by working hard defensively. I think that they do. They get their rewards.’
Postecoglou was particularly pleased for Abada. Signed from Maccabi Petah Tikva in July, the winger only recently turned 20.
He made a flying start to life in Glasgow before suffering a dip in form. Ferencvaros left-back Eldar Civic, run ragged on Thursday night, would doubtless agree that Abada now looks back to his best.
‘There’s a great deal of potential in Liel,’ argued Postecoglou. ‘I said a couple of weeks back I felt for him a little bit because we were playing him a lot for a young guy.
‘I just felt we needed a spell to give him a bit of a rest and I think it has helped him enormously.
‘I thought the front three were great against Ferencvaros, it’s great they get goals, as that is what they love to do, but their ability to link has been excellent.
‘Liel has more to give. He’s learning all the time. He’s one of those who wants to learn.’
Abada helped set Celtic in motion inside three minutes at the Groupama Arena, seizing on an error from Civic to set up Furuhashi for an ice-cool finish.
‘His decision-making... we’re trying to give him some guidance and you saw that with the first goal in Hungary,’ Postecoglou said of the young Israeli.
‘We got the counter-attack and he slowed himself down. He knew Kyogo would be in a good area and he found him. To be honest, when
I signed him, I thought he was one we would ease into proceedings with James (Forrest) out there having experience.
‘But he’s one of those guys we threw in there to sink or swim and most of them have had a decent swim up until now.
‘It’s pleasing to see, but you still have to factor in that he’s a young guy and we will take our time with him to let him fulfil his potential.’
Postecoglou (right) didn’t feel any need to reassure Abada when he dropped him to the bench.
‘No, they understand we are making decisions that are best for them and for the team and he felt himself that his performances had dipped a level,’ added the Celtic manager. ‘I felt it was fatigue more than anything else because he plays with such energy that, unless he feels 100 per cent, it affects his game. ‘We had an inkling if we gave him a couple of games to re-energise, we could get him back in there and he’d be flying again — and he has been.’ Portuguese winger Jota express delighted with his 20-yard finish in Budapest, but feels it is too early to begin considering his chances of making a permanent switch to
Parkhead. Having endured some testing spells since progressing through the youth ranks at Benfica, he is eager to live in the moment.
‘I never think about the future,’ said Jota. ‘I only think about the present. All I am thinking about is a nice result in Europe and now it’s on to the next one (against Dundee tomorrow).
‘I just want to enjoy it as the past few years have been difficult. I am in a good moment.
‘The team is doing good and we are building something really good for the future. I’m delighted to be here and I am learning a lot from a coach who has some really good ideas. I enjoy the way he sees football. I’m in the right place at the right time. ‘It’s been difficult in the past, but it’s like that in football at the top level. It helps to build character. I have to use what’s happened in the past to be better in the future. It’s about evolution.’ Jota also took time to praise an influence at the opposite end of the pitch. Goalkeeper Joe Hart screamed in fury at those in front of him as Celtic threatened to give Ferencvaros an undeserved escape route in the final minutes of Thursday night’s match.
‘You think he looks scary? You should see him in the dressing room,’ smiled Jota. ‘He can shout at players, but everything he does is to help the team.
‘If there is something that he needs to say or do, then he will do it, but it’s all for the good of the team.
‘You sometimes see it in the heat of the moment on the pitch during the match, when we are stressed. But when we get in the dressing room we are calm and we speak about things.
‘We know what we want to do out on the pitch and I think the results speak for themselves at the moment.’