JUST THE JOTA
Petrov likes the sound of Ange’s new recruits but insists that bringing back Portuguese star is priority
EVEN at a cost of £3.75million, Alexandro Bernabei does not arrive in Scotland with any cast-iron guarantee of success.
For all the 21-year-old has amassed quite the reputation for himself in South America with Lanus, he won’t be the first prodigiously talented import who has to deal with cultural and linguistic hurdles as he sets about proving his worth at Celtic Park.
While Stiliyan Petrov’s hunch is that Ange Postecoglou’s prolific record in the transfer market will hold up with the left-back, the former Parkhead midfielder is eager to see the return of another favourite with whom the manager has already hit the bullseye.
‘I believe it’s a must for Celtic to get Jota,’ said the Bulgarian. ‘They can go to other players but he understands the philosophy of how they play, what the demands are from the manager.
‘To bring in another wide player who doesn’t know the demands and the little details on the style of play, that would be difficult.
‘It would take time for someone else to adjust. I believe it’s about getting players who already know the demands from the manager and Jota has worked with him and knows what his demands are and the style of play as well.’
The 13 goals and 14 assists the Portuguese contributed to the club last season were instrumental in Postecoglou winning the title against all the odds in his first year in Glasgow.
While retaining that trophy will — as ever — be the overriding priority, the Australian has no interest in simply making up the numbers in the Champions League.
As bottom seeds in the draw, making an appreciable impact in the group stage will evidently require a degree of good fortune. But Petrov feels that the acquisition of players who are evidently good enough for that level, like Jota, is non-negotiable.
‘What he brings is excitement around Celtic Park and not many clubs have the pleasure to have a player like that,’ he added.
‘He plays with a smile on his face, he takes people on, he’s aggressive and has urgency.
‘I know there would be interest from everywhere but, if you are Celtic, you have to push to keep these players because these are the ones that everyone follows.
‘It seemed like last season, every time he was on the pitch, everybody followed him because they know he can produce.
‘If you don’t have him, you are going to get weaker.
‘He certainly made a difference last season for Celtic. He was probably involved in 60 per cent of the goals.
‘He was scoring goals, he was creating goals. He makes the difference in the final third. He was the team’s best player last season and that is why we are talking about him now. He raised the bar for himself.
‘Jota is not just a young player with skills, he is developing in the right way. He is getting better with every single game and he’ll get better with every single season.
‘With a full season next season, he’ll be even better because he’ll be fitter and stronger.’
If, as expected, Jota joins Cameron Carter-Vickers in committing to a permanent move, a group also bolstered by the signings
of Benjamin Siegrist and Bernabei would be in good shape as the first whistle sounds for pre-season.
With a deal for Vinicius Souza still in the balance, though, Petrov (pictured) feels the squad is still some way off from being to the manager’s satisfaction.
He added: ‘I’m impressed with how he’s gone about his business. It seems like Ange Postecoglou takes his time and analyses the players he needs.
‘It now seems like he’s adding the players in the right positions and the right time.
‘It looks like they are doing their business early — and when they bring someone in they will suit the system and the style of play.
‘I’m not surprised with how it’s going but I think they are still short of three or four players for the Champions League.
‘When you compete at a domestic level and move up to European level, you need players who can play with that intensity.
‘It seems like the manager demands that intensity in every single game.
‘To do that, you’ll need a huge squad of players. They need to be a similar type of player as well so that, if you take one out and bring one in, you don’t feel a difference.
‘There has to be a process where you are always adding players in the right positions.
‘In midfield, he will definitely need more, especially with Tom Rogic going away and what he brought in European football.
‘So you won’t have his experience in the Champions League. That’s why I think they’ll probably need somebody else there and in the wider areas as well, as that’s how he likes to play.
‘You have to have a back up throughout a long season, especially with the World Cup, which is start and stop. So he has to plan it really well.’
It’s now 18 years since Petrov was in the Celtic side which beat Barcelona over two legs in the UEFA Cup. Damningly, that remains the last occasion that Celtic won a post-Christmas knock-out tie in Europe.
‘I believe that’s what the manager’s aim will be next season — to establish the club in European football,’ he said.
‘It is going to be really difficult, but this is what you are trying to do.
‘Make sure you put yourself out there in European football and show Celtic can compete.
‘He knows what he has to do domestically but, in Europe, he has to make sure he can get it right because the fans will be asking the question — and he will be asking the question of himself. It looks like he’s a manager who challenges himself.’