PAYING TRIBUTE TO A TRUE GIANT
Ange knows Hughes’ glory helped to pave way for future stars to shine at Parkhead
TOMORROW morning the Celtic team bus will head towards Kilmarnock, its passengers focused in pursuit of fresh silverware to add to the modern story of the Hoops.
For Ange Postecoglou and his squad, however, yesterday was all about celebrating the Parkhead club’s golden era as the legendary John ‘Yogi’ Hughes was laid to rest.
Current stars joined famous faces — including Lisbon Lions John Clark, Jim Craig and Bobby Lennox — at St Mary’s Church in Calton as warm tribute was paid to the former striker who died recently aged 79 after a short illness.
A fearsome forward, Yogi won seven league titles, four Scottish Cups and five League Cups with Celtic between 1959 and 1971. A valued member of the squad that reached the European Cup final in 1967, he sadly missed out on the 2-1 triumph over Inter Milan in Lisbon through injury.
Some might wonder how the Celtic players of today — young men of different nationalities from all corners of the globe — could possibly identify with a man who played more than half a century ago at a time when football was a far different game.
But Postecoglou was at pains to point out yesterday that his players and staff can only walk so tall because they are standing on the shoulders of giants like Hughes.
And his entire squad attended the service yesterday to honour a true club great in Yogi, as well as the striker’s contemporaries who forever altered the course of Celtic’s history.
‘We had the whole squad there,’ said the 56-year-old Australian. ‘It was an acknowledgement that we are the beneficiaries of the achievements of players and people like John Hughes.
‘This club has a certain standing throughout the world because of these guys. There’s always been a passion around the club but it didn’t always hit those heights or have that huge success.
‘It was during that period this club really grew in stature and everyone who has followed in their path has a great respect and acknowledgement of the hard work and sacrifices those players and managers put in.
‘It was a really nice service and everyone spoke really well about John. We all know his football story but it was nice to hear about him as a man, a father and a grandfather.
‘It is obviously sad he is gone but it was a fitting tribute to him. It came through how much he was a real Celtic man through and through.
‘He’s one of the club’s legends, absolutely.’
As Postecoglou aims to pen what he hopes will be the latest successful chapter in Parkhead history after last season’s title triumph, his team will be looking to make it three wins from three in the Premiership as they visit Rugby Park for the lunchtime kick-off.
He warned his squad, however, to be wary of the challenge posed on the plastic pitch by newlypromoted Killie under the stewardship of the experienced Derek McInnes.
‘It’s a different challenge, like it is every week,’ said Postecoglou following opening wins over Aberdeen and Ross County. ‘There’s always something that can trip you up if you haven’t prepared well. We know it will be a difficult game.
‘Derek did a great job getting Kilmarnock promoted last year and they have aspirations of staying in the league and making an impact on it.
‘Playing against us — especially at home — they have an opportunity to do that. So we understand what we are facing and we have to be ready for it.
‘We have shown in the past that any time we have stuck to our task and our principles of playing our football, irrespective of what the opposition might do, we have been a difficult team to stop.’
Asked if he hoped that Kilmarnock would hose the artifical surface in the hot weather, Postecoglou replied: ‘It is what it is. That’s not going to change in the next few hours. We just need to understand the challenge.
‘It’s going to affect the football to a certain extent but we need to make sure we make the adjustments we need to overcome it.’ Reo Hatate is back from injury but the influential Japanese midfielder will not be risked on the plastic. Nor will Swedish defender Carl Starfelt. ‘We will give Reo another week to train with the squad and make sure he’s ready,’ said Postecoglou. ‘Carl is a bit further down the road, so I will make a decision on Saturday. ‘All of these guys coming back from injury, it might not be the best week to introduce them. ‘Yosuke Ideguchi is still a fair bit off and in rehab. He got a fair few stitches in his leg that need to be taken out. ‘It’s going to be a bit of a process with him but he’s back at the club doing his individual work. ‘But I don’t really put timescales on these things as it’s not really fair with the players. Everyone heals differently. The important thing is Ideguchi is making progress.’
Outright qualification for the Champions League has meant a summer free of the fraught tightrope of European qualifiers for Celtic.
It has also meant free midweeks for Postecoglou to get his squad in prime fitness ahead of the group stage kicking off next month.
But does he not miss the hectic fixture frenzy he faced in his first summer since taking over from Neil Lennon?
‘Are you suggesting I moan about everything?’ he chuckled. ‘We are using that time to the best of our ability and we are being as effective as possible.
‘We know in a few weeks we are going to be having high-level games coming thick and fast on a consecutive basis. So we are using this time to be ready for that. It’s not about enjoying it one way or another. If we have got three games a week, I love it. But if it’s two or one game a week, I love that as well.
‘The first two weeks have been solid in terms of performances and two good results.’