Postecoglou says players deserve credit for rebuilding strong Celtic spirit
There weren’t many pluses for Ange Postecoglou in pitching up to Celtic when he did. Only one, in fact. 56-year-old inherited an almighty mess on arriving at Celtic Park in June in the wake of a spectacular title collapse that demanded a squad rebuild at which the pyramid architects would have baulked.
Yet as much as Celtic’s performances have been transformed, so too has how new arrivals have been able to integrate off it – demonstrated in the snap of summer signings Joe Hart and Josip Juranovic dining out together the other evening.
Even with 12 new faces, Celtic’s squad have been able develop a closeness in a fashion made impossible by Covid-19 constraints that forced players to lead hermit-like existences away from football last season. A factor the Celtic manager recognises is not insignificant.
"That is part of the process, with players bonding on and off the field,” he said of the Celtic’s duo’s recent meal out.
"In any environment, that's usually driven by your experienced players and how they behave.
"It's not about words, it's about actions and behaviours. If they do that, then the rest will follow.
"I know from my own experience in Japan that it was a difficult time last year with Covid. It was hard to create that team unity as the guys had to go home and lock themselves away. It would have been really challenging at Celtic last season too, so at least now we can take advantage of the freedoms we have.
"The players themselves need to take the credit for the spirit in the squad. Sometimes when you are thrown into adversity together, it bonds you.
"We have 12 new players but even some of the ones who were here, like Tony Ralston and Adam Montgomery, hadn't played a lot of football at Celtic.
"In the early part of the season, they all had to be really resilient as results and performances were inconsistent. But through that adversity, if you stick together it creates a bond among the group.
"That's what happened and also the leadership of guys like Cal [Callum Mcgregor], Joe [Hart], Niro [Nir Bitton] and Tommy [Rogic] is important. They have been here for a while, or have past experience that if you stick together, you can build something.”
In that assessment, the Celtic manager is downplaying his own crucial role fusing together so many disparate personthe alities and nationalities in so short a time.
And, as an Australian uprooting from a three-year stint in Japan to resettle in Glasgow, Postecoglou has shown genuine mettle retaining his equilibrium in dealing not just with moving halfway across the world but a series of early, heavy dunts for his nascent team.
"There is a book in there somewhere,” the Celtic manager said. “We will write that chapter when hopefully something significant happens. But it's part of the process and I can't complain.
"I have been given a wonderful opportunity to manage a fantastic football club. I have a beautiful family – a wife who understands it and two young kids who don't have a say in the matter … that makes the transition a little easier but I have no complaints.
"Everyone has been really supportive and that allows me to concentrate on getting this club the success it deserves.”
Midfield creator David Turnbull has been a key figure in Celtic’s revitalisation, with seven goals and five assists already this season.
Yet, he faces posers regularly from Postecoglou over a career-long compulsion for finding the target from distance - and believes these can be the means for him to become a more rounded player.
Turnbull isn’t getting too caught up over the opportunity for Celtic to go top of the league - at least for a day - if they rack up a sixth straight win when hosting Livingston this afternoon.
The 22-year-old said he will think about that afterwards, if it happens, when he can be sure that Postecoglou will be having a few words in his ear.
“The manager knows I like to have a go from long range but sometimes there’s a better pass on and he’ll tell me that after games,” the Celtic attacker said.
“He doesn’t try to take that out of my game but he’ll explain that there are other options and try to help me.
“Everyone knows I enjoy adding goals to my game and that’s something I’ve tried to do ever since I was a young boy.
"I like to help the team out by scoring and creating chanc
es so it’s good to chip in with a few.
"I haven’t really set myself any targets, although there’s always a figure I look towards and, once I get there, it’s just about scoring as many as I can but I don’t feel that I need to get to a certain number.”
With the Celtic manager’s system leaving Callum Mcgregor as the solitary midfield screener, Turnbull - poised to become the only Celtic player to have featured
in every game following Tom Rogic’s hamstring strain - has also being working on defensive attributes as he seeks to broaden his playing palette.
“I’ve been trying to adapt and the coaching staff have been brilliant with me in trying to get that other side of my game to where it should be,” said the Celtic performer.
“I feel I’m improving that aspect every single week - I enjoy learning new things and I feel that I’m doing that.”