IDEAL SEND-OFF FOR TOM & NIR
having bagged an incredible 34 major honours between them in nine sparkling years.
Wizard of Oz Rogic is poised to spark an A-League fight in Australia while Israel stalwart Bitton is also set to head back to his homeland with Maccabi Haifa in the frame.
Hoops fans will get the chance to bid farewell to them today as Postecoglou’s men get their hands on the Premiership trophy and the manager reckons there will be no better send-off.
Postecoglou said: “It’s hard to get the right kind of ending to a story. With both those guys it’s a great way to end their fantastic careers at this club.
“I’ve been talking to both Tom and Nir throughout the year and they felt it was the right time.
“As a football club, we need to be looking always to be continually evolving the team. As the season panned out, and now being champions, it’s just a great way to send off two unbelievable servants of this football club.
“They both get the chance to say goodbye in the best possible way and our supporters get the chance to acknowledge them.”
Postecoglou hailed the part the pair have played in Celtic’s success this season – with Rogic in the frame for the Player of the Year award and Bitton making 40 appearances in a number of roles.
He said: “Massively so. There’s no doubt their careers speak for themselves.
“My own input into that is the last 12 months when they’ve both been outstanding on and off the field.
“I obviously knew Tom from before but just working with him on a daily basis, he’s been brilliant for me.
“He was probably the go-to man in terms of people trying to find out about me and I’m sure he helped me in many ways. His season has been brilliant.
“Equally with Nir, I needed experienced players as it was a young group.
“On and off the field he has really helped Callum and sort of shaped the dressing room.
“His influence particularly on Liel Abada has been unbelievable. Liel’s a 20-yearold we brought in as a sort of development project but look at the season he’s had. I’ve got no doubt a huge chunk of that is because of Nir’s influence.”
Rogic and Bitton might not be the only departures with Christopher Jullien considering his future after getting frozen out. The defender battled back from 12 months out injured but has failed to break back into the team.
Jullien said: “Despite the fact I gave everything for this club and I would have liked to bring more to the team this year, the playing time is not there at all.
“I still have a year of contract here and I would like to continue playing but my priority is to be on the pitch.
“It remains open. The only thing I know is I am a competitor and I came to Celtic to win titles. I won some and I still have the ambition to win more but today I miss it.
“If the conditions do not change, it is certain the door will be open to continue my career elsewhere at a club where the coach would be happy to rely on my qualities.
“Since mid-January, I feel 100 per cent, after that it is the choice of the coach. Since I came back we’ve only lost a few points so it’s exceptional.
“I told the coach in January I was ready to go.”
Postecoglou insists he’ll sit down with the squad in the coming days to discuss their futures. He said: “It’s about having discussions with the players and everyone coming to an agreement about the best way forward.
“That’s what happened with Niro and Tom and it will happen with the other boys who potentially could be looking elsewhere.”
Postecoglou’s also expecting a quick decision from loan stars Jota and Cameron CarterVickers as he looks to tie them down on permanent deals. He added: “Hopefully it’s a conclusion we’re all happy with.”