Hartson is sure Ange can close gap in time

IT has not quite gone from ‘Angeball’ to freefall. But the excitement surrounding Celtic as they completed back-to-back 6-0 league wins over Dundee and St Mirren a month ago under their new manager has given way to gloom. The Parkhead club now sit sixth in the table having lost three of their six Premiership matches. The honeymoon period is over for Postecoglou at a club without a domestic away win since Valentine’s Day. But club legend John Hartson believes there has been enough early promise in Postecoglou’s reign to suggest he must — and will — be given the time he needs to complete what is an enormous rebuilding job. ‘We can’t put him under pressure after six league games,’ said the former striker. ‘He needs at least another window. ‘This club lost the league by 25 points last season and there’s been huge turnover. It’s an entirely new team and it takes time to gel. Not winning on the road will concern him slightly but I think the fans will give him time. ‘There were no boos from the crowd on Sunday, which is good. They are getting behind the manager and I think that is the right thing to do at the minute. Back the manager and back the players. ‘We want to win the league, but even if we don’t, I don’t think there will be any panic. ‘The club trust Ange and I don’t think there will be a 25-point gap like last season. ‘He’s doing a good job. The away results don’t suggest that, but you can see the football philosophy. ‘This is a young Celtic side. It will come.’ On Sunday, Celtic were without injured key players like Callum McGregor, James Forrest and impressive new Japan international attacker Kyogo Furuhashi. Fellow new boys like Cameron Carter-Vickers and James McCarthy looked off the pace, while Giorgos Giakoumakis is not yet fit enough to take part. But Hartson hopes Celtic can soon get some notable victories under their belt to ease the pressure on Postecoglou. He said: ‘He will know at some stage that he will have to start winning the big games. ‘We haven’t beaten Rangers in seven matches. He is going to have to beat Rangers. He is going to have to win in Europe against teams like Bayer Leverkusen. ‘At this moment in time, we are just not quite strong enough to go and do that as a group. ‘There have been some good performances and there have been some poor ones. But I thought for 35 minutes in the 4-3 loss away to Real Betis last week it was the best Celtic have played all season. ‘We have seen signs of really good play. I think it is coming.’ Meanwhile, Hartson was surprised that Rangers denied Neil Lennon and Chris Sutton access to

Ibrox last Thursday. The ex-Celtic pair were due to do analysis of Real Betis v Celtic in the Europa League for BT Sport, before Rangers kicked off against Lyon, but were deemed a ‘security risk’ by the Scottish champions. Hartson said: ‘I was surprised what happened. I’ve been working at Ibrox for years and never had any issues. ‘I don’t think it should have happened, not letting two pundits in to the ground to do their work as professionals. ‘I just can’t get my head around it. It was just so unnecessary and the explanation was a strange one talking about security issues.’ lJOHN HARTSON was speaking at The John Hartson Foundation Golf Day at Turnberry. The Hartson Foundation supports various cancer charities around the UK.

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This is Celtic’s worst start to a season in 23 years. In 1998, they won two, lost one and drew three games, leaving them on nine points after six games