FINISH WITH A FLOURISH
Postecoglou calls on Celtic to banish any nerves and wrap up the league in style
GROWING up in Australia, Ange Postecoglou will be fairly familiar with the parlance of cricket. To borrow a phrase used to describe many a batsman in an Ashes Test match over the years, Celtic have now entered the nervous nineties.
They have batted flawlessly for much of their innings. Yet, as they approach a century, there remains a chance, however remote it might seem, that they might just tense up and edge one into the slips.
This is what happens in sport. Pressure and nerves can often manifest themselves at the most inopportune moment. Just ask any golfer who has suffered from the yips and trembles at the thought of a two-foot putt. Or any goal-kicker in rugby who has missed from straight in front of the posts.
This is the position in which Celtic find themselves. The finish line is in sight and they know they are tantalisingly close to securing a league title few would have thought possible last summer.
Should they beat Hearts at Parkhead this lunchtime, then they would be crowned champions tomorrow if Rangers fail to beat Dundee United at Ibrox.
It would be easy for them to be a little jittery and settle for a few 1-0 wins to get them over the line from now until the end of the season.
Yet, rather than grinding their way to the title, Postecoglou wants his players to smash it over the boundary ropes for six.
Challenging his players to win the trophy in style, the Celtic boss said: ‘That’s why we are in this position now (by playing attacking football). Not by grinding our way through, but by trying to play in a certain way and taking a positive approach in every game. That needs to continue to the end.
‘If we try to change our approach now, or tighten up in any way, we aren’t going to do ourselves justice.
‘What we want to show in these last three games is the best of ourselves and try to play the best football we can.’
An unwavering commitment to playing stylish, attacking football has decorated Postecoglou’s reign at Parkhead with some memorable performances.
His words carry substance and the fruits of his philosophy are illustrated in the Goals For column in the league table.
In this respect, Celtic are in fairly elite company. They have scored 81 goals in 35 games thus far.
Across Europe’s top leagues, only Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax and Porto have surpassed the 80-goal mark at this stage of the campaign.
In attempting to finish with a flourish, Postecoglou is only staying true to the idea that led them to this juncture in the first place.
There could also be an element of symmetry to it all; Celtic lost to Hearts at Tynecastle in Postecoglou’s first league game in charge last year, but could now effectively be crowned champions against the same opponents.
‘We have got to just play well and win the game,’ said Postecoglou, who was yesterday named the Premiership Manager of the Month for April (his fourth in succession and fifth of the season).
‘It isn’t about something being given to us. We have had to earn everything this year. We’ve got to earn the title and the way we do that is by getting enough points on the board that we can’t be caught.
‘And until that point nothing will change in the way we think about the games or our focus.’
Postecoglou offered his congratulations to Rangers for their heroics against RB Leipzig in the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday night.
But, in his opinion, the fact that Rangers have reached a major European final only proves how well Celtic have played to wrestle the title back away from Ibrox.
If Rangers can go on and beat Eintracht Frankfurt in the final, then Scotland would have two representatives in the Champions League group stage next season.
He insists that should Rangers seal the deal, it would not take the shine off what has been a phenomenal season from Celtic’s point of view.
It could be a very rare occasion when both halves of the Glasgow rivalry are fairly satisfied with their lot come the end of the season.
‘To win a title you have to be better than every club in this country,’ said the Celtic boss. ‘That is who ends up being champions. So that is what we are going to try and do.
‘Rangers’ European success has been well-deserved by them. They’ve had a great run in Europe and are a good side, a very good side.
‘They were champions last year and undefeated for that year. They have done well in all the competitions this year.
‘You know, I don’t think that (Rangers’ European run) detracts from our achievements. If anything, it adds to our achievements if we can become champions.
‘Because for us to become champions, then I don’t think anyone can deny we have had
to beat some pretty strong opposition.
‘It (both clubs in the Champions League) could show there are two strong sides in this competition and that both of them will deserve to be in the Champions League on the back of their performances.
‘That could reflect well on our league and the game here in Scotland.’
Meanwhile, Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley believes that the Hearts players will be desperate to impress in this afternoon’s match.
Robbie Neilson’s side have enjoyed a good campaign, finishing comfortably best of the rest behind the two Old Firm clubs, and have secured European football for next season.
They also have a Scottish Cup final against Rangers to look forward to later this month, something which O’Riley feels will fuel competition for places.
‘I’m sure they’ll be fired up,’ he said. ‘From their point of view, they’ll need to think about their form going into the cup final.
‘They’ll want to be playing well and there will be places up for grabs in their cup final team. I’m sure they’ll come with a lot of intensity and we need to be ready for that.
‘But it’s just another game for us and we’ll approach it the same as we do every other one and, hopefully, take care of business.’