Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
COUNTY BOUNTY
Celtic go six clear and give goal difference a healthy boost
ANGE POSTECOGLOU insists that ‘perfect’ Celtic won’t allow themselves to become easily distracted from their Treble chase.
The Hoops boss rated his side’s climb to the Premiership summit after a poor start to the campaign as flawless as they moved six points clear at the summit with a 4-0 dismantling of on-form Ross County.
Striker Giorgios Giakoumakis put Celtic in front when headed in at the back post from Jota’s cross on 11 minutes.
The Greek got his second of the afternoon with another header seven minutes later before Daizen Maeda (right) gave Celtic an unassailable three-goal lead.
A tough task was made even harder for County when Kayne Ramsay was given his marching orders for a rash challenge on Tom Rogic and Giakoumakis had his hat-trick on the hour mark when he converted from the penalty spot.
All eyes now turn to Dens Park today as title-chasing Rangers attempt to close the gap but
Postecoglou admits he’ll be channel hopping with his family rather than bothering with the drama on Tayside.
He said: “My Sundays are dictated by my wife and kids mate. If Sing 2 or something’s good on TV then we’ll maybe have a fight for the remote control.
“I get why people are focusing on that and asking the question. I worry about what I can control and that was today.
“If we got three points today, why would be even bother about looking at anything else?
“We have to as a group be really conscious of the fact that any time we start
CINCH PREMIERSHIP... thinking more than a day from where we are we can lose focus.
“Since round six we have literally had to be just about perfect to be where we are today, And to do that, any sort of distractions we have had to put to one sideresults or performances or people from the outside or what’s ahead.
“The reality is every Celtic manager should start the season thinking they can win it all, that’s why we are here. “My job is to try to get us to a position where we have the opportunity to do that. “At the moment we have an opportunity to do that but we won’t achieve it if we start thinking about it now.
“Whatever happens, if it all goes well, it won’t be my achievement, it will be an achievement of every person at this football club and every supporter.
“Right from the start of this year, the club has been absolutely united in tackling what was always going to be a challenging season.
“I felt the whole club, fans, players, we have all been in on this and it is why we are in the position we are in.”
Potecoglou welcomed back midfielder David Turnbull for the first time since he injured a hamstring against Hibs in the League Cup Final at Hampden back in December and insisted it’s given his squad a timely boost.
He said: “That was the plan today. He has worked hard in training in the last seven to 10 days. It was good to get him out there and he was pleased to get a run. Now it is a case of building him up.
“It’s important that we keep playing our football and don’t shy away from that.””