Ange absent, but Kennedy says boss still fully focused

Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy believes Ange Postecoglou is “firmly focused” on creating something special at Parkhead.

The Hoops manager was linked with the vacant position at Leeds this week after the Premier League club sacked Jesse Marsch.

Kennedy feels similar stories are sure to continue given Postecoglou’s impact, with his side nine points clear of Rangers as they look to regain the cinch Premiership title.

The long-serving coach was performing media duties ahead of today’s Scottish Cup home clash with St Mirren to give Postecoglou a week off and joked they had “just tied him to the chair upstairs and put a couple of security on his door”.

The former Celtic defender reassured fans their manager was fully committed.

He said: “There’s always speculation.

“I think credit to the manager in terms of the job that he’s done here.

“It’s a bit like players, when players come and do well they get linked to other clubs.

“The manager has shown himself his abilities as a manager. I think when you do that and you have success with that you attract attention.

“There’s a lot of speculation, a lot of noise, but I know first-hand the way he works. He’s really focused on his job here, he loves being here.

“He’s in the middle of building something very special so I think his mind is firmly focused on being at Celtic.”

Kennedy, who has also worked under Neil Lennon, Ronny Deila and Brendan Rodgers, described what it is like to observe Postecoglou up close.

“He has been a terrific guy to work with,” he said.

“He came in with a really clear idea of what he wants and we have all embraced that and tried to fit that into how we work.

“The big thing for the players is that they get the repeated message all the time in terms of the game model and the key principles and behaviours and what he expects.

“That’s pretty much ingrained in the players now and I think you can see that.

“He doesn’t shy away from that, week on week he drills it into them and doesn’t waver on that.

“He is very strong in his convictions in terms of how he has managed the squad, the way he has pieced the squad together, he has pretty much had to rebuild a full squad.

“I think we all know the recruitment part of football can be very tricky, getting the right mix, but again because he is very clear on how he wants the team to play, he is then very clear in terms of the profile of player he needs to bring in.

“Everyone in the main has come in and contributed.”

Kennedy says Postecoglou was given a week off.