Ange hails Giakoumakis’ deadly instinct
ANGE POSTECOGLOU last night hailed the cutting edge of striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, who scored on his first start to help move Celtic to within a point of the Premiership summit.
The Greek international’s breakthrough goal nine minutes before half-time served to open up a stubborn St Johnstone defence that had given little up in the opening stages of a stuffy match.
And Postecoglou, who sanctioned the £2.5million purchase of Giakoumakis on transfer deadline day, acknowledged that his team was indebted to the instincts of the 26-year-old, who remains short of fitness after limited match time since moving to Scotland.
He said: ‘I knew it was going to be a difficult game, one where we were not going to get a helluva lot of space, particularly in and around their box.
‘We had to be disciplined and
patient with our football and I felt we did that.
‘There weren’t many times we got frustrated or over-played things — we stayed calm and composed.
‘And we were clinical when we did get the chance. That was key, we took our chance really well.
‘Giakoumakis was in a good area and it was a good ball across.’
Top scorer in last season’s Eredivisie with VVV-Venlo, Giakoumakis arrived too late to participate in pre-season and picked up an injury in the warm-up before his intended debut against Raith Rovers in the Premier Sports Cup.
Postecoglou hopes yesterday’s goal will ignite his Celtic career.
He added: ‘You know what strikers are like, there’s no striker in the world who feels good unless he is scoring goals. Particularly when you come to a new club and a new environment.
‘For me, whether he scored or not wasn’t going to be as important. I
think he did what we needed to do today. But I know, for him, getting that goal is going to be pleasing and hopefully he can build from there.’
Giakoumakis was joined on the scoresheet by full-back Josip Juranovic, who converted a late penalty to mark his own return to the team after injury.
By that stage Giakoumakis had left the field and he may rival the Croatian for penalty duties in future. Certainly he is no doubt over what he has been signed to do.
Giakoumakis said: ‘I am a striker and my goal is to score every week. It was really beautiful. It was something that I was looking forward to feeling and I am really happy about that.
‘For me the option to come here did not include even one per cent of risk. It was something I decided immediately because for me this team has a really good plan. It is an attacking team, we try to play with an offensive style of game.
‘This for sure will help me to score goals and to win some trophies.’
Postecoglou is encouraged by his team’s improving form, a run that has now extended to four consecutive victories.
He continued: ‘The run is pleasing but what’s also pleasing is the way we are playing. We are keeping a consistent level of performance and we want to maintain that.’
Saints manager Callum Davidson professed frustration at the way his Parkhead strategy was undone.
He said: ‘First half we had a game plan. I’ve watched Celtic a lot and they have good attacking players who play with a lot of energy.
‘Apart from one mistake in the first half I thought we did really well, I don’t remember our goal being peppered.’
Davidson refused to criticise wing-back Callum Booth for failing to clear in the lead-up to Giakoumakis’s goal.
He added: ‘He just misjudged it. It is unlike Callum. He didn’t mean to do it and I am not blaming him. But we got punished for it and the game becomes a little bit harder for us.’