POSTECOGLOU WANTS TO BACK UP PROMISE OF RETURN TO GLORY DAYS

particularly after a year when there was no success.

‘There’s no extra significance for me at this moment because I realised and sensed the importance when I accepted the position.

‘Now we have an opportunity to achieve and that is what we have to focus on.’

Postecoglou’s appointment last May was compared to that of Wim Jansen, also brought in from the Japanese league.

The Dutchman defied doubters 24 years ago by lifting the League Cup en route to securing a precious title that robbed Rangers of 10 consecutive league crowns.

When asked if the lifting the early-season honour could provide a springboard to greater heights, Postecoglou said: ‘To a certain extent. We all realise it is a new team in just about every aspect.

‘In player turnover, leadership positions, it’s kind of a new beginning. But we all know, even the ones who’ve just come this year, what the expectations are when you represent this football club.

‘It is that you bring success to it. I’ve tried to make sure all along that I’m not going to make allowances for me or for the new players that we can’t be successful.

‘We’ve been really strong on that. We have our first opportunity to have success and, if you can have success, that builds even further belief in what we are doing.

‘We come to this club understanding that silverware is expected every year and in every competition we participate in, you’re expected to try and be successful. This is our first opportunity and hopefully we can take it.’

Captain Callum McGregor believes winning today’s final would confirm Celtic’s progress under Postecoglou.

Looking forward to the showpiece occasion at Hampden, the Scotland midfielder said: ‘As a group, we are still in the early stages of our development and we have managed to get to the final.

‘When the big games come around, you do everything you can to win them and hopefully that is the case.

‘It would give us a massive lift in terms of the indicators that we are doing the right things and we are getting better as a group.’