Return trip to Tynecastle will underline the
If Ange Postecoglou does not remember his first visit to Tynecastle as a baptism of fire, it is only because, by then, the Celtic boss had already suffered a burn in Europe.
High-profile teams often find themselves with cracking opening-day fixtures, and the July 31 clash of Hearts against a Hoops team under a new manager certainly qualified.
The game did not disappoint, either, with a large television audience watching John Souttar score a header with just 90 seconds left to hand the hosts an unexpected victory.
Six months on, the Australian is able to remember the plus points of his initial exposure to the Scottish league as he looks forward to a return to the Gorgie ground on Wednesday night.
“I was really impressed,” said Postecoglou.
“Everyone was very happy that fans were back in the stadiums after last season, and Tynecastle is obviously a good one. The atmosphere was great that night.
“I wouldn’t call it my baptism. I had already been baptised by then.
“We’d had a couple of games against Midtjylland in the Champions League, but obviously, it was a disappointing start to the league season for us.
“We played OK, and certainly did enough in the game to get a result out of it.
“But not winning wasn’t a great way to start off our campaign.
“At the same time, I do remember it was in the middle of a pretty hectic period for us.
“I think Kyogo had just arrived around noon that day.
“He had lunch with the boys, and then I put him on the bench. And Carl Starfelt had only been in a couple of days, too.
“So it was a pretty tumultuous time for us, but we were disappointed not to start the season better than we did.”
Thanks to some hectic trading in the transfer market – and it is funny now
to think Odsonne Edouard and Ryan Christie both played in the seasonopener – it is very different group the Celtic manager will take to Edinburgh this time round.
“Yeah, things have changed a fair bit,” he said.
“Back then, we were still putting a team together, and we have certainly developed the squad since.
“With the players we have signed, we have got a stronger squad and, more importantly, a more-settled squad.
“Our football is constantly improving, which is great, and over the last two or three months we have been consistent.
“So we are in a good space, while knowing we need to keep improving.
“I think Wednesday should be a reallydecent game because Hearts are having a good season.
“They have been very consistent, with not too many dips I can remember, and I think that has been reflected in their results and their performances.
“The challenge for them will be to keep it going between now and the end of the season.”
The fixture will reunite the Celtic boss with his fellow Australian, Cammy Devlin, who he had a chat with at the end of the team’s meeting at Celtic Park in December.
It was a conversation that clearly made an impact on Devlin. The 23-yearold subsequently told the media back home that everyone liked Postecoglou in Scotland – and that everyone is pretty opinionated over here!
“I am not sure about that,” said Postecoglou with a chuckle. “I could introduce Cam to a few people who probably don’t like me!
“But, listen, he is a good lad, and a good player.
“Hearts also have Nathaniel Atkinson now who I know, and I am super-pleased for them.
“They are Aussies, and I have followed their careers pretty closely. They are good young players, and good young men as well.
“They are in a great environment, with a good club, and I think this league is good for them.
“So I am happy they are getting the opportunity.”