Postecoglou hails Hoops’ double act stealing the show
Ange Postecoglou last night hailed his two Js: Jenz and Jota, after watching the pair help continue Celtic’s perfect start to the season.
Jota supplied three assists in the 3-1 win over Ross County in what was a star turn from the Portuguese.
And that delighted the Celtic manager, who had pushed for his signing on a £6.5 million permanent deal in the summer.
It was, he agreed in a post-match suggestion, impossible to keep the winger out of the headlines.
“He’s earning them in the right way, he’s working hard,” he said.
“He has joined this club permanently and he wants to be the best he can be and show people there’s another level to him.
“I see him every day in training, and he’s doing the extras and making sure he prepares himself well for every game.
“On a difficult day on a tight pitch with the wind, with those kind of players it takes the real special ones to be able to still find and create space for themselves.
“He was put under a lot of pressure any time he had the ball at his feet, he’d take people on and they committed quite a few fouls on him and others because of that.
“It was another strong performance from him.”
The Australian was likewise pleased with the contribution from Moritz
Jenz, his loan signing from Lorient.
The German was handed his competitive debut after Stephen Welsh was ruled out with a virus and repaid the faith by scoring his side’s crucial second goal.
“It was a great way for Moritz to start his Celtic career,” said Postecoglou.
“He has been training well, he has fitted in really well. Today there were a lot of contests he needed to win in the air, but he also had a lot of the ball and I really thought he showed some really good composure.
“Especially considering he has only been with us for a couple of weeks.
“The level of training is really high at the moment. Everyone is putting their best foot forward, which makes training pretty competitive.
“So if I have to make a change to the lineup for whatever reason I’m really confident about the guys coming in.
“Obviously they have to take their opportunity but they are ready for that opportunity.”
Ross County manager Malky Mackay will wait anxiously to see Connor Randall’s condition after the full-back limped off after a clash with Jota.
“He’s in a boot and we will go to hospital with him and see how he is,” he said.
“It was an awkward fall after him and Jota clashed. There is an issue there.”