Stuart McLaren believes that the sky is the limit for Ange Postecoglou and Celtic.
The former Stirling Albion player has recently taken up a key role with the Celtic u-18 side and has closely followed Postecoglou with his own career split between Scotland and Australia.
A year ago Celtic fans were in the depths of despair as the season unravelled in disastrous fashion while Neil Lennon defied the evidence by repeatedly explaining how he could turn things around.
At the end of February a second defeat of the season to Ross County led to the resignation of the Irishman sparking a 106 day search that finally brought in Postecoglou from Japan.
Speaking to Australian website FTBL McLaren said:
He’s re-energised the whole place, the fans have taken to him and the sky is the limit right now. He’s got everybody on board, and that’s key. I’ve no doubt there will be more trophies to come and the club are there backing him all the way.
In terms of the title race there’s a genuine fight on this season. He’s getting the best out his squad – and from an Australian perspective he’s brought Tom Rogic to the peak of his powers.
For Tom, it’s the perfect storm in a sense that he’s got a manager who understands him, knows how he thinks and plays a style that suits him.
The same goes for a host of others in the squad who are benefiting from Ange’s influence. He’s also been very smart in his transfer activity in having an appreciation of the Japanese market which has traditionally been undervalued here in Europe.
You could go into other markets, spend ten times as much and not get the quality (of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi). Ange has been very shrewd in his dealings.
The feel-good factor around Celtic will be put on the line tomorrow night when hoops fans fill the stadium for the Glasgow derby.
Progress has been made, an identity has been found with fans enjoying their football and looking forward to matches again but everyone inside the game knows that results are the bottom line with the Premiership table tomorrow night delivering the full verdict on Postecoglou’s Celtic transformation.
