Ange Postecoglou was literally dropped in at the deep end.
With a badly depleted squad bolstered only by Liel Abada, Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide he was given the task of getting Celtic past Midtjylland and two more qualifiers to reach the group stage of the Champions League.
In those circumstances taking the Danes to extra-time before losing out wasn’t to be sniffed at, Celtic’s options were so light that Albian Ajeti came off the bench in both legs.
It was just another qualifying failure under Ian Bankier, the fourth in succession, but with one eye on the future Postecoglou was planning to lead Celtic back into Europe’s most prestigious tournament.
With Real Madrid meeting Liverpool in this season’s final the SPFL champions go into next season’s group stage- with Celtic a effectively one win in three matches away from reclaiming the title.
Explaining his longer term Champions League plan the hoops boss told Celtic TV:
I was well aware at the start of the year that was the likelihood this season. We knew it was an important title to win because of all the benefits you get from being guaranteed group stage Champions League football.
That’s the level we all want to be at with this club, so of course that’s a massive incentive but first of all, we want to bring joy and success to our supporters after last year.
You want to give them the success and you know that once the season is over, if we have achieved the ultimate and won the league, that their summer is going to look a lot different than it did last summer.
That’s what we want. That’s what we want to try to achieve.
What happened with howe is no ones fault if he was afraid of the job he should have said so but in the end we have landed top dollar in big Ange he understands what our club is all about and a genuine leader.
Editor: At no stage had Eddie Howe said yes to Celtic, if he had a contract would have been signed with a start date. He was taking 12 months out.
Theres no chance of European success with this board in charge. Keeping their nose in front of the huns is the height of their ambition. Nothing else.
I fear the worst in the UCL, the players aren’t fit.and I can’t see that changing unless there’s investments in sports science. I won’t hold my breath. A total amateur set up.- an analogue club in a digital age.
Urhoghide should be brought back, Joe. He’s playing really well.
What’s all this we have got to spend millions on players the bigots are in the europa final with there mixture of free signings cheap players and some 4/5 million players and no centre forwards and have knocked out some decent teams getting there our European matches over the last few years have been terrible .
Got to agree with you Peter ,I just don’t understand how we are so far behind them when it comes to European football ,we slag them off but they must be doing something right over there , whether it’s coaching ,training or whatever ,but I feel we need to buck up our ideas for playing in CL,
A meal cannot be digested until it is eaten.