Tom Boyd has diplomatically admitted that Ange Postecoglou’s style is a ‘slight variation’ on the way that Wim Jansen Stopped The Ten in the nineties.
There are obvious similarities between the two men- but also huge difference. Both arrived from Asia to a club in crisis in need of a rebuild, started slowly, won the League Cup and then captured the big prize of the Scottish title.
Jansen took a very pragmatic approach, securing his defence as a priority with Jonathan Gould brought in (Joe Hart style) with a relationship quickly former with Alan Stubbs and Marc Rieper (Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt).
Postecoglou puts the emphasis on attack, inverted full-backs allow others to push forward from midfield, backing up wingers but under the Dutchman it was a 4-4-2 system, largely without wingers that drove the hoops to their first title in a decade.
Explaining that there are many ways to skin a cat, Boyd told The Sun:
I remember when Wim Jansen came here, he was like that in terms of having his style of play and imposing the Dutch style.
Ange is a slight variation of that with the high pressing he likes. Wim stood by his beliefs and, ultimately, that worked out for us. A manager has to do that and that’s what Ange is doing now.
The impact Ange has had, and the addition of good players coming in, is hopefully a recipe for success.
So far that has been the case and it has been great to watch. I know we lost last week, but that was to the European champions, so it certainly seems like a great time to be a Celtic supporter.
And the players have to be full of confidence. Not everybody will be happy because everyone wants to be playing, but everyone accepts the role they have.
Not everyone is going to be used all the time and there will be different games when different players are needed but everyone is accepting that, which is great.
Issues with Jock Brown forced Jansen out of Celtic before he could get a tilt at the Champions League, tomorrow in Warsaw Celtic fans are looking to see how Ange-ball fares in a tie more winnable that playing Real Madrid.
Have a look on FF and the thread about the games going ahead this weekend the klan fans are spitting blood,but remember their Everyone Anyone campaign when you read it.
One post has told the Celtic fans to leave the country they don’t belong here,while they ask everyone to show respect to the Queen,you couldn’t make it up.