I’ll give you an if back mate- Ange on fire as he tackles his pet agitator

He might have had a five week break from the joys of the Scottish media but Ange Postecoglou was as sharp as ever ahead of tomorrow’s match at Aberdeen.

Once the niceties had been dealt with, injury news and the benefits of the break it was down to business.

Ahead of Postecoglou’s first domestic match reporter Gabriel Antoniazzi seemed amazed that an Australian might know some information about Hearts but he was quickly put right on that. As boss of the Socceroos the new Celtic manager had even selected Hearts players for international duty!

There have been a number of curt replies from Postecoglou, at the end of October he had to explain to Antoniazzi that he didn’t lie to his players, facing Livingston isn’t a horror filled assignment where he has to completely alter his tactics to deal with agricultural opponents.

Today the main issue was the potential sale of Josip Juranovic, a weakened Celtic seems to bring out the best/worst in some folk but as ever Ange had a put down for the excitable young reporter.

6 minutes 30 seconds

QUESTION: Just on Josip, he seems to be garnering attention from several clubs over Europe, do you think that is just natural when you are playing so well on such a big stage and if big offers were to come in for him in the January window would the club look at them?

POSTECOGLOU:

Yeah look, it’s great that he’s getting noticed. That’s what you want. I want our players getting noticed. If they weren’t getting noticed they wouldn’t be doing well.

He’s done well, he’s represented his country fantastically well, and our football club and aside from that mate, everything else… You started it with an if, I’ll give you an if back mate,

If it stops snowing I’ll be able to drive back home without having to get out my car so that will be fine too.

Daizen Maeda, Aaron Mooy and Cameron Carter-Vickers are available for tomorrow’s match following World Cup duty in Qatar.