Ange Postecoglou’s summer transfer plans are already underway.
In each of his four windows to date the Celtic squad has evolved towards the model that had 22 players training this week in search for 11 starting places at St Mirren today with nine places on the bench also the subject of healthy competition.
After years of waiting to see what was left over from elsewhere at the end of the transfer window Postecoglou has applied focus with a template for the type of player that he wants to work with.
January is apparently a ‘difficult window’ but twice the Celtic boss has managed that period successfully with two regulars leaving at the turn of the year with Alistair Johnston effortlessly replacing Josip Juranovic with Oh Hyeon-gyu a trusted back-up to Kyogo Furuhashi.
Those transitions don’t happen by accident, as one transfer window ends Postecoglou is already on the front foot with a definite idea of what is required for the next period of transfer business.
The Celtic boss told the Daily Record:
I think if you look at every window since I have been here we have strengthened and we are already doing work to make sure we come out of the next window even stronger than when we enter it. That has got to be our ambition every time we enter this process.
Getting them in early has worked well for us. It has allowed players to come in and settle and contribute straight away and we will continue to do that.
Ahead of the January transfer window opening Celtic had announced the signings of Yuki Kobayashi, Alistair Johnston and Tomoki Iwata with the Canadian making his debut on January 2.
After two attempts at European competition Postecoglou knows where Celtic’s strengths and weaknesses are, the Champions League is a completely different challenge to anything on offer in Scotland with Postecoglou knowing that is where he will increasingly be judged.
Just beat or main rival and sending them a message we are strengthening not for spl we have proved we are to strong for spl teams but for champions league
Referees in this country are backed no matter what or how bad they are some of there decisions are bordering on cheating Neil lennon who was threatened by bombs assault at tynecastle was hounded in this country outed them and they went on strike should have sacked the lot but no matter what or how bad they are seems one club always benefits they have ruined there chance of world cup refereeing cause of there inability or fear biased to give a decision against one club who bring shame in Europe and in our on country mass congregations when lockdown through covid and bringing shame to our city all over the world celebrating it was a riot a unruly mob taking over glasgow and our gov police law courts allowed it it was bordering on treason I have to say the ref in league Cup final had an honest game but that’s how it should be and should not have to highlighted I hope it gets him notice in Europe who had a delegate at the game maybe we should get them to watch more games in spl especially ones involving new co or Celtic_fc_1888 we might get less honest mistakes I know Celtic_fc_1888 would welcome it and the new co apponents it can only be good for refs in this country not one scottish ref was represented at the world cup it’s alright in Scotland cause sfa back them but in world football its not allowed to be biased refs should think of themselves and get backed to good fair judgement to raise there profile in world football your careers have suffered for what sfa allow so man up and be proud off your professional job not what gets you games in Scotland but not anywhere else
Lawwell probably thinks he’s doing it all wrong. Wonder how long it’ll be before the cracks appear in the Ange, Lawwell relationship. The master meddler won’t stay silent for ever.