As Celtic start to close some transfer deals this week, there has been a lot of talk on radio football phone ins on where Ange Postecoglou should be judged. A transfer window? The first league game or the first Glasgow Derby?
On Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, an irate , but brilliantly articulate, Celtic fan called the show to vent his feelings on, what he seems to perceive, as a media and pundit “hysteria” regarding Celtic’s lack of signings.
And he brilliantly put his point over whilst firing a shot across the bow of the very radio station he called to tell the fans that they need to stop listening to the pundits on the show.
The caller, named Frank, was asked by host Andrew McLean about how he felt about Celtic’s current transfer business, then Frank unleashed, “Perfectly relaxed. Completely and totally relaxed. This isn’t about rushing out and grabbing who you can to fill jerseys before the Champions League qualifier.
“Celtics job, the job that Ange has in front of him is far bigger than trying to qualify for the Champions League.
“He was brought in to build a team. A team in his image that will play in his image, and that won’t happen up to and including the Champions League group stages.
“This is going to take a year, possibly two years. And to my fellow Celtic fans, don’t be sucked in by the media, the press. Pundits on Radio Clyde like Hugh Keevins and Alex Rae etc.
“Don’t be sucked in by these people. We’ve seen it 1000 times. They are trying to create a frenzy, a panic.
“Mr Keevins made this ludicrous statement on Monday night, that Ange will be judged on Midtjylland.
“Ange won’t be judged on Midtjylland by the vast majority of Celtic supporters. Celtic supporters are wiser and more clever than he gives us credit for or what I believe to think he gives us credit for.
“We know this is a long term project, a long term build. You don’t rush out and buy in a panic situation.”
It was a brilliant piece of radio and Frank got his point across succinctly and in a calmed measure that when Jim Duffy tried to challenge him his reply to the pundit was just as good. But that would take a whole other article.
I’ll say it because neither the host or the pundit had the grace to, “Well done Frank. What a great caller”