“For me it was about Ange Postecoglou” – Hugh Keevins backtracks from early season predictions
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Rangers - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - February 2, 2022 Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
The weekends win was huge in terms of the title race.
With Celtic now six points ahead with just six games to go, it will be extremely difficult for our rivals to claw back that deficit. And that’s without the goal difference.
But was Sunday’s result one for the fans? The supporters? Not according to Hugh Keevins.
The veteran journalist reckons that the result was all about Ange Postecoglou in an ironic speech that seemed to highlight a sense of backtracking by the Clyde 1 pundit.
Speaking on Superscoreboard, Keevins said, “Celtic had 39% possession possession but won the match.
“Defended resolutely I’ve been as critical of Carl Starfelt as anyone on the programme I thought he was terrific second half.
“He and Cameron Carter-Vickers who got man of the match and deservedly so.
“Celtic deservedly won the match. It was such a big ask after they had gone a goal down after three minutes, but it’s what Ange Postecoglou is all about.
“Hold y our nerve, keep going and that’s why I think that it was a big day for Ange Postecoglou.
“There were many outstanding performances. Callum McGregor. Giakoumakis took a lot of flack. But he also took a lot of punishment. Absorbed it and kept going.
“But for me it was about Ange Postecoglou and to assume what he assumed at the start of the season.
“The shambles of the previous season, to lose three of his first six games in the league, it was looking ominous, but yesterday showed what self belief can do.”
Self belief.
Ange has always has that. Even though journalists like Hugh tried to chip away at that with the amount of negative headlines (and we all know about Hugh’s preseason predictions) at the start of the season, one thing that Ange is always had was belief.
Sunday’s result was not a vindication of his belief. It was a message to every reporter and journalist that had written Postecoglou off before a ball was even kicked.
Hugh was correct. That win was all about Ange but not in the way he thinks.