I covered this story last night. But there is another dimension to it.
Last night I wrote about a Celtic fan that called The Go Radio Football Show. The guy that tore shreds from Brendan Rodgers. You can read it here.
The same caller did go on to make an absolutely brilliant point about Ange Postecoglou maybe needing two seasons to build something special. Frank was his name.
Frank is, quite clearly, 100% behind Ange Postecoglou and he called the show to give the Celtic gaffer his full backing.
I’m not going to transcribe it all here and instead I’ll post the link to the episode here but if you get ten minutes, have a listen. It’s 47 minutes and 31s in. You will not be disappointed.
However, as Frank went on to defend the amount of time Postecoglou needs to rebuild the club, he went on to cite the greatest ever Celtic team, the Lisbon Lions as an example of how if you give the right manager the right time, anything can happen:
Frank: “One club, who was going nowhere they were doing nothing.
“A man came and changed the whole philosophy for not only Scottish for European football and played an attacking game, all out attack, the full backs bombing up. They were away ahead of their time.
“That was called the Lisbon Lions.”
Hartson: “But you had Billy McNeill. One of the best centre halves in the world at the time.
Frank: “Exactly.”
Hartson: “But can you get a Billy McNeil these days? Where do you get them from?
Frank: “It’s not about getting a Billy McNeil.
Hartson: “And then you’ve got Danny McGrain. You know?
Frank: “John, you need to calm down here pal.
Hartson: “I am very calm.
Frank: “I know you are John.
Hartson: “But I’m just a realist Frank. I get what you’re saying as well which is brilliant.
“And yes, Jock Stein, one of the greatest managers that has ever lived. First team to win the European Cup.
“The football was incredible. I’ve seen the videos you’ve seen them live. But I’m just a realist Frank.
“But all I’m trying to say is that Ange Postecoglou, yes, but you know the demands on the football today is like, ‘Will he be able to get that time?’
Frank: “The crux of that 67 team was a solid defence.
“And that solid defence came because the two centre half’s knew each other, when they were going to breathe next because they played together and built up a relationship.
“That relationship will come together when Ange gets his goalkeeper and two centre half’s.
“The big word is time. We must give him time to build this relationship.
“It was never gonna happen in two months. It might not happen in six months.
“But I would think by the end of the season we will have a settled defence and we won’t make those mistakes.”