With the first ever winter World Cup coming to an end on Sunday afternoon as Argentina face reigning 2018 World Cup champions France in the Final showpiece game, the Scottish Premiership has already now returned to domestic action after the enforced pause, and with victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday afternoon, former Australian international manager Ange Postecoglou will have been delighted to see his first team squad hit the ground running again.
Having had an almost immediate impact in his first year with us after joining in the summer of 2021, it did not take the 57 year old long to get his message over to the players, and after recent disappointments, he watched his side lift the Scottish League Cup in December, and by February we were top of the table for the first time that season. As fans will know, we never looked back under his charge and Celtic FC results were good, enabling us to seal the title again with a game to spare.
Despite additional player changes over the summer, we had another good and solid start under Postecoglou before the enforced domestic European break came into play in November, picking up 14 wins from our opening 15 games, and despite the one unfortunate defeat, we had established a league best plus 37 goal difference.
With late victory secured over Aberdeen, Postecoglou’s record for 2022/23 in 15 wins from 16 and we are nine points clear of our nearest challenger. Saturday may have only seen a single goal victory, but the hosts failed to register a single shot on target, whereas we had ten efforts ourselves, and a massive 33 attempts at goal in total.
The gaffer was clearly delighted with the efforts of the players, and as he spoke to the media following the final whistle, he explained.
“That’s as dominant as we’ve been away from home at a difficult place. We got our goal late, but I thought our approach all the way through…we were disciplined and didn’t get frustrated. We made them work hard and I think they had one shot on goal at the end there.”
Despite holding another mini pre season in recent weeks to get the team back up to fitness and sharpness following what many considered to be a poorly timed break, there were always some doubts as to whether Celtic’s momentum would be stunted, and it seems that was the element that pleased Postecoglou the most nobody had lost their hunger or work ethic.
“I couldn’t ask much more from the lads. Even though we didn’t win more comfortably – which we should have – when you win 1-0 in that manner it just shows the discipline and belief the boys have in the way we play. It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re dominating so much and missing chances you would normally put away. To maybe change the approach or lose a bit of belief. But it never happened and it’s synonymous with us. It’s why we get goals early and late – we stay on it all the time. Coming off a break, you’re never really sure what to expect. But that’s as well as we could’ve played I think.”
It could well be a very good second half of the campaign for Celtic fans as we again chase two title wins in a row.
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