A man with a plan

 

A man with a plan

Celtic supporters have now had time to digest what went wrong in the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday evening and for the most part is not panicking about what they saw. As with the Real Madrid game, Celtic were in the match and creating chances until individual errors undone the team’s good work. It is a harsh lesson to learn, but in the Champions league you will be punished for not taking your chances and not defending properly. It was suggested that Joe Hart’s mistake turned the tide in the match and in truth it was a body blow at a time the game hung in the balance but that being said, Hart has been brilliant for Celtic both on the pitch and in the dressing room. He’s a consummate professional who held his hand up about his error. As always with keepers, errors are usually punished but we should not forget his two or three goal saving saves in the match.

To have any chance at this elite level of football, clubs like Celtic need to be on their A-game for 90+ minutes. We have already seen how the top clubs are utterly ruthless in front of goal and Celtic’s ratio in Germany of one goal from twelve attempts needs to improve. We have lost in arenas like this before but are now giving these teams more trouble and that is a mark of how Celtic have advanced under the big Australian. He commented after the game that some people will see the result and not the improvement Celtic have made in the past 18 months.

At yesterday’s press conference, Postecoglou spoke of Celtic having a champions league support but not yet having a champions league team. His words were very revealing about his thought processes and where Celtic are.  He said…

‘I’m no miracle worker, it’s not as if I’ve taken over a team that’s consistently been in the semi finals of the Champions League. It does take time. We’re not the only club in this situation. There are a lot of clubs like us who want to make an impact in the champions league but know there is a process in getting there. The clubs of our size that eventually get there- it takes time. I’d love to fast track that process and that’s what I’m trying to do. I think the way you do that is by being brave and bold and not just looking to survive.’

Postecoglou’s obvious annoyance at the team playing the ball back to Joe Hart at times and not being brave enough was obvious after the match. This is no Brendan Rodgers trying to go toe to toe with PSG or Barcelona with no real pragmatism in his tactics and we all know how that ended. This is a coach who knows exactly what it takes to go head-to-head with the elite clubs of Europe and is hungry to see Celtic joining them. It may well be that his evolving squad doesn’t yet have the depth of quality to do that but he is setting the pattern of how he wants the game played and it does augur well for the future, especially if Celtic back his ambition by continuing to invest in the sort of quality players who will enhance the squad. It was noticeable how much Carter-Vickers was missed at the heart of that defence and McGregor’s injury will also leave a hole in midfield. To succeed in the rigours of a long hard season, top clubs have quality replacements of equal stature ready to come in. Celtic are not yet in that position.

Postecoglou is a real football man who lives and breathes the game. He is enamoured with Celtic because he sees that same passion and hunger among the fans. They are as desperate for the club to succeed as he is and he sees that. This is not a manager who would patronise the support with glib praise, he is being honest when he said of the support in Leipzig…

‘Our fans were unbelievable again. It felt like we were in Glasgow as we left the hotel. It was just amazing. They create such a good atmosphere wherever they go. They supported us unbelievably. They’re disappointed with the outcome but that’s just fans being passionate and caring. I have no issue with that. I think they also acknowledge that we didn’t go to Leipzig to try and survive. We went there to try and create something special. We didn’t, but I think for the most part, if people see endeavour, I think they are encouraged by that. It was right to acknowledge them at the end. We’ve got a Champions League support; we just need to become a Champions League team.’

Celtic fans are no mugs, they know the game and they know the challenges at the top table of European football. Celtic need to compete there to gain the experience necessary for real improvement to take place. It has been a few years since the Hoops appeared in the group stages of the UCL and that gulf in standards from the SPFL to this elite level is stark. The players are trying to implement what their coach is saying to them and there are obvious improvements just as there are obvious flaws in the team. We need to trust the process, trust the manager and back him in the stands and in the board room if his dream of making Celtic a Champions League team is to come to fruition.

Ange Postecoglou is a man with a plan and the character and knowledge to be a top coach. If Celtic don’t match his ambitions there will be others with more resources who will. His affection for Celtic is genuine as is his understanding of the values and history of the club. Now is not the time to falter, we’re on a journey and our leader knows exactly where he wants to take us.