It is a year since Ange Postecoglou was appointed Celtic manager; in an exclusive interview he explains why victories over Rangers and January transfers were crucial en route to the title; Watch 'Postecoglou: We Never Stop' on Sky Sports Football on June 16 at 6pm
Friday 10 June 2022 16:18, UK
A year ago Celtic looked to the relatively unknown Ange Postecoglou to revitalise a club in turmoil and he silenced doubters by winning the Scottish Premiership title and League Cup during his debut season.
Postecoglou's start to life at Parkhead did not begin brightly, failing to win his first three matches which resulted in a Champions League exit and an opening-day defeat to Hearts in the league.
However, the Australian always insisted he would not waiver from his footballing philosophy of attacking, entertaining and relentless football, and piece by piece he rebuilt a struggling side who were blown aside by Rangers the previous season.
The title win came at Tannadice on a Wednesday night in May, with the manager promising this was only the beginning for him and his emerging talent at Celtic.
"I've had a lot of success but this is definitely the hardest challenge and the hardest year I've ever had," said the former Australian manager as he reflected on 365 days in charge.
"I did an interview after the game and I couldn't put into words exactly what was the strongest emotion.
"I think looking back now and the way we finished off in the last game, I think there was a part of me that said, 'no, I don't want this to be the full stop'.
"This season was about building the first foundation of a team that I hope will be competing and be successful in the Premiership for the next few years."
With Celtic's title win comes qualification for the group stages of the Champions League and Postecoglou is looking for his team to grow on the biggest stage in European football.
"My role is to make us better next year, we need to be better," he told Sky Sports.
"It's the same in the Champions League, our role is to get there and make an impact.
"It's not just about making an impact next year, it's about building a team that will continually make an impact and that takes time.
"We've had a process, we've had success in the transfer market without a massive spend. That's the club we are and that's the area I want us to continue to grow in and that's what we'll do."
The road to the title was far from easy with defeat to Hearts on the opening day of the season.
"For me it was almost a logical start because of the turmoil we were in at that time," he said of the 2-1 loss at Tynecastle.
"By the time that first game came around we had already been knocked out of the Champions League and people could see the kind of line-ups we were putting out were just kind of put together.
"Even that first game, Carl Starfelt arrived on the Friday, trained with the team and played Saturday. Kyogo [Furuhashi] met us at the hotel that day."
But Postecoglou was not willing to change his philosophy as he looked to prove to his many doubters that he could lead Celtic to success.
"I knew people, particularly from the outside, would make their instant observations of 'we were right, this guy doesn't know what he's doing," he added.
"More important to me was what the players saw and that's when I feel, without any arrogance, I'm at my best.
"I really feel a certainty in that space, I tell everyone that if you stick to this process then the outcome you will see will be beneficial to all.
"We'll get there and through this process I will support you.
"At the same time I knew that at this football club I wasn't going to get a year to do it, I was absolutely clear about that."
Also key in the title race was the results in the Old Firm games.
Celtic had not managed a win away from home when they went to Ibrox for their first clash at the end of August and the match ended in a 1-0 win for Rangers.
"My personal view, and I made it after that game, was that we're not going to be in a race with them, we're got to be in a race with ourselves," said the 56-year-old.
"I think that's going to work better because I thought they're going to get a bit of a break on us here, they're going to be a few points ahead and people will say it's over.
"From pretty much that point on I didn't mention any another team whether it be Rangers or any team, it's about us. Let's just do our job."
Fast forward to the first clash at Celtic Park in February where they blew their title rivals away, racing to a 3-0 lead before half-time.
"That created a massive shift for us in terms of going forward," said the manager of the result that ended a seven-game winless run in Old Firms for Celtic.
"I think if we'd got beat that night and Rangers had outplayed us you're going, 'the gap is four points, we've got to play them twice and we've still got to convince people that we're capable of knocking them off'.
"The manner of how everything happened that night, I just thought, 'well okay, now my job is to make sure we stay on course'.
"I think the players and the staff got a real sense of belief out of that game."
Celtic left Ibrox with a 2-1 victory in the following meeting between the sides with the final clash of the season ending in a 1-1 draw.
Postecoglou lifted his first silverware just six months after taking charge at Celtic.
They came from behind to beat Hibernian in the League Cup final and Postecoglou credits that victory with his critics really starting to believe he was getting it right at Parkhead.
"If I'm telling a story and I'm saying this is the next chapter then all of a sudden we don't get anywhere near that, the people start to wobble and have doubts," he said.
"They're born out of our principles so when you get your hands on the trophy, you know why you've got it.
"You've believed in something, you've executed something.
"That again fuels that self-fulfilling belief in the group and in ourselves that if we keep doing this who knows what the next trophy is going to be."
Celtic's biggest weakness was a lack of squad depth and Postecoglou knew success in the January transfer window would be crucial in their title push.
"I said we're in a position now, if we get January right we've got a chance of winning this thing," he added.
"I needed the club now to take a leap of faith in me because I already knew who I wanted, I had already identified the targets.
"To be fair the board, Michael, the club were really supportive saying, 'look Ange, if this is what you want we'll get it done'.
"Once I got that feeling that they were going to back me then I thought, 'okay we'll get those guys in and we'll have a real crack at it from now on'."
Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatete and Yosuke Ideguchi were quickly joined by Matt O'Riley and Johnny Kenny.
As well as winning the title in his debut season, Ange Postecoglou picked out Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton's final game as a standout moment for him.
"Football can be such a brutal business, but I love the ending we've given Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton," he said.
"Especially Tom as there's an association.
"Watching him walking off and saying goodbye, the emotion.
"I think that's a moment that will stand the test of time and it's not just a football moment, but it's what I love about football.
"Football is pretty much an extension of life and at that moment you see a player who has done unbelievable things but he's also a human being.
"You see the effect of this game, that I'm so passionate about, can have on people.
"You couldn't have scripted it that way but it ended up falling in our lap that it could be the perfect ending."
Watch 'Postecoglou: We Never Stop' on Sky Sports Football on Thursday June 16 at 6pm.
