The mantra for his all-conquering Celtic side for the past two years has been ‘We Never Stop’. But for the Aussie at the helm a better-fitting slogan would be ‘No Hanging About’.
Unfortunately for Hoops fans that ethos looks to be following Ange Postecoglou out the door from London Road to London town, leaving his Parkhead revolution feeling like little more than a pit stop on a meteoric management journey. Every one of those supporters should be grateful. It’s easy to forget the sheer scale of the task the former Yokohama F Marinos boss faced when he touched down in the east end of Glasgow two years ago this week after months of prevaricating over Eddie Howe.
As one of the small band of Scottish football media that followed Celtic on their pre-season camp to Wales two summers ago, it was a privilege to get that first insight with the new man in charge. Looking at the squad at his disposal in Newport there was absolutely no hiding the size of the challenge.
Soon-to-depart Ryan Christie, Kris Ajer and Odsonne Edouard watched on as Albian Ajeti took he captain’s armband for the first game under Postecoglou’s charge – a friendly against Sheffield Wednesday. The team line from that game on July 7, 2021, is intriguing considering it fell just 13 days before the Champions League qualifier against Midtjylland.
It read: Barkas, Ralston, Welsh, Murray, Montgomery, Soro, McInroy, Shaw, Henderson, Moffat, Ajeti. But Postecoglou knew what he wanted and how to get it.
He told us: “There are some pretty obvious gaps. I know exactly how I want to play and the kind of players we need. You look at centre-back, wingers, at right-back.”
There was no hanging about for Ange. In came Joe Hart, Carl Starfelt, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Josip Juranovic at the back.
The problems in the wide areas? Jota and Liel Abada arrived as unknowns but quickly had everyone signing their praises. Giorgos Giakoumakis was brought in to add power and goals up front and then, the pièce de resistance, the arrival of Kyogo Furuhashi.
In a few weeks Postecoglou had turned a team that looked dead on its feet into the real deal and after a few early bumps on the road they stormed to the title in sensational style. Could that be bettered? Of course it could and a world record eighth Treble has now been secured in his second season at Parkhead.
What more could be asked of the 57-year-old? This is a man who knows what he wants and won’t wait to be asked twice.
There’s not a minute to waste for the Parkhead hierarchy. The succession plan should already be well underway.
Graham Potter ticks all the boxes. Young, ambitious, forward-thinking, hurting from a failed project and desperate to prove himself. Ask the question then move on if the answer’s no. No hanging about like they did for Howe.
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