He admits he’s never thought of himself as an underdog but Ange Postecoglou recalls when he had no option but to confront that reality.
Which is why he is treading warily ahead of this evening’s Scottish Cup Final with so-called no-hopers Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The Celtic boss has walked in Billy Dodds’ shoes. He knows what it’s like to be written off before a ball has been kicked and recognises how that scenario can make the underdog snarl and strain at the leash just a little more strenuously.
Postecoglou’s job is to avoid being bitten and remembering how he felt in January 2000 – three weeks before Inverness went ballistic at Parkhead to knock Celtic out of the Scottish and send John Barnes to the dole queue – will, he hopes, keep him out of harm’s way. The first ever World Club Championships, held in football-crazy Rio de Janeiro, and Postecoglou’s South Melbourne part-timers were locking horns with Manchester United and Brazilian kings Vasco da Gama, in arguably the most iconic stadium on the planet – the Maracana. And, the Australian remembers with a smile, a remit to avoid the predicted hammerings that FIFA feared would kill in its infancy the credibility of its fancy, shiny new tournament.
Sir Alex Ferguson had caused outrage in England by pulling Manchester United from the FA Cup. The eyes of the world were on Rio and South Melbourne, who had qualified by winning the Oceanic Cup in Fiji, were thrown in at the deep end.
They lost 2-0 against both big guns and suffered a 3-1 defeat to Mexican outfit Nexaca but were hailed for saving the tournament.
Asked if he recalled Celtic’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of Inverness the same season, Postecoglou said: “I do remember it. I was surrounded by Celtic fans at the time. We had been to the Club World Cup in the January. Man United had pulled out of the FA Cup that year and that happened in the Scottish FA Cup. I do remember it and I remember the headline.
“We were underdogs by a fair way. We were semi-pro at the time and it was one of the UK tabloids that had a photo of our star striker, who at the time was working at a pump station, filling up a car. The headline said something like ‘Man United gives up FA Cup to play petrol pump attendant.’
“It’s fair to say we were underdogs but what a tournament. We loved it, pushed teams all the way and gave a good account of ourselves. We were taking on the most famous teams in the world at the Maracana and this was the first World Club Championships so there was so much attention.
“I remember Sepp Blatter visited our hotel the day before and for him to measure the success of the tournament was that we couldn’t have been beaten by double figures because it would have destroyed the whole concept.
“We had Vasco de Gama in the first game and they had five World Cup winners. We lost 2-0 and he came to the hotel and threw a party. I have never seen anyone both so ecstatic and relieved in all my life – ’thank God, you’ve made the tournament’ was the feeling. It was incredible.
“We used that for the tournament… they are not going to rate us… Vasco de Gama will take it easy and be looking at the next game against Man U… we have to try and take advantage of that. That is why we were competitive on the day. Obviously we didn’t win the match but we were competitive. So I’m well aware of the power that has if your opponent underestimates you.”
Postecoglou may not hang around these parts much longer. Spurs are fluttering their eyelashes and will promise riches beyond his wildest dreams – and if the 57-year-old is lured to London, he doesn’t want an ICT-sized stain on his CV.
He knows the history and not just the Trebles, trophies and triumphs. Caley Thistle’s Scottish Cup win over Celtic in February 2000 cost Barnes his job. Martin O’Neill suffered a cup defeat in the Highlands in 2003, just days after knocking Liverpool out of the UEFA Cup en route to Seville.
A 3-2 league defeat in Inverness in the third last game of the 2010/11 season cost Neil Lennon the title and in the 2015 Scottish Cup semi-final it was Ronny Deila’s turn as John Hughes’ team turned them over 3-2 to deny the Norwegian a Treble.
Postecoglou does not want his name added to that list and is adamant Dodds’ side have been given his complete attention in the run-up to the final. Asked if he had been told about Caley Thistle’s capacity for making life difficult for Celtic in the past, the Aussie smiled and said: “Oh yeah, oh yeah. On a daily basis.
“That is the most pertinent question. That’s what is going to be on me for the rest of my career [if Celtic lose]. Irrespective of what happens to me next. I’m not going to let that happen. It’s not all in my power obviously. But I’m going to make sure we are going to be absolutely well prepared to deliver on the day.”
READ NEXT
