ANGE POSTECOGLOU paid tribute to midfield masters Aaron Mooy and Callum McGregor after Celtic’s 2-0 win over Dundee United, joking that he was ‘a lucky man’ to have Mooy in his team.
Rangers manager Michael Beale had previously used the term to describe Postecoglou as he discussed the transfer expenditure available to the Celtic manager, and it clearly still sticks in his mind.
So much so that he gave a pointed retort amid his praise of Mooy when asked about the recent performances of the Australian midfielder, who got his fifth goal in seven games from the penalty spot at Tannadice.
“He has been great since the break,” Postecoglou said.
“I am the least surprised about that. It’s one of these things in football that it literally landed at my doorstep. I knew what I was getting.
“Maybe you can use that term I’m a lucky man.”
As for McGregor, the Celtic captain racked up his 400th appearance for the club in Tayside, and Postecoglou says it is a ‘privilege’ to work with him on a daily basis.
“He was brilliant,” he said.
“We are all pretty privileged to share a dressing room with him.
“The greatest compliment I can pay him is that he plays every game as if it’s his first. He plays every game as if he’s got everything to prove even though he’s done it all. He trains every day like he is the new kid in the building.
“He is an outstanding individual and a credit to himself and his family. And because of the way he is I know there is so much more to come.
“It was great that the lads could get the victory today for the service he has given the club already.”
Postecoglou meanwhile said that chief executive Michael Nicholson was blanking his calls as the closing of the transfer window nears, so he was no clearer on the future of striker Giorgos Giakoumakis or any potential incoming business.
“It’s still sort of in the balance,” he said.
“There are only two days to go and Michael Nicholson’s not taking my calls anymore so I’m not really sure what’s going on the background. I assume everything will be resolved in the next couple of days one way or another. As it stands right now nothing is definite in terms of his next move.
“I’m comfortable with the squad. Even if I wasn’t Michael’s not taking my calls anymore. I think he’s telling me we are done.
“It is probably the strongest squad I have had since I’ve been here. In terms of our depth and our quality.”
