Ange Postecoglou’s heart is set on building a Celtic squad that can compete with the very best in Europe next season. But the Hoops gaffer is well aware this summer could be more like a game of Jenga.
Postecoglou knows there will be clubs looking to pull away some of the foundations of his team – but the trick is to make sure the gaps are filled so the project can continue to climb. The Jenganomics don’t scare the Aussie though – as he gets a kick out of the construction game. Postecoglou said: “This is probably the first window where we’ll really get tested on some of our key players by other clubs. Our planning is in place, so if that happens, it’s like the Jenga puzzle, before it all collapses we’ll hopefully already have a piece in place to ensure you can take one out and still build strong.
"I like that Jenga analogy! It’s not a precise science. I was trying to be predictive with the January window. We kind of knew Josip Juranovic and Gio Giakoumakis would go. We are losing two very good players who had contributed greatly to our success.
“But was it an opportunity to bring in a couple of younger players who might have a higher ceiling? You don’t know, but the opportunity was there.
“We thought Oh and Alistair Johnston both already looked like good players, they are younger than the guys who left, so potentially could have a higher ceiling if we got it right. That’s always the challenge.”
It’s a challenge Postecoglou relishes. Celtic fans are hoping the manager doesn’t get tempted into attempting a rebuild elsewhere, with Spurs lurking in the background to this week’s Scottish Cup Final against Inverness. But the good news for Hoops fans is the fact the gaffer clearly has assembling a group the Champions League on his mind.
Postecoglou said: “That’s what I do, and what I enjoy doing. Everywhere I’ve been, I haven’t had the luxury of going in when things are going well. Usually, things need building but I love that bit. That whole process of building a team, a culture, a style of play – I love those moments.
“Particularly when you know when not everyone can actually see what you’re trying to do and your belief is tested, everything you do is tested especially if results aren’t coming in those initial stages. It’s the same at European level – this year we didn’t get the results and we know that we’re far from where we need to be, but I saw seeds of growth there.
“Even against the very best there’s times where you’re going ‘we can do something’. Those moments need to be more frequent if you want to make an impact at that level.”
Postecoglou has a plan – and it doesn’t just involve knocking on the boardroom door and asking for a pile of dosh. It’s about becoming Champions League regulars. And that means not taking the eye of the ball when it comes to dominating Scottish football.
Postecoglou said: “It’s more than investment. There are plenty of examples where investment alone is not the answer. This club needs to play Champions League football on a consistent basis, and being in the position where every – if all the stars align – they can make an impact at that level. That’s not going to happen every year, it might be every three or four.
“Hopefully, by being in the Champions League every year, revenues would increase which gives you an opportunity to then look at a different quality of player. But you can’t just have that as your end point, it’s got to be ‘that’ because it gives you ‘this’. You don’t dismiss the Premiership, you don’t just say ‘we want to be champions’.
“You want to be champions to give you an opportunity to go into a space where you can be really challenged, and that’s where your growth happens. If it’s just about being champions for being champions, this club’s got a long, long history of doing that.
“You’ve seen it in the past with Martin O’Neill reaching a European final or at times getting out of the group stage, the growth comes by being consistently in there. I’m sitting here just now and, hand on heart and without the bias of me being the manager, I think we’re a better side than we were 12 months ago. We needed to be to achieve what we have so far.
“That’s got to be the goal next year, to be sitting here saying we are a better team. That doesn’t mean winning the league by 30 points, it may still be a narrow margin, but your football, the way you’re playing, the development of your players has gone to another level.”
Postecoglou can keep the Jenga pieces in the box for now. It’s all about Hampden on Saturday at the moment and the Celtic manager was delighted to see his side roar back to form against Aberdeen on Flag Day after a noticeable post-title win blip.
Celts are not alone in taking the foot off the gas once the league was secured, with the likes of Man City, Napoli and Barcelona spilling points after it mattered. But Postecoglou admitted meaningless games don’t get his juices flowing and likewise his team can turn it on when there’s proper prizes at stake.
He said: “We’ve seen it all over, although Man City’s dip is less noticeable than others. That’s why I’ve been a bit protective of the boys. In that context, they are still disappointed after games.
“But there is an element in the subconscious games that don’t have a consequence have less of an edge. I must have the worst record in friendly games of anyone in the world.
"They don’t rock my boat either, so if I have that, it probably feeds off to the players. Saturday was a game of consequence though – we wanted to finish the season with a statement when we lifted that trophy.”
