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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

Ange Postecoglou revisits Celtic backroom staff decision as he offers 'peculiar' John Kennedy call insight

Ange Postecoglou insists it was never his plan to bring in his own backroom staff at Celtic after initial question marks over John Kennedy's future.

Following a disastrous campaign under Neil Lennon, many expected the Australian to usher in his new backroom team to replace Kennedy and Gavin Strachan when he took the reins.

However, the duo were a key part of the pre-season schedule when Postecoglou arrived in Glasgow's east end before he confirmed they would remain at the club.

After some raised eyebrows, the pair have went on to play a key part in the rebuild at Celtic Park that led to lifting the Premier Sports Cup and the Scottish Premiership title.

Speaking to Australian football podcast From A to Z he revealed it was always his hope he could embrace a new culture with the current team.

When asked about moving to Scotland without any of his own team, the Parkhead boss said: "I started at South Melbourne on my own, I went to Brisbane on my own, I went to Melbourne Victory on my own.

"In the national team, I brought Pete Cklamovski with me and took him to Japan. He was the only one that sort of stuck with me a little bit and then he went off and got a job.

“So the reality is that most of the assistant coaches I’ve had are now full-time coaches and that’s the way I wanted it all along.

"I just prefer it that way. I coach better that way and I love the fact that I can work with new people and get them to believe in what I want to do.

“But I get why it’s kind of peculiar or unique when you consider that it’s pretty standard practice that people do move around.

"Maybe I’ll save that for my last job when all the guys I’ve had as coaches all want to join me when I finally go to Mykonos and take over the side there. I’ll get the entourage going there.”

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