John Hartson admits he thought Celtic putting their faith in Ange Postecoglou to lead them out of the doldrums last summer was implausible.
But nine months on and he reckons the Aussie is on course to pull off mission IMPOSSIBLE.
In many ways the former Hoops hero believes the Hoops gaffer has already produced a minor miracle by building a team almost from scratch that isn’t just leading the Premiership title race heading into the final straight – but one that’s also united the supporters.
Back in the summer as Eddie Howe hummed and hawed over a move to Celtic Park on the back of a car crash attempt at 10 in a row, the faithful were at breaking point with their club.
Hartson reckons the hostility in the stands had grown toxic.
Postecoglou’s appointment from the J League did little to settle the friction.
But fast forward eight months and the title, never mind an improbable treble, is no longer a pipe dream.
Hartson said: “ Celtic have put themselves in this unbelievable position from nowhere, from nine points behind at one stage.
“At the start of the season, Celtic couldn’t win the league. Impossible. It was a mess that Ange took over. At the time, I said it was a transitional period.
“Look at it: they lost their centre-forward, their best player. They lost their best centre-half. They lost their captain. They didn’t have a manager. The chief executive left – and the team were just: what do we do now?
“They brought in Ange. Nobody has ever heard of him. No disrespect, but people were asking ‘who is this guy?’
“Even me. I said I thought they should be going for somebody with more of a name. It was total ignorance from myself. There were plenty of us ignorant. Who is this guy? What’s he done? Where’s he been?
“But he’s come in and he’s just done unbelievably. The players that he has recruited, the style of football. He has united the full stadium from being very toxic for periods last season.
“The way that they play, the Celtic way, front foot, aggressive, go forward, score goals. To think that they’re the position they are in, and they can possibly win the league, is just remarkable.
“Ange has already said that he wants to win every competition that he goes into. Europe has been disappointing this season, he would acknowledge that and want to improve, but if you look at the Scottish Cup, Celtic are in it to win it.”
Before that all eyes are on the race for the championship with eight matches to go.
Hartson has been involved in some of the mightiest title fights of recent times but he reckons if Postecoglou could guide the Hoops over the line, then his achievement would be up there with some of the greatest.
The Welshman said: “There have been some fantastic titles won. Look at Celtic in ’98, where they stopped Rangers winning the ten. Look at Steven Gerrard last season: extraordinary really, from where Rangers were.
“This one will be remarkable from what Ange took over.
“A few weeks ago, Celtic had two players on the pitch - Greg Taylor and Callum McGregor - who weren’t his signings.
“Think of the impact his signings have made. They bring a young lad over from Benfica on loan. Jota, what a player. Look at Liel Abada, what about his numbers? Incredible., 14 goals from right wing. Look at Kyogo Furuhashi and the three other Japanese players – then the likes of Joe Hart. They wrote Hart off before he had even made a save.
“Anthony Ralston has been excellent. Carl Starfelt has come in for a bit of criticism.
“I still think there are frailties defensively at times, but the way they play. Expansive. Aggressive. Outscore the opposition. Front foot. High intensity. What he demands every single game. Those demands won’t stop.
“Ange has united everyone, united the crowd and brought everyone together. He has given everyone a belief, that’s what he’s done and the team are playing very well.
“He’s very humble, he’s got so much desire and wants to win. He wants to improve players, which he has done and he will appreciate if leaves Celtic down the line with titles and four or five cups, he will be considered as with all the other greats.”
Hartson slammed in 109 goals for Celtic on his way to lifting three titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup.
If it comes to a straight title shoot-out between the two frontlines this time round the former striker is certain Celtic hold their bigger threat up top.
“Celtic have Kyogo to come back. They have Abada, Jota, Maeda and James Forrest back in form. I’d say Celtic are stronger.
“I’m an admirer of Alfredo Morelos. I also like Ryan Kent and think they’re both good players. Morelos this season has stepped up again in Europe. He’s unpredictable and scored over 100 goals for Rangers now.
“But if you ask Barry Ferguson, he’ll say he thinks Rangers will win the league.
“If you ask Ally McCoist, he’d say Rangers. If you ask Chris Sutton, he’d say Celtic – and it’s the same for me.”
“It’s all to play for. There are eight cup finals now.”
Hartson reckons the Hoops were close to hitting top form again in Sunday's 3-1 win at Livingston which ended a 15-year hoodoo in West Lothian.
He said: "I thought they played very well yesterday. I thought they moved the ball really well on the plastic pitch.
"They came out with the right intensity, knowing it would be difficult. It always is at Livingston as their record shows. They had a bit about them in terms of the way they approached it. They pressed high. They never let Livingston out.
"James Forrest had a really good game. And Jota is Jota. When he gets the ball, he wants to make something happen, whether it’s a cross or he goes past somebody.
"I thought the balance of the team looked really good. It was a really good win on a difficult pitch and now there are eight games to go.
"Defensively, they have got a little bit better. It was a really well-earned three points. You can talk about the decisions. It’s not a corner. Celtic get a little bit of luck with the corner.
"But you need these decisions. You need a little bit of luck to go for you when you’re trying to claw back your title. Luck is part of the game. "
● Hartson was promoting exclusively live Premier Sports coverage of Monday’s Dundee United v Celtic from 7.15pm. Premier Sports is available on Sky, Virgin TV, and the Premier Player from £12.99 per month and as extra on Prime by Amazon.
