TOM Boyd believes that Ange Postecoglou has transformed Celtic’s fortunes just like his former manager Wim Jansen did – thanks to displaying the same singlemindedness as the celebrated Dutchman.
But Boyd, who was captain at Parkhead in 1998 when Jansen’s side won the Scottish title and stopped Rangers from completing 10-In-A-Row, has confessed that he is doubtful he would get a start in the Greek-Australian coach’s ultra-offensive side.
The Scotland left back had lifted just one trophy – the 1995 Scottish Cup – in five-and-a-half years in the East End of Glasgow when ex-Netherlands internationalist Jansen took over.
The former European Cup winner and World Cup finalist signed Craig Burley, Jonathan Gould, Darren Jackson, Stephane Mahe, Henrik Larsson, Paul Lambert and Marc Reiper, got his new-look side playing attractive football and won the League Cup and Premier League double.
His old skipper - who attended the launch of Mastermind, the new biography of Jansen, at Celtic Park on Sunday – can recall how the former Feyenoord and Ajax defender cum midfielder could be stubborn about tactics.
He was impressed that Postecoglou stuck to his attacking principles during the first few months of his debut season when performances and results fell some way short of what supporters demanded and can see similarities between the Greek-Australian and his predecessor.
“Remember when Wim came here,” he said. “He was like that in terms of having his style of play and imposing the Dutch style. Ange is a slight variation of that with the high pressing. But Wim stood by his beliefs and ultimately that worked out for us.
“A manager has to do that and that is what Ange is doing. The impact Ange has had and the addition of good players coming in is hopefully a recipe for success and that has been the case so far. It has been great to watch. If this is it at its peak then I tell you what I think every Celtic supporter will be happy.”
“I wouldn’t have got a game in this team! Honestly, running up and down? When I played at full-back I got smarter as I got older and I developed that attacking sense. But I don’t think my goalscoring record was anything to be proud of. I would just set them up for others.”
Boyd was impressed with the Celtic performance in their Champions League opener against Real Madrid despite the final scoreline – the holders ran out comfortable 3-0 winners – and is hoping they continue to play “Angeball” against Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw in their second Group F match tomorrow evening.
“I think it’s about being brave enough to go and do that,” he said. “We have tried it so many times by going and just sitting in and defending and that has not worked. So why not go and have a go.
“Goals change games. Had we scored against Real Madrid it might have given us something, a wee cushion, and we might have gone on to get another outstanding victory. But it didn’t happen. But going to these sort of places it is worth having a go and testing these other teams.
“I would rather see the team have a go than sitting in and defending and getting beat. That has been the case for us some times.
"What we want to do is get back to getting performances and getting the crowd behind us. We have lost our way a wee bit in terms of some of the results we had at Parkhead when it was a fortress many, many years ago. I am sure that is what we want to try and get back to.
“We have got a couple of difficult away games coming up. We will see what it is like when Donetsk and Leipzig come back here again. We will hope for the same intensity from the fans and the players. I would hope for different outcomes and results.”
“It is for Ange to decide. But I don’t imagine he will change his philosophy in terms of the way he wants to play. I wouldn’t imagine those clubs will be as good defensively as Real Madrid. We will wait and see how that develops.
“But there could be a chance (to progress in Europe). It is still difficult. We now have two away games and that is a hard start to the campaign. We have played the European champions first and then we have two away games. It is a very difficult start.”
