Ange Postecoglou insists fans would be quackers to read too much into Giorgos Giakoumakis being absent at Parkhead.
The Hoops boss insisted the Greek hitman sat out the 4-0 St Mirren stroll due to injury – and he’s not playing ‘ducks and drakes’ games with the support. Giakoumakis is a £4m target for big spending J League outfit Uwara Red Diamonds and MLS Atlanta United. But Postecoglou insisted there’s been no change and he expects the frontman to still be at the club by the weekend.
He said: “I see no reason why not. I just deal with what is in front of me, and until I’m told otherwise or something significant happens. He was here tonight mate, so you could have asked him yourself! He’s still very much part of our set-up, I’m not playing ducks and drakes. He would have been involved if he wasn’t injured. Giakoumakis and Carter-Vickers pulled up sore from the weekend. At a stretch, Giako might be available for Saturday.
"Cam probably will be, but we’ll probably still rest him for Saturday even though it’s nothing significant. Alexandro Bernabei, I just thought I’d rest him tonight because he’s had two big games. He’ll be back in on Saturday (against Morton in the Scottish Cup).”
Postecoglou brushed off transfer talk and hailed his side’s slick display against Saints as Kyogo bagged a double to take his tally to 18 for the season in between goals from Liel Abada and David Turnbull. He said: “I thought we were good, really strong in all aspects of our game.
"We started the game well but, with their long throws, they have the ability to get the ball in the box without really advancing too far up the pitch. So we had to deal with some balls in the box, which I thought we handled well. Aside from that, I thought our football was really good. Our goals were outstanding and there were some great moves that didn’t end up in goals. It was a really strong all-round performance."
Kyogo maintained his red hot form since coming back from the World Cup break. Postecoglou said: “He was pretty decent before that too, mate. I’m struggling to find the flat period that everybody thinks he’s had at some point. Because from the moment he arrived in Scotland, he’s been scoring goals.
"I thought our goals were excellent tonight. His two goals were great from a team aspect because it is stuff we work on.
“The quality of his finishing is outstanding. All four of our goals … I mean, we got another goal from a corner. We are really strong on set-pieces this year - corners for, free kicks for - we are a real threat.
"And it was an outstanding strike from Bull for the last one. Kyogo has been brilliant. I thought Jota was really good as well. I just thought our attacking play was really fluent and dangerous the whole night.”
Postecoglou handed Yuki Kobayashi a debut and the Japan star got pass marks from the manager.
He said: “It’s not easy. He is still adjusting to the football here, the life here. They are a big, strong, physical team, very direct. They launched some balls in the box so we had to deal with that side of the game, which I thought he did quite well.
“I thought he was really good on the ball, really composed. He will get better from that, but as an introduction, a first game, I thought he was good.”
