Paul Lambert ended up a Champions League champion in his first ever venture into European football’s top competition. But he was playing in a side brimming with World Cup and European Championship winners.
That’s why the former Celtic skipper insists there’s no way the Hoops’ Euro rookies should be criticised for failing to even register a single group stage victory on their return to the top table in the past eight weeks. Lambert had to learn quick when he left Motherwell to join Borussia Dortmund in a sensational transfer 26 years ago.
He did just that and ended up getting his mitts on the biggest prize of all in his first year when the Bundesliga giants dumped Juventus in Munich’s Olympic Stadium. But the former midfielder, now 53, admits he was swept along by a Dortmund side brimming with superstar quality like Karl Heinz-Reidle, Andreas Moller, Paulo Sousa, Stephane Chapuisat and Matthias Sammer.
Other than Joe Hart and James Forrest the current Celtic side was bare in terms of experience at the top level. And Lambert says that’s key as Ange Postecoglou looks to take the next step with the Hoops. He's heard the criticism of the Aussie boss’ bold style leaving the Parkhead side wide open to ruthless Real Madrid and RBLeipzig as they ended the campaign with just two points from six games - their worst ever tally.
But he doesn’t expect Postecoglou to deviate one bit if, as he expects, his old side win the Premiership and book a rapid return to the groups next year. More to the point he doesn’t think he should change his style. After Wednesday’s 5-1 beating in the Bernabeu, Postecoglou was at pains to stress his players would learn from the chastening experience. But when asked if the manager too might need to learn lessons and come up with a more pragmatic approach to some games Lambert was categoric.
He said: “No. Not at all. The manager will make the decisions that he thinks are right for the club. Nobody can say how Ange Postecoglou wants to play - he is the manager of the club and will find ways to win games. I have no doubt that he will find ways. They could have gone to Madrid and sat in, saying we’re going to lose anyway so just try and keep the score down.
“But they had a go, they missed a penalty at 2-0, forced Courtois into a few good saves and scored a great goal. A manager should never change his belief just because of what others are saying. It’s got to be his way. He knows he’s got to get results. He knows the players the best, he knows how to play them and what their strengths are.
“Every system has a flaw. There’s not a system invented that hasn’t. Real Madrid can play 4/4/2 or 3/5/2 or 3/4/1/2. Whatever they like because great players can play any system and adapt to it. Ange has a set system with Celtic and if they manage to get a few lads in to help the current squad they will be in a stronger place.
“I’m sure there will be discussions going on to prepare for if they get back into the Champions League again and Ange will be saying what he needs to help take the next step. When I won it I had to adapt really quickly. I’d just left Motherwell to join Dortmund and had to step up because suddenly I was dining at the top table.
“But I had world class players beside me who had won the competition before and others who had been World Cup winners - that made it easy. Guys like Moller, Chapuisat, Reidle, Sousa, Jurgen Kohler .. they catapulted me onto a new level.
“This Celtic team are basically all learning this level together. They are stepping into an environment like the Bernabeu wondering what’s coming in terms of style of football because they’ve never been there before. Only after experiencing that do you learn. So if they can win the league this year and get back into the group stage then I’m sure they will be even better equipped to compete.
“That’s great because it was fine margins in so many of the games this season - they missed big chances in the two draws with Shakhtar and there were opportunities not taken in the other games too. What the manager will do is analyse the six games and work out what can make the difference. Is it another midfielder? A striker to help or a defender to help?
“Celtic can hold their heads up high for what they did in the group. There wasn’t too much wrong. You just have to take the chances when they come along at that level. I was at the Shakhtar Donetsk game the other week and even just walking up to the game there was such a good vibe. The fans believe in Ange. He has the backing of the board too. It’s all looking good.”
Lambert knew the Hoops had their work cut out as soon as he saw them landed in a group alongside the holders Real Madrid, big spending Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and Ukranian powerhouses Shakhtar Donetsk. But even without registering a victory, he reckons Postecoglou’s side did make their mark on the tournament.
He said: “I know German football well, I know Marco Rose and Leipzig were always going to be a real tough opponent. The challenge of facing Real Madrid goes without saying. The unknown one was Shakhtar Donetsk. Compare the resources of those three clubs to Celtic and it’s incredible. Then you realise it’s not a level playing field.
“But Celtic competed. They were excellent for an hour at home to Madrid. Shakhtar home and away they had chances to win. Same with Leipzig. Celtic competed, they were always in games, and that’s something that has to be a positive looking ahead to hopefully returning next season.”
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