ANGE POSTECOGLOU kicked off his Celtic Premiership career back on July 31 2021 in Edinburgh, the last time the Hoops played Hearts at Tynecastle on a Saturday evening.
Three days before the danger-laden trip to the capital, the new boss, a surprise appointment to many as Neil Lennon’s successor the previous month – June 10, to be precise – had already seen the team knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers on a 3-2 aggregate by the Danes of FC Midtjylland.
The pressure was already on the Greek-born former Australia international team chief as he attempted to revive the fortunes of an ailing side who had trudged through a minefield of mistakes the previous season as the historic bid for ten successive titles was blown shortly after the turn of the year.
A 2-0 collapse to Ross County at a Covid-deserted Parkhead saw the team feebly eliminated from the League Cup in November 2020 to dynamite any possibility of completing another silverware clean sweep.
DEBUT BHOY…Ange Postecoglou watches as Kyogo Furuhashi replaces Liel Abada late in the game at Tynecastle, all three making their Celtic league debut.
Hopes of any sort of trophy were obliterated at Ibrox five months later when the team’s four-year Scottish Cup reign ended with a tame 2-0 loss where on-loan Everton right-back Jonjoe Kenny added to the misery by putting through his own goal for the killer second goal before half-time.
Highlighting another error-strewn display, Odsonne Edouard fluffed a late penalty-kick with a puny effort that was easily saved by Allan McGregor.
Lennon had already been sacked in February after a miserable outing in Dingwall where the team folded to a 1-0 reverse against Ross County.
Assistant John Kennedy took charge as the stricken line-up limped through the remainder of their first trophyless season in 11 years.
As former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe hummed and hawed over making a decision about moving to Scotland, former chief executive Peter Lawwell, now the club chairman, of course, put an end to the will-he-or-won’t-he saga by offering the job to Postecoglou who unhesitatingly welcomed the challenge.
LOOKING DOWN…Ange Postecoglou with a lot to ponder at Tynecastle.
So, following a 1-1 draw with FC Midtjylland in front of a scattering of fans in the east end of Glasgow, the ex-Yokohoma F Marinos chief saw the Hoops lose 2-1 in extra-time in the second leg to crash out of Europe’s elite competition, despite new captain Callum McGregor giving the visitors the lead.
Big Ange, 55 at the time, realised he was stepping onto thin ice in Edinburgh against a revitalised Hearts team who were on a high after winning the Championship title the previous term to seal their return to the top flight.
Eight of the Celtic performers utilised by the Greek-Australian that fateful evening just under three and a half years ago are no longer at Parkhead.
Gone from Ange’s first squad for his league baptism are Starfelt, Nir Bitton, Liel Abada, Ismaila Soro, Tom Rogic, David Turnbull, Ryan Christie and Edouard.
Scott Bain, now third in the goalkeeping pecking order behind Kasper Schmeichel and Viljama Sinisalo, Anthony Ralston, Greg Taylor, James Forrest, Kyogo Furuhashi and McGregor are the survivors.
For the match against Robbie Neilson’s outfit, Postecoglou was forced to throw in central defender Carl Starfelt, who had arrived in Scotland just a few days earlier after his £4.2million switch from Russian club Rubin Kazan.
Eleven minutes from the end of the contest, Kyogo, who had barely touched down in Glasgow Airport following his £4.6million recruitment from J-League side Vissel Kobe, was pitched in as a substitute for Abada with the score standing at 1-1 as the new manager bravely went for three points.
JUST CAPITAL – FOR THE TIME BEING…Anthony Ralston is congratulated by James Forrest and Callum McGregor after netting Celtic’s equaliser against Hearts.
Alas, it was not to be a happy introduction to the Premiership for Postecoglou, Starfelt or Kyogo.
A headed goal from John Souttar in the fading moments gave the hosts a 2-1 triumph. Ex-Celt Gary Mackay-Steven had opened the scoring in the first-half after some comic cuts defending from the opposition, but that was nullified by a superb effort from Ralston nine minutes after the turnaround.
The Scotland international right-back finished off a quickfire passing exchange involving Turnbull, Soro and Edouard before rifling an unstoppable effort beyond his one-time Hoops team-mate Craig Gordon.
And it looked as though the visitors had taken the lead on the hour mark when Abada whipped a low left-wing cross from Taylor into the net from close range. Referee Bobby Madden, no stranger to controversy when Celtic were in the vicinity, ruled it out in bewildering circumstances.
It was adjudged the defender’s big toe was in an offside position before he sent over the inviting ball. Welcome to Scotland, Ange!
There was gloom and doom around Parkhead as the Celtic team coach returned from Edinburgh that evening. Grey skies appeared to be gathering and folk who should know better were already forecasting a second consecutive season of turmoil and pain for all connected with Celtic.
Postecoglou, though, refused to panic and instead turned to philosophy to say: “There’s no doubt in mind that as the season goes on, we’ll get stronger and we’ll see how far that takes us.”
FROM THE TORMENT AT TYNECASTLE TO THE TRIUMPH AT TANNADICE…Ange Postecoglou celebrates his first title success as Celtic manager.
Having been around the block a few times, I took the opportunity to remind CQN readers that the last time the Hoops had lost in a league opener was also in Edinburgh, at Easter Road and that had been 24 years ago at the start of the 1997/98 season when Hibs beat Wim Jansen’s side 2-1.
Celtic, of course, recovered to go on and with their first title in a decade.
Happily, Big Ange followed the Dutchman by repeating the feat when he overcame the early obstacles to guide the team to the crown, sealing the flag with a 1-1 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice on May 11 the following year.
He enjoyed the sensation so much he returned to Tynecastle on May 7 2023 to beat Hearts 2-0 courtesy of strikes from Kyogo and Oh Hyeun-gyu to lift a second successive crown.
Now, as the champions prepare for the 7.45pm kick-off at Tynecastle on Saturday, it’s over to Brendan and the Bhoys to provide another evening of celebration in the capital.
ALEX GORDON
