JOHN HARTSON insists if Ange Postecoglou can turn around a 25-point deficit from last season into a title-winning performance “it would be the biggest league win of all time”.
Celtic blew the opportunity of a historic tenth successive championship during a wretched term which saw them out of the league race shortly after the turn of the year.
Inexplicable displays and unacceptable results eventually cost Neil Lennon his job in February – only two days after a dreadful 1-0 loss to relegation-threatened ‘Ross County at Dingwall.
Steven Gerrard saw his Ibrox side lift their first title in a decade as they eased to the flag on the run-in with the Hoops in turmoil and John Kennedy in charge in an interim basis for the last 10 games of the programme.
Postecoglou got off to a losing start when Hearts claimed a late winner at Tynecastle, but there have been signs of recovery with Sunday’s 6-0 romp against Dundee following a 4-2 triumph over Jablonec in the Czech Republic.
In the meantime, Gerrard’s team have suffered three losses in succession, back-to-back 2-1 defeats from Malmo to obliterate their Champions League hopes and a 1-0 setback against Dundee United at Tannadice sandwiched in between the Euro dismissal.
Hartson, speaking on Go Radio, said: “Celtic are on the up, if Ange was to go and win the league this season at Celtic, it would be the biggest league win of all time.
“When you think where Celtic have had to come from, changing the manager, he’s come in with no director of football, no head of recruitment, he’s almost picking the players himself, so we’re led to believe. He’s almost had to build a new team right from the goalkeeper all the way up to a centre-forward.
“Listen, it can be done, I think there’s a bit more investment to come in at Celtic – I think they will bring in another three, four, possibly five players before now and the end of August.
“They are going to even stronger again. I said at the start of the season it’s Rangers’ title to lose, I still believe that, on the strength of how well they did last season.
“But things can change very, very quickly in football as we know.”
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report on Celtic v Jablonec this evening – only in your champion CQN.
