ANGE POSTECOGLOU insists it is “ludicrous” to even attempt to predict the title winners at this stage of the season.
Celtic are seven points clear at the Premiership pinnacle on 26 points after 12 wins and one defeat from their 13 league encounters.
This time last season, the Hoops had lost THREE games and drawn two to shed 13 points.
Postecoglou’s men were being written off by many so-called experts as the new manager attempted to revive and revamp the squad of players he had inherited from Neil Lennon in June last year.
MAN IN THE BACKGROUND…Ange Postecoglou (extreme left) remains out of the spotlight as Callum McGregor and Co celebrate the Premiership title success after the 1-1 draw at Tannadice on May 11.
The team had performed miserably in the quest for a historic tenth successive crown and limped in without silverware for the first time in 11 years. On top of that, they were a ridiculous TWENTY-FIVE points off the pace in the race for the championship that was all but over at the turn of the year.
Postecoglou paid no heed to the criticism as he single-mindedly steered Celtic through choppy waters to take over in pole position for the first time in 18 months following the 3-0 thrashing of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side in February – and they remained in that exalted top spot until the silverware was handed over at the climax of a phenomenal crusade.
The Hoops head for Fir Park tonight to lock horns with Motherwell for the third time this season – the Greek-Australian has seen his side win both, 2-1 in the league and 4-0 in the League Cup – and the manager insisted the mind set of everyone at the club remains as it was at the same stage 12 months ago.
JUST CHAMPION…captain Callum McGregor yells with joy after the 1-1 draw with Dundee United.
JUST CHAMPION…Joe Hart acknowledges the travelling support on Tayside.
JUST CHAMPION…Giorgos Giakoumakis celebrates his goal against United.
Postecoglou, speaking to the Daily Record, said: “I was pretty consistent last year in saying that looking at a table and trying to predict the outcome at this stage is just ludicrous.
“Yeah, we’re seven points ahead, but we were four points behind a year ago and won the league by four points.
“So, nothing changes. It’s not because I’m dismissive of it. Obviously, we are in a strong position, but we need to push on.
“Because, even though there’s been a lot of games, the reality of it is we are only a third of the way through the season. The majority of it is still to come. We’ve got to make sure we keep going.
“We’ve had a really strong start, but the key to us is improving through the season and making an even stronger finish and the rest will take care of itself.”
JUST CHAMPION…Reo Hatate flies the flag at Tannadice.
RESULTS AFTER 13 SPFL GAMES LAST YEAR
Hearts 2 CELTIC 1
CELTIC 6 Dundee 0
CELTIC 6 St Mirren 0
Rangers 1 CELTIC 0
CELTIC 3 Ross County 0
Livingston 1 CELTIC 0
CELTIC 1 Dundee United 1
Aberdeen 1 CELTIC 2
Motherwell 0 CELTIC 2
CELTIC 2 St Johnstone 0
Hibs 1 CELTIC 3
CELTIC 0 Livingston 0
Dundee 2 CELTIC 4
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and best action images from Motherwell v Celtic tonight – only in your champion CQN.
