ANGE POSTECOGLOU becomes a Celtic Centurion when he leads the champions into his 100th game in charge with Hearts providing the opposition at Parkhead tomorrow night.
Coincidentally, the Edinburgh side were the first Scottish club the new Hoops gaffer encountered back in July 2021 when they lost the first Premiership game of the new season.
The club had already been knocked out of the Champions League at the first qualifying stage by FC Midtjylland on a 3-2 aggregate after extra-time in Denmark in the second leg.
SILVER CELT…Ange Postecoglou proudly holds the Premiership trophy on a glorious May day in Paradise.
Postecoglou lost his next two away league outings at Ibrox and Livingston as a title triumph bordered on the impossible.
Displaying the relentless attitude we all recognise today, the 57-year-old former Australia World Cup manager charged ahead and, of course, the Premiership was duly delivered with a 1-1 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice on May 11 last year.
Looking ahead to the first of the double-header against the Edinburgh club that will also take in a Scottish Cup quarter-final clash on Saturday afternoon, Postecoglou said: “With the volume of games we have at this club then it’s not that long in terms of time.
“But I guess 100 games is fairly significant and it would have been fairly long odds when I started the job that I would reach it, so I guess that’s something.
“I don’t think about those things. What I think about is my responsibility at the moment, which is to produce a football team that brings success and that the fans can be proud of.
A BIG HAND…Ange Postecoglou acknowledges the Celtic support.
“That’s the responsibility you have being at this football club, that you understand tangible success in terms of trophies is an expectation.
“I clearly understood that and I knew I had to deliver fairly quickly if I was to be here for 100 games.
“Not because of the club’s stance, but because I know that’s what the club demands.”
Postecoglou, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “From my perspective, my focus is on the football and the team we want to be and the football we want to play.
“With that, what we’ve achieved in just over 18 months has been probably the most pleasing part and we’re well down the track in playing the type of football and being the team I want us to be.
“It means that I can keep accelerating this and make us a more compelling football team and that’s where I probably get the most satisfaction.”
WE’LL SUPPORT YOU EVERMORE…Ange Postecoglou trackside at Parkhead.
Asked about his proudest moment, Postecoglou answered: “The day I was appointed. All you can ever ask in life is for an opportunity and if people give you that opportunity then the rest is up to each individual to take that.
“Being given the opportunity to manage this great football club was the best day for me and I’ve just been working hard ever since to repay that faith that people showed in me.
“There is no target in mind, I’ve never set any goals because I’ve felt setting them means at some point there’s an end point and I don’t want there to be.
“I want to keep improving and pushing the boundaries on how good we can be as a football club.”
The scene is set for a rocking occasion at a pulverising Parkhead tomorrow night when Postecoglou celebrates becoming a ton-up Bhoy.
