Ange Postecoglou has cut an emotional figure over the past few days and understandably so. He has made no secret of the fact that it was his ambition to manage in Europe and to come to one of the most famous clubs in the world in the form of Celtic and guiding them to a Premiership title, and a Scottish League Cup, in his first season in charge, must be a remarkable feeling.
Postecoglou must be proud of what he has achieved, especially considering the fact that the odds were stacked against him when he arrived. The Hoops had finished 25 points behind the Rangers last season and did not even come close to winning silverware. On top of that, several key players left the club in the summer as well.
While many fans might have been disappointed with the appointment of Postecoglou, it is safe to say that he has become a cult figure amongst the support over the course of the season.
It is not just the results on the pitch but the connection that the manager has built with the supporters. As reported by the Daily Record, Postecoglou paid tribute to the Celtic fans on Australian TV, as he said:
"“It means so much to the people here. They’re not supporters, they’re not fans. They’re attached to this club. This club is their way of life.“The fixtures come out and they manage their lives around that. How the team performs affects them, affects their mood and how they feel about the week ahead – it’s everything to them.“So to be able to deliver and just see the joy it brings them is incredible.”"
Postecoglou pays beautiful tribute to Celtic fans after title win
Postecoglou could not simply have put it better and that just goes on to show that he understands the Celtic fans.
We can only hope that this is the start of the Postecoglou era and that there is a lot more success to come over the coming weeks, months and years.
One can expect the club to strengthen even further in the summer as Celtic will return to the Champions League next season after many years. As we all know, there’s nothing like an European night at Parkhead. Hopefully Postecoglou’s side will shine under the lights.