Ange Postecoglou

Yaaasss big man, finally calling this * out

 

You feel the pressure beginning to build now. 9 points clear after a draw at Ibrox is the perfect time to call it out.

The +33 them, +8 us stat is damning.

Especially when you throw in the fact Gerrard demanded they get referee decisions when he first joined, and they’ve been the losing team in most of the last 5 years.

 

Finally..well done Ange.

Now for the board to back it up with a statement. This has gone on long enough now.

 

Ange Postecoglou is convinced Celtic should have had a penalty for Connor Goldson's "save" during Monday's Old Firm derby draw at Ibrox.

And the manager believes there is "zero chance" of major decisions against his team being evened up this season.

"Before we even started introducing VAR, it's always been a penalty," he said of the handball incident.

"To be honest, there were only two saves made in the game - one by Joe (Hart) and one by Connor."

Goldson put two hands up in front of his face to stop Carl Starfelt's shot but referee John Beaton played on and video assistant referee Willie Collum did not call a review.

Postecoglou remains baffled by the decision and added other examples of what he believes are inconsistencies.

"I have seen people doing all sorts of mental gymnastics trying to show why it's not a penalty, which probably suggests it is," he said. "If it wasn't, it would be a simple explanation.

"I don't think it is just confined to us as a club, I think there's other clubs probably in the same boat. It's just really confusing now for players in the box to know what they can or can't do because it seems to change depending on who's in charge of the decision-making process. Because there is zero consistency in decisions being made.

"In 25 years of coaching or managing I have always abided by the referee's decision. You would be hard-pressed to find me really criticising any referee in my whole tenure as a manager, because I have always believed these things even themselves out. They are human beings, they make mistakes, we make mistakes, players make mistakes.

"But when I look at the introduction of VAR and the decisions that have gone against us, in particular, there is zero chance that's going to even up between now and the end of the year, because it's remarkable that we have had at least three major decisions go against us.

"You can just say it comes down to interpretation or whatever people want to say but I guarantee if that game had finished 2-2 and it was Rangers that were denied that decision, the talk this week would be how that was a title-defining decision.

"The fact it wasn't because we still got a result, as we have in all the other games, at Tynecastle and here at home, when major decisions went against us, doesn't mean we should ignore it, because a team could get relegated on a decision like that."

Despite his frustration, Postecoglou does not feel it is his role to speak to the referees' department.

"When you see such a vast inconsistency, there is obviously an issue that needs to be resolved and the best people to resolve it are the officials, not me or anyone else outside," he said.

"Even now I don't place any criticism on referees. My issue is there's a real confusion about what is a penalty and what isn't a penalty, what gets referred and what shouldn't get referred. And I don't think I'm the only one in that boat."

 

Huns are up in arms absolutely superb

 

Spot on.

 

When aren't they? Short memories, wasn't Slippy straight out greeting about refs being against them after his first game in charge?

 

He's absolutely correct in what he says. So I fully expect him to now receive a 10 match touchline ban for calling the game into disrepute.

 

Everything Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou had to say in his pre-match press conference before his team's Scottish Premiership game against Kilmarnock...

Can we have an injury update after Monday? How is everybody?

Greg [Taylor] has got a slight hamstring injury and he'll have a scan. It's not too serious but he will definitely miss a couple of weeks. He's the only one out from the game. In terms of the ones returning, they are all closer but none of them are available for tomorrow. It's really just Greg out.

Kyogo was saying he used missing out at the World Cup as a positive and something to spur him on Have you seen that hungrier side of him in training and that he is using that to give him positive energy for the rest of the season?

Yeah, look he is hard to read because he is always smiling and he is always running. It is not one that is noticeable from the outside. Irrespective of his demeanour, he is a very determined young man to be the best he can be. He has been outstanding for us and not just the goals he has scored but his work rate and his energy since the resumption have been really important for us. I think I said before the Rangers game he has been outstanding from the moment he walked in the door. His goal ratio is ridiculous. His input and the energy he gives us in every game is great. He has just been a fantastic player for this football club and I am sure there is more to come.


We were surprised to hear from Kyogo that he is not entirely satisfied with his performance and he thinks he can contribute more. You are probably not surprised to hear that because you know the kind of person he is. Can he contribute more and is that something you do talk to him about?

That is something he demands of himself and something he demands of us. He wants to constantly improve and get better and his role is changing and evolving as the team is evolving because when he first arrived we were establishing our game model. We had certain ways that we could hurt opposition and that is evolving all the time. We are attacking a little bit differently which changes his role and means he becomes a little bit more involved in things. Within the team he wants to improve. He is very determined to be the best he can be. I have no doubt there is more to come from him.

Can we get an update on transfers and players leaving or players coming in. Is there anything you've got to tell us at all?

No. Nothing. That's the update.




We heard from Alistair Johnston and he was talking about the game on Monday and the penalty decision for the handball. For you, looking back at it, what do you think about it now?

It's a penalty. I have seen people do all sorts of mental gymnastics to show why it is not a penalty which suggests that it is, so stop trying to find a reason it's not. If it wasn't there would be a simple explanation for that. It is one of things which it is not just confined to us as a club, as other clubs are in the same boat. It is just really confusing for players in the box to know what they can and can't do. It seems it changes depending on who's in charge of the decision-making process. There has been zero consistency in the decisions being made. My view on this and it has always been the same in 25 years of coaching and managing I have always abided by the referee's decision. You would be hard pushed to find me criticising any referee in my whole tenure as a manager. I have always believed that these things even themselves out. They are human beings, they make mistakes, we make mistakes, players make mistakes, over the course of the season these things usually even themselves out. When I look at the introduction of VAR and the decisions that have gone against us, in particular, then there is zero chance that is going to even up between now and the end of the year because it is remarkable that we have had at least three major decisions go against us. Again we can just say it comes down to interpretation or whatever people want to say but I guarantee you that if that game finished 2-2 and it was Rangers that were denied that decision, then the talk this week would be about how that was a title-defining decision. Now the fact that it wasn't because we still got a result as we have done in all the other games, whether that is at Tynecastle or at home here against us, does not mean that we should ignore it because that could be the team that gets relegated on a decision like that. I still think it needs to be highlighted and there still needs to be clarification. To go back to your original question, it is a penalty in my mind before we even started introducing VAR. It's always been a penalty. There were two saves made in the game, one by Joe Hart and the other by Connor Goldson. That was it.

Have you spoken to anybody about this somebody at the SFA for clarity?

I have spoken to you or whoever else is listening today. I don't think that's my role. I have never seen it as my role. I really have a great respect for officials because they know their job better than I do. I have always said I wouldn't expect a referee to come in here and tell me how to do my job. All I can do is try and convey how our side of the fence sees and feels at the moment. There is a great deal of confusion as to what our players are supposed to do in the box. Is it hands behind the back or is it hands in front of your face but not extended above? That is not on the back of the interpretation of the law, that's on the back of the evidence on decisions made. When you see such a vast inconsistency there is obviously an issue there that needs to be resolved and the best people to resolve it are the officials not me or anyone else outside.



Do you feel that the issue is with the lawmakers and the law itself around handball or the way it is implemented by officials in this country?

As I said that is for the people who are in charge to determine not me. I don't know what goes into a decision. It is not like we are sitting here saying this is the justification from it. There isn't. I'm not talking about ex-referees who are sitting around doing mental gymnastics trying to point out that it is not something or it is something. I'm talking about the officials who we should be sitting down with and saying how can we get some more clarity or consistency around this. Maybe they are thinking that nothing is wrong. I don't know. That's why it is not my position to suggest the way forward because I don't have all the information as I keep saying. People in charge have all that information.

Looking ahead to Kilmarnock, you won 5-0 earlier this season. Do you expect a different game at Parkhead tomorrow?

I think it will be yes. We played well that day. Derek [McInnes] has solidified them since then. They have become a lot more structured. When you come up as a team, it is obviously hard. They are a lot more consistent and it will be a tough test for us tomorrow, especially as we are at home, and it comes down to us and we have both the tempo and the intensity in the game that we know we need to have to put them under pressure. That is still going to be the key cornerstone of our success.

 

Finally the big man has spoken! YASSSSSS

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That's brilliant. He's gave them both barrels and all the while remained as cool as cucumber.

 

Very true....self awareness deficiency as always

 

SUPERB!!!!

 

There were two saves made in the game, one by Joe Hart and the other by Connor Goldson. That was it.

BOOM

 

As the big man said, look at the ridiculous decisions given against us since VAR was introduced and look at the blatantly obvious ones not given for us.

It's a joke. And absolutely no coincidence at all that the one club that are yet to have a single penalty given against them this season is the huns.

It would've 100% been given had it been the other way around.

 

Great to see ange calling out the cheating Hun cnuts.HH

 

This has been going on since 1888, the only difference now is they have VAR which is a second ref