Ange Postecoglou

Everything Ange Postecoglou had to say to Sky Sports in the immediate aftermath of Celtic's SPFL Premiership match against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park...

What's your assessment of today's game?

Outstanding first half. The boys were bringing their football, our attitude and our intent. It was a big game last week so you're kind of looking to make sure the boys are still focused and it was outstanding. Second half we got a bit sloppy, never really got into any sort of rhythm, lot of stop-starts. But overall, knowing the challenge that was there before us today, a great job.

How key was the start?

I thought it was important. I mentioned before the game I thought we needed some energy and the guys coming in I thought it gave us that. The whole group in general really sort of came out with real intent. As I said, it was a big game last week so there's always a danger after having such a big win that maybe the boys are not right at it but they were great.

The second half - was it Kilmarnock shutting up shop or do you feel you could still do more?

Yeah, a combination. They got a little bit more aggressive and we got a little bit sloppy with some of our passing and some of our movement. It's a timely reminder to us that we still could've scored goals but we weren't anywhere near as fluid. But the boys stuck strong in there and done what they needed to do.

You mentioned the boys coming in, what did you make of their performances?

I thought they were brilliant. Tomoki [Iwata] was excellent in midfield and Yuki [Kobayashi] it's a big physical challenge on that surface and I thought he handled it really well. And it was good to get Sead some minutes so yeah the boys who came in did a good job.

 

Interviews and managers responses can be a hard listen..

I've swerved loads down the years, probably most of them..

I could listen to him all day about football, anything actually..

I'd love to bump in to him out down here or that by chance..

 

Genuinely of them people when they talk you listen. Not very many folk I'd say that about.

 

Every word Ange Postecoglou had to say in his pre-match press conference before Celtic's home Premiership match against Motherwell..


There were reports earlier this week about Cameron Carter Vickers suggesting he might need surgery before the season out on his knee injury. Are you able just to bring us up to speed with the situation? Are we likely to see him playing again this season?

Cameron's trained all week and he will play tomorrow. The only reason he didn't play last week was because of the surface. I mentioned that before the game. He's trained all week and he's ready to go and from a fitness perspective, nothing else changes. All the other lads are closer and training but they won't make it this weekend.



Is he likely to have to undergo surgery?

Mate, he's playing tomorrow. He's playing tomorrow. So that's where it begins and ends. I can't predict the future. If he gets through tomorrow, he'll play next week. So that's how it is.

In terms of the game tomorrow, if you win that, that's eighteen wins in a row that goes past the 17-match winning run set by Brendan Rodgers and would see you really starting to close in on the clubs' record. How aware are you of all of that? Is that the kind of thing as a manager and as a group, you look at or you're motivated by, and what do you make of all of that?

No, it's not a focus for us. Obviously, the consistency of the lads in terms of performance and result and these kinds of things get mentioned along the way. We've been really good at just sort of focusing on what the next challenge is because the reality of it is all that becomes irrelevant if we don't win. You can look beyond tomorrow and say if we do this and that and the other but unless we win tomorrow, all those kinds of things dissipate. I think our main motivation and our motivation always is that we want to play well tomorrow, can we play our best football and get another win, particularly at home in front of our supporters and score some goals and get closer to our overall target, which is to win the title again.


What are you expecting from Motherwell tomorrow as they've got a new manager in place since the last time you played them at Fir Park?

Yeah, that's not unusual, though, to be fair, I think most teams we are playing have got a new manager these days. Stuart's done awfully well, to be fair to him. I think they obviously made a decision on a change of manager. I still think they are always a very competitive side anyway. But Stuart certainly gave them a real lift and their form is really good and they're actually creating a lot of chances. Kevin Van Veen's been outstanding up front for them. So it is a good challenge for us. But you know we're at home and you kind of know we haven't got too many more home games to go. So we want to make sure that we put on a good performance. for our supporters, and as I said before, you know, it edges us closer to our ultimate goal.

I know you say it's about one game at a time for you. You've obviously got the Scottish Cup semi-final next weekend in terms of the players who are out still out injured are you hoping that they'll be back for that game?

Yeah. I don't really think about it, to be honest. I'm worried about tomorrow. If we get through tomorrow and then we'll see. Hopefully, we get through tomorrow unscathed. Then we'll work through the week next week and say he's available for the game then. But right now we're just focused on making sure we have a strong team out there. To win tomorrow.




This is the last time you'll play before the split. Do you think in this section these 11 games, having won them all, you think it's the best football you've played?

I mean, I don't know about the split or what sort of the timelines you're talking about but I think I've already said sort of since the World Cup, I think our form and our football's been really strong and I think it's been better than the first half of the year when I thought we were still really excellent. As I said, the key for us now is to finish the season strong. I mean, irrespective of what we've done so far. We've got six games to go in the league plus the cup semi-final next week and if we can finish with our best form now, it'll put us in a good place because as I said, since the start of the year, we've been really consistent and getting stronger every week.

Just going back to Motherwell, you're talking there about how often managers change in the top flight in football in general. How difficult is that for you and your coaching staff to sort of get to grips quickly with a new manager? Is it hard? Do you feel that managers come in and change much at teams?

This depends on the sort of manager and depends on the circumstances they've taken over. The reality is they're very rarely is there a major shift unless you know there's a transfer window in place and where the team can change during that time. I think there's more sort of emphasis on it, if a manager's gone through a transfer window, then you know that he's had an opportunity then to implement some part of his style. That may determine a bit of a shift, but I don't think ones that happen quickly. And mean that there's too much of a change in the team. You're going to face.




How pleased have you been with the way the January signings have settled in over the last few months and the impact they have made so far?

They've all been good. They've all contributed and they've all settled in really well within the football club and just generally with life here in Scotland. That's the most important thing for us is to make sure that they've adjusted to everything they need to so they can then perform when required. I think they have all made an impact and made a contribution to the team. Again in every window, we want to try and come out of it a little bit stronger than what we've gone into it and I think that's certainly the case for January.

This is almost the end of your second season obviously and it has been a success when you look back is there one thing that you can pick out that you've enjoyed most about Scottish football?

Not really at the moment because you know sort of on how you said our season has been a success, but we haven't finished it yet and we'll determine the success or otherwise of it at the end of it. From my perspective, that's where all my focus is. I don't really think about things beyond that in terms of reflection or I think there's enough at the moment going on with whether that's with what's left of this season or beginning to plan for next season. All these kinds of things take up your time and yeah, I guess the time for reflection will come. Once this season is done but right now we haven't really changed anything we do. We know there's a game tomorrow that's the most important thing on everyone's minds, including mine, and anything outside of that. We tend not to spend too much time thinking about other stuff.




Could I just ask you about the women's team under Fran Alonso? They've obviously got a big semi-final at the weekend and they're back in their own title race. Does it show just how well the club is performing overall with the success of both teams on the pitch?

Look, it's pleasing. I mean, Fran has been doing an outstanding job for a number of years now and the girls every year are looking to improve and you can see where their ambitions lay in terms of trying to bring more silverware to the club. It's great to see that each team has its own individual journey and individual way of doing things. You can see that within I guess all the clubs will represent as represented us this year whether that's Fran with the women's team or the B team, there's been a real focus to try and be the best we can be and hopefully, the girls finish off the season strong and then bring some more silverware to the club.






Tomoki Iwata has been really impressive - how pleased have you been in relation to how well he's settled down to the club and the team when he's been given the opportunity?

Yeah, look I am really pleased. He's one of those that I knew really well because I've already managed him before so I kind of knew what I was getting. Tomoki or Tomo, as the boys are calling him as they got to turn him Scottish somehow! Anyway, he's just a really strong will determined footballer who I always knew would always try and be the best he can be. So even before I brought him in here, I knew that he would add to our environment just because of the way he goes about things. If you ask the lads I think they'll all tell you the same thing. He's just an unbelievable trainer and he is unbelievable in the gym as he does everything right, which I knew he would, but he's also a quality player and I think he brings something different to our midfield. He's a little bit of a hybrid.

Even though he looks like he sort of plays defensive midfield. His background is that he almost started as a wing-back then he became a sort of central defender in a back three with a licence to go forward. He's got immense running power and is really strong. He's very mobile and he's technically very good on the ball. I like the fact that when we play him in the midfield he'll keep growing, obviously once he adjusts more, I think you'll find he'll be one of these players who will play that role very differently from anyone else. I was starting to see elements of that and I've been a bit probably cautious about how much game time I've given him because I remember last year just overloading the guys who had just come off a full Asian season. That can be to their detriment and easing him in means that he'll finish strong. Whatever games we've got left he'll be great and then he can do a full pre-season with us and be ready for next year. I am really pleased with him but probably the least surprised about how he's going because I knew what I was getting before he came.

 

He is the sacred giver of life to all things. Darkness trembles before him.

 

This depends on the sort of manager and depends on the circumstances they've taken over. The reality is they're very rarely is there a major shift unless you know there's a transfer window in place and where the team can change during that time. I think there's more sort of emphasis on it, if a manager's gone through a transfer window, then you know that he's had an opportunity then to implement some part of his style. That may determine a bit of a shift, but I don't think ones that happen quickly.

Unless of course the manager is Postecoglou and the club is Celtic. LOL

 

Did he though he maybe laid the foundation as in winning philosophy again but the team only had like 2 Mon players left mainly because the wages got stripped back strachan wage budget was cut in half and they managed to make last 16 with arguably harder groups


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

There's definitely recency bias with Ange.
Hes such a likeable character and is on course but let's not jump the gun yet with comparing him to MON etc.

I'm sure we heard all this under Rodgers too and look how quickly things can turn in football.

We need to win/compete in Europe next season which Mon, Strachan and even Lennon managed.

 

On Chelseas shortlist now. Doubt they'll go after him though

 

No idea why he brought Iwata off, very strange sub.

Easy to say he got the team wrong today, but the only change I'd have really made was starting Oh instead of Haksabanovic.

He's allowed an off day, better today than next week.

 

TBF, Iwata wasn’t really offering much in going forward, was really only recycling the ball. Needed attack minded midfielders, thought it was the right sub, we were gash in the final third, missing sitters etc.

 

Was poor..

Also so was putting Kyogo right wing initially..

He'd have been better sticking Kyogo in the 10 and Oh straight up top..

Also getting Bernabei on for Taylor for the width and Maeda off for Turnbull to go inside..

Aw well. Can see a few rockets being dished out by the big man..

 

Aye, wouldn’t want to be in that dressing room if it was optional, I’d give it a miss because there’ll be some proper words and truths exchanged today.

 

His interviews should be interesting

 

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou admits his players dropped below the standards they have set and reckons they looked 'desperate' in their bid to score a winner during their draw with Motherwell.

It was the first time since Rangers drew 1-1 at Celtic Park in May last year that the Hoops have dropped points at home in the league and it's just the third time anywhere all season they haven't taken all three points. Oh Hyeon-gyu had a great chance late on from a Rocco Vata cross but he put it wide of the target when he should have scored and there was a couple of chances for Kyogo that were well saved by Liam Kelly.


And Postecoglou admits it was a disappointing performance from his side and they'll be working hard on the training pitch this week to ensure there isn't a repeat when they face Rangers at Hampden next week. The Scottish Cup semi-final is a huge match as Celtic look to leave their rivals trophyless while the Ibrox men want to end any chance of another Hoops treble.


It's those standards that the Aussie expects and he was annoyed by the fact they didn't get that today but he still felt they had the chances to win the game.

He told BBC Scotland: "Disappointing outcome and the performance wasn’t the level we have been reaching. First half was okay and we scored our goal and had opportunities to get a second but we conceded a really poor goal and from there we still had chances to win it but there was desperation around out game and we couldn’t get it.

"I think we were in control of the game for the whole match but when you concede a goal like we did today it gives the opposition something to defend and an extra bit of energy to defend a bit more desperately and we lacked a bit of composure.




We created chances we’re normally good at taking but we didn’t today and that’s the game of football. We have to lick our wounds and move on.




That’s the standards we want to set and we fell short of them and we’re disappointed. The players want this situation and be the team who sets standards and push to new levels. There’s going to be time when you stumble and you just need to go again.

"It’s another little challenge for us. We’ll review it and get back to training and work hard for next week

 

Everything Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou had to say to BBC Radio Scotland in the immediate aftermath of the Hoops' SPFL Premiership match against Motherwell at Parkhead...



What were your thoughts on the match and the result?

Obviously, it was a disappointing outcome and our performance was not at the level we have been reaching. I thought in the first half we controlled the game really well and scored our goal and had some good opportunities to get a second. We conceded a really disappointing and poor goal and from there we still had chances to win it but there was a bit of desperation around our game and we just didn't get the goal we needed.


Can you put your finger on why it didn't click as you used the word desperation did the players not show their usual composure?

We were in control of the game for the most part...well the whole part. I think when you concede a goal like we did today that gives the opposition some encouragement and some extra energy to defend a little bit more desperately and we just lacked that little bit of composure, particularly in the box as we had some good changes that we normally put away.

Substitute Rocco Vata did well when he came on, didn't he? He set up a couple of chances one for Oh Hyeon-gyu that looked like it was in but it was on the wrong side of the post.




We created those chances which we have been pretty good at taking and we didn't take them today. That's the game of football and we need to lick our wounds, review it and move on.

It is not often that we talk to you after a match at Celtic Park and you have not won, I guess that speaks volumes for the high bar that you have set doesn't it? It's nearly a year since you have not won in the league here.

That's the kind of standards we want to set so if we fall short of them then we have got to understand we will be disappointed. This is what the players want and the situation they want to be in. They want to be a team that sets standards and keeps pushing to new levels and when you do that there are going to be times when you stumble and when you do that you have to get back up and go again.




You have spoken about that all season whatever situation your players have been thrown they have responded, haven't they?

It is another little challenge for us and we will review it and get back to the training park and work hard for a big game next week.

That's the beauty of football as there is another big game on the horizon and they don't come much bigger than the Scottish Cup semi-final against your big rivals from across the city. Will you have any of the players back like (Reo) Hatate and Jota?

We will see. Reo has been out for four weeks and he will have to train all week. It is fair to say they're close. (Liel) Abada is also close. So we will see. We'll see how they go and irrespective if they are available or not we are just going to prepare ourselves and get ready for a big game.

Is this one final push in what could still be an extraordinary season?

Nothing changes. Whilst people have been talking about other things our focus has to be on what is in front of us. We still have to win the title and we are in the semi-final of the cup so there is still a bit to play for.