Ange Postecoglou

Have you had any concrete bids for Giorgos Giakoumakis?

If anybody bids in concrete then I will certainly not entertain it.

 

Ange Postecoglou has taken a tongue in cheek jibe at Michael Beale after his Celtic side's 2-0 Viaplay Cup semi-final win over Kilmarnock.

Daizen Maeda claimed the first goal after a botched Kyle Lafferty clearance beforeGiorgos Giakoumakis scored the second in stoppage time to ensure a final with Aberdeen or Rangers next month. Ibrox boss Beale said the Australian was a 'lucky man' for the amount of money he's been able to spend at Parkhead while praising the job he done at the Premiership champions, something not lost on Postecoglou.



When asked about Maeda's contribution to the Celtic performance against Killie, he told Sportsound: "I don't know about fortune, I am a lucky man, so maybe it is filtering through to the players as well. He did well. Credit to Derek (McInnes) and his boys, they gave everything. It's a semi-final of a cup and that's what you expect. It was a battle today. Conditions made it tough, the pitch made it tough




Match winner Giakoumakis scored the winner amid speculation Urawa Red Diamonds could be set to snap him up, while Josip Juranovic started as rumours swirl around his future.

Postecoglou added: "I think if people think Giorgos or Josip are distracted, the performance says it all. They are fully focused on what is before them.

"I see guys who are committed to the football club and will be ready when called upon."

 

absolute gent of a man, taking his applause saw the kids desperate to see him, finished his wave then straight to them. Whit a man! Love him, perfect manager to represent our club.

 

Ange Postecoglou says there is room in his Celtic squad for one more January signing, but insists there are no imminent arrivals or exits.

Celtic have already signed Alistair Johnston, Yuki Kobayashi and Tomoki Iwata during this month's transfer window as they look to ensure they maintain their position at the top of the Scottish Premiership.


Postecoglou suggested there could be further activity, but rejected suggestions that his new arrivals would lead to a need to trim the size of his squad ahead of the second half of the season.




No great urgency," Postecoglou said when asked about potential departures. "By bringing in three players early, we're in a position now where we're not really on tenterhooks in January.

"If we do happen to lose players, we aren't scrambling around to try to replace them. We've got a really strong squad, which I'm happy with, and we can make the decision over incomings or exits without any need for panic."




Celtic hold a nine-point lead over second-placed Rangers in the table, but Postecoglou and Michael Nicholson, Celtic's chief executive, may not be finished adding to their squad.




Our planning has been to get our business done early," explained the manager. "We're still active - I think there's probably still space for one more




If no one exits through this window, that's fine. Yeah, we've got a big squad, but with our schedule, everyone will contribute."

Postecoglou also had a warning for any members of his squad who may be upset at a lack of guaranteed playing time following Celtic's transfer business.




There's been a handful of players who haven't had an opportunity this year, but mostly they all play, they all contribute," said the manager.

"You can have guaranteed game time - but you won't play for this club or any big club.

"You can get it at a club where they're not as strong or not competing for trophies, but that's not what the biggest players want.

"They want to be the best and they want to win every competition. To do that, they understand you need to have a strong squad and compete for places.

"If at any point a player is not happy with that, or wants more game time, there's one way to do that and that is to train hard and present yourself in the best possible light.

"Or, you can look for other opportunities elsewhere."

 

As we sit here there are no bids…

he said same for o’reily last year….

 

Mentions Anderson and Summers as players he expects to being involved in the first team over the next 6-12 months, along with Lawal and Vata.

 

These last couple of bits he said seem like a possible laying down the marker for some (giak).


"You can have guaranteed game time - but you won't play for this club or any big club.

"You can get it at a club where they're not as strong or not competing for trophies, but that's not what the biggest players want.

"They want to be the best and they want to win every competition. To do that, they understand you need to have a strong squad and compete for places.

"If at any point a player is not happy with that, or wants more game time, there's one way to do that and that is to train hard and present yourself in the best possible light.

"Or, you can look for other opportunities elsewhere."

 

He doesn't miss his intended target ever. What he said is completely true as well. Calm and well constructed. And, they don't come much bigger than Celtic FC.

Your choice Giako.

 

Interesting comments there. Particularly the mention about 'training hard and presenting in the best possible light'.

As good as GG is on the park - and don't doubt that when he is on the pitch on matchday he is fully committed - but he may be one of those guys who might not be the greatest trainer in the world.

He arrived at Celtic on the last day of the 2021 Summer transfer window after a season as the Eredivisie golden boot winner, and I suspect didn't do a great deal of training/fitness work in that offseason (May-Aug). Am sure he did some and there was a bit of a knee question mark, but even still, that's 3 !/2 months of not kicking a ball in anger.

GG knew he was leaving VVV-Venlo, and after a season of scoring 26 goals for an otherwise struggling (and eventually relegated) team, you would think his value would've been higher than the £2m we paid for him. So there must've been some reason other suitors were not prepared to offer more or Venlo holding out for more etc.

Even now, after consecutive golden boot seasons, it's not like he is attracting the creme de la creme of European clubs bidding for his services.

Once he was here, it took about a month of getting up to speed with his fitness. He was then available for about a month mostly as a bit part off the bench (think he started like twice in that time and only played 90min once), before being out again until after the new year. It was only then that things really clicked for him here.

It may be co-incidental, but just maybe he is just one of those guys who holds back on the training pitch and it's that desire that has Kyogo has that is why Ange sees him as first choice, rather than being a 'horses for courses', kinda thing. Because there are undoubtedly games that GG's physicality etc is better suited than what Kyogo brings, including the Sevco games or away in Europe, imo - not just for himself but for how the team have performed on those days.

But Kyogo has clearly been preferred regardless. I really do value what GG offers both in hold up play, prepared to battle with defenders as well as delivering some absolutely crucial goals and would prefer that he want to stay and be part of what Ange is building and help us continue to win silverware etc, because he has that ability as everyone has witnessed.

But maybe at Lennoxtown it's just not the same.

 

Summers

 

Do you think Summers could make the step up, mate? I don't have time to watch much of the B team.

Saw Si Ferry raving about him on Open Goal after their team played the Colts.

 

Watched loads of them mate he's still to fill out but a cracking player very direct like abada

Sent from my CPH2375 using Tapatalk

 

Seen him live once against Fulham but mainly just highlights and some other games live that the youngsters have had..

Didn't know Ferry said that. Grinds my gears that guy..

He's right though. Genuine class and I absolutely think he can make it here..

 

Ange Postecoglou has declared he wants one more signing before the transfer window shuts. And the Celtic manager insisted contingency plans are in place for any last-minute departures.

The Hoops boss has added Tomoki Iwata, Yuki Kobayashi and Alistair Johnston to his squad in recent weeks as speculation grows of the departure of striker Giorgos Giakoumakis to Japanese side Urawa Red Diamond.


It remains to be seen whether the Greek hitman will be allowed to leave the champions with Josip Juranovic, Yosuke Ideguchi and James McCarthy all the subject of possible exits. But Postecoglou is adamant he's more than happy with what he has at his disposal and any recruitment will depend on outgoings with only one new signing on his radar




He said: “As I’ve said all along, we’re in a position now where we’ve done some good business so far, and the three boys that have come in have adapted really well, and I think they will contribute over the course of the season.

“We’re in a position where we aren’t really being forced into doing anything, and as a coach, it’s the position I wanted us to be in. For me, it would have been a lot trickier if guys had already left and we were having to bring guys in at the last minute, so for me it is just about concentrating now on the task at hand and dealing with what is before me.

“If people exit, then we have plans in place already that will counter that, but having brought in three players already we are in a position where we aren’t on tenterhooks about who is coming in or who is leaving.



Our plans are in place, and the plan is to bring in at least one more, so we’re still working on that and if anything else is needing to be done then we are in a good position to do it.




Celtic host St Mirren on Wednesday in a Premiership clash before a home Scottish Cupfourth round tie with Morton on Saturday and Postecoglou has pledged to make changes against the Buddies with first team bows for either Iwata or Kobayashi both outside bets to get a taste of the action.



He said: "I’ve still to make the final decisions but there will be some changes for St Mirren It depends. Tomoki probably not yet, he only really joined us in the last week and he has missed a bit.


Yuki is close, he came to us having started a pre-season camp, so he’s had a good three or four weeks of training. He obviously lacks some game-time, so we’ve got to find that game-time for him and I think you will find we will probably give him some of that through the next couple of fixtures with the quick turnaround from midweek to Saturday. He’s definitely close, but for Tomoki, it will probably be another week or so before he’s in a condition to be given an opportunity.”

Postecoglou also expects to include Sead Haksabanovic after a spell on the sidelines for the Montenegrin through injury. He said: “He’s good. He’s trained all week. Sead, Anthony Ralston, Stephen Welsh and James McCarthy are now all training fully and are available, which is good I think, as I’m keen to get them all back involved.