Author: Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

“Welcome to the club” – BBC presenter reacts as Ange delivers savage title race verdict

We all love these don’t we?

The media’s attempt to get a headline from Ange Postecoglou after another late show at Celtic Park should, by now, be recognised as futile.

The Celtic gaffer continually refuses to get involved in non stories that are cooked up by the media and it seems that they are glutton for punishment, as BBC journalist Paul Barnes found out yesterday.

Speaking to Ange post match on BBC Sportsound, Barnes asked the Hoops gaffer if he thought that the results today were hugely pivotal in the title race, Postecoglou answered in his usual cutting style, “No.

“Because  we were six points behind not long ago.

“So things change very quickly.

“What’s important is even during those times when we were behind, we just focused on what we were doing and that’s what we need to do.

“You say that today. We played really well, dominated the game but the results not a given.

“In football you’ve got to earn everything you get.

“We’ve earned it today and I’m sure going to have to earn everything else from on.”

And the delivery of his verdict resonated with Kenny McIntyre who is all too familiar with Ange’s style as he recognised on the show, “Welcome to the club Paul. 

“I don’t know how many times I’ve asked of Ange Postecoglou and he’s answered with a ‘No’ or ‘Not really mate.’

“He doesn’t really buy into anything we put to him.”

He doesn’t. So maybe it’s time to stop asking those kind of questions?

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

Pete O’Rourke on the latest Celtic transfer rumour

It’s always inevitable that when the Celtic team perform, pundits and reporters will start to link our players to other clubs.

When Kyogo was fit and banging them in, he was being touted for a move to the English Premier League.

Callum McGregor was linked numerous times with a move when Brendan Rodgers left for Leicester City.

But as usual, nothing concrete ever materialised or ever does when these rumours surface and, with my green tinted specs on, it does smack of mischief making from the tabloids.

But after his stunning displays against Hearts and in the Glasgow Derby, Reo Hatate was next on the list to be linked with a move away after another pundit made some strange claims about the Japanese midfielders valuation.

But transfer specialist Pete O’Rourke seems to have put an end to any of that talk with his latest comments on GiveMeSport.

When asked about the future of Hatate, he said, “I think Celtic fans are enjoying having Hatate right now and I don’t think the player will be in a rush to leave any time soon.

“He seems to be enjoying his football and seems to have a lot of trust and faith in Ange Postecoglou.”

Having only just arrived in the country, it really is amazing that he is being linked to the EPL in just two short months.

It is little wonder Ange Postecoglou called out the media ‘lies’ towards the end of the January window.

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

“My feeling is” – Veteran journalist tips Celtic problem position solution

Celtic’s European defeat has opened the gates for some people to come out and spout all sorts of nonsense about the team, the players and the manager.

As the post mortem now starts to calm down and the over reaction to the 3-1 defeat starts to dissipate, there is one row (if we can call it that) that is still rumbling on. And it has done since the start of the season.

The left back area of defence, namely Greg Taylor, is one are o the team that the majority of the fans see as a weakness in the squad.

With Boli Bolingoli so far out the picture, the only other option we have in that position is Irishman Liam Scales.

The 23 year old joined Celtic in the summer of 2021 and had impressed so far with his limited appearances this season.

With three goals in 18 appearances, he has shone, but does he have the ability and physical attributes to be a permanent solution to the upgrade in that position many fans want?

Veteran journalist Brian McNally certainly thinks so.

Well known as a massive Celtic fan, he took to twitter to offer his opinion on the matter, “My feeling is that with more game time Liam Scales fit the bill.”

The most pertinent point of the tweet, whether you agree with it or not, is ‘with more game time’.

We just have not seen enough of the young man to make a proper assessment of what his offering to the team is in that position, if indeed that is where he will be deployed.

My only fear is that with only thirteen games to go and the title in the balance, now is not the time to be experimenting.

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

“He received a firm proposal from Celtic” – Report makes incredible manager claim

The Celtic managers position is one that will probably haunt this generation of fans for years.

The mind bendingly, stupid pursuit for Eddie Howe is one that will forever leave me baffled. How a club of our size was left hanging on for so long by someone who had achieved next to nothing in the game is beyond me.

But that is nothing compared to this next claim.

Before the appointment of Ronny Deila, a report [The Sun] has claimed that former Italian hit head Paolo Di Canio was offered the Celtic managers position.

Di Canio’s former assistant, Fabrizio Piccareta,  from his Sunderland days said, “Paolo is a man who simply does not compromise. Let me give you an example,

“After we left Sunderland, he received a firm proposal from Celtic and he was offered the manager’s job.

“But Celtic insisted they keep the staff that was there in place already in Glasgow.

“In order not to abandon me and the staff he worked with previously, Paolo refused the job offer.

“That speaks volumes about the man and it shows the human depth of the person.”

This, I believe, would have been a very unpopular appointment by the board due to Do Canio’s seemingly controversial political leanings and looking at his past and how he deals with players, this looks like another bullet that has been dodged by the club.

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

Celtic named checked in possible move for EFL star

It’s still only February and Celtic are still being linked with players for moves in the summer.

So far, almost every signing that has materialised for Ange Postecoglou has been a massive success.

And the strength in depth that the team has now compared to when he took over is huge.

But there is one area that seem to be a bone of contention with the Celtic fans and that is the left wing back position.

Greg Taylor, I believe, has equipped himself well so far this season.

Hard working, great engine and endeavour but there does seem to be an end product lacking when it comes to the final third.

Now it may the demands of the inverted wingback that highlights these and the fact that Juranovic is excelling on the opposite side of the pitch, but the general consensus is that the left side of defence does need strengthened.

Liam Scales took his opportunity on Sunday to shine but is he enough to bolster that side of the back four?

A report [Football League World] has claimed that Derby County left back Lee Buchanan could find himself at Celtic Park in the summer.

With Buchanan out of contract in the summer and Derby’s well documented financial issues, the reports cites the success of Matt O’Riley and Cameron Carter-Vickers as an example of how a move north of the border could be huge for career development.

Buchanan has been heavily linked to Celtic ever since the summer and you would think that if Ange was to make a move, it would happen now as the young 20 year old could be brought to the club for a relatively small outlay.

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

“Still plenty to do mate, but it’s going alright” – Outstanding Ange interview airs in Australia

Ange Postecoglou is not just a phenomenon in Scotland.

He has been in Australia for a number of years now and it seems only now that in our wee country, the press and other football fans are starting to realise it as well.

Of course, as Celtic fans, it became apparent pretty quickly that we had a special manager on our hands.

From his first interview, Ange talked brilliantly about the game and, of course, his methods in dealing with the press are also a huge feather in his cap.

But as an interview aired in Australia early this morning via Stan Sport Football, Ange opened up on how thinks of the progress so fat at Celtic and it will delight the fans at how he speaks of the club needing success this season, “I mean, there’s nothing too unique there. I think any manager gets a job he usually got in because things aren’t going well.

“Rarely will you pick it up when when when a team’s flying. So that part of it was was kind of I understood it.

“I think every role I’ve taken, I’ve taken when it needed some sort of new direction and I’m comfortable in that space. So from that perspective I kind of knew I was entering into.

“Obviously the magnitude of the club coming off a season when they didn’t mean anything. It’s very easy to kind of say, well, it’s a league they should dominate.

“So at the same time when you’ve come off a season where you’ve won nothing for a big club like this. When it happens at a club like Manchester United, there’s needs to be a massive reaction.

“So I kind of knew the magnitude of what I needed to do.

“It’s been pretty good so far.  I’ve had tremendous support from the fans and the support within the football club to sort of take the club in the direction I wanted to.

“And I kind of knew that there was always a ticking clock against me to get it right as soon as we possibly could.

“Because it’s not just for me, I think people sort of thought that I was worried about my own tenure. It wasn’t just that. It was just a football club like Celtic can’t go two seasons without having success.

“It just can’t happen.

“So I knew that I had to  get it right this first year and we’re doing okay in the league.

“We’re still in Europe. Got through the Scottish FA Cup yesterday so there is still plenty to do mate, but its going alright.”

And the one thing that was striking about this is the way that Ange speaks about the club and that he knew from the off that success had to be instant. Not for him, but for the fans.

Ange gets it. I’m sure I’ve written that somewhere before but he just does.

He’s steeped in the whole ethos of the club and that is why the Celtic fans have taken him close to their hearts.

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

“I look at everywhere mate. I have good information networks there” – Postecoglou drops massive transfer teaser

For Ange Postecoglou and the transfer market, it seems that the Celtic gaffer has the Midas touch when identifying players.

With Kyogo, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda already proving to be a success in their short time here, not to mention Juranovic, O’Reilly, CCV and others, the Celtic fans will be looking forward to a summer of transfer activity to see what other gems the Hoops boss can unearth.

In an exclusive interview with Australian media outlet, Stan Sport Football, Postecoglou dropped massive hints at where he plans to look next to strengthen the squad, “I mean because of vested interest, I’m always watching the A league anyway.

“Because there’s a lot of guys who I know and I worked with and coaching in particular in the A League.

“So I have followed their progress very closely and a lot of people I still keeping in touch with over there.

“I mean in terms of scouting one thing I’ve, again, maybe coming because I’ve come from a place like Australia, we’ve had to be fairly clever and have some ingenuity around the way we look at the game.

“I look at everywhere mate. I don’t corner just one market. I mean, here they tend to be focused on certain markets.

“I know talent can be found anywhere in the world, including Australia and Asia is obviously, Asian Football, is something that I have great knowledge on.

“I’m very fond of not just Japanese football, other parts of the region.

“So in terms of our scouting we obviously look everywhere.

“Obviously with Australian players I’ve got better knowledge. I have good information networks there. So if anyone does stand me up.

“It’s not about me trying to give opportunities just for the sake of it,  there will be opportunities for people that’s going to be the right fit for the player to come over here and be successful.

“And you know the lads that have already come over here doing really well and it’s great to them developing their football.

“Always keeping an eye on them.”

This was a fascinating insight as to how Postecoglou thinks and where he targets players and it seems it’s not just the Japanese leagues he has his eye on when scouting.

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

Celtic SLO fires Europa Conference League warning to Green Brigade

The Green Brigade have been outstanding for the Celtic support in our most recent history.

No one can argue about the colour, passion and atmosphere they bring to the stadium on each hand every match day. And of course to the away section of the support.

Their TIFO’s are the envy of Europe. Their charity work for the most vulnerable people is society is top class.

But with that, comes the other side they bring to the support that is less popular, maybe not with the fans, but absolutely with the board.

Some of the political messages are clearly frowned upon by the Celtic hierarchy. The support for Palestine is also a bone of contention for some.

But the main issue is their use of pyrotechnics.

There is absolutely no doubt they brought colour and passion to the latest Glasgow Derby but that brough consequences.

With the standing section shut down because of the use of flares, the clubs SLO released a statement ahead of the Europa Conference tie against Bodo Glimt via twitter, “Since 2016 our Rail Seat Section has been the envy of fans across the country

“We all have a responsibility (Club/Fans) to maintain this and protect the long term future of the section

“On Thursday please do not attend the Rail Seat Section unless you have a valid ticket🎫🍀”

Why anyone would try and attend the match without one is bizarre but it seems that this warning has been sent with a view to reminding the fans that the continued use of flares will threaten the future of the standing section.

And going by the atmosphere created  against Raith Rovers in yesterdays cup tie, that would be disastrous.

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

“I think that was one of the names that was mentioned” – Ronny Deila spills the beans

The Ronny Deila era at Celtic was a strange one.

Before he was appointed, there was a lot of speculation on who was going to be the Celtic manager at the time.

As a highly rated young coach, Ronny was brought to the club to become the assistant to the new gaffer but in a sensational turn of events, as we all know, he ended up being hired as Celtic’s number one man in the dugout.

In an interview with Graham Spiers on the Press Box podcast, Deila was asked if the legendary former Manchester United midfielder was rally one of the names in the frame that he was meant to work under.

Deila said, “I think that was one of the names that was mentioned.

“I have a lot of confidence.  I’m know what I was doing. I had success. And I was ready for it. I just knew that that is the job I want. And I knew that I’m going to do well.

“And of course, I don’t think you can ever, especially when you are a foreign guy, to imagine what Celtic is.

“I don’t think anyone can be prepared to be a Celtic manager.

“When I come in, I was I was not nervous. I was excited. But of course I don’t think I knew the this the size of the club, how big it really was.

“Even though I’d been in Celtic Park and of course I knew a lot about the history of Celtic. But when you are in that role you you have to adapt quick and that’s that was a tough.

“Once in the beginning to get the players to understand how I wanted to play and also how I wanted to lead compared to what they were used to.

“And that I also have to adapt to the size of the club.”

Ronny eventually went on to win two Scottish Premier Leagues and a League Cup during his time as Hoops manager and many argue that he was ‘done’ out of a treble in the Scottish Cup semi final against Inverness due to a poor referee decision.

This article was originally posted here

By Celtic.VitalFootball.co.uk

Ange fires warning to squad players with another killer line

As Celtic progress to the next round of the Scottish Cup after a hard fought 4-0  (in the first half at least) victory against Raith Rovers, the manger Ange Postecoglou has fired a warning to those players on the fringes that are looking to make an impact in the first team.

After a dire first half display, the Hoops gaffer rang the changes in the second half to try and spark the team into life and after he was asked post match if he felt some of the players felt as if they didn’t take their opportunity, Ange batted it away but with a warning to those squad players who took part in that dire first half display.

Speaking post match on Premier Sports, Ange said,“ It’s not about taking opportunities.

“It’s not like they’re going to be banished into some unknown place after today.

“It’s just the reality of it.

“We’ve got certain standards about how hard we want to work and the kind of football we want to play and how quickly want to move the ball.

‘And I just thought in the first half, we were taking too many touches.

“We weren’t working hard enough off the ball and you know, whilst we’re comfortable, that’s not what I want us to be.

“I don’t want us to be comfortable.”

A stark warning for the fringe guys that they must work to Ange’s standards when they get the opportunity, regardless of the opposition.

This article was originally posted here