‘Gone by Christmas? Here’s to 100 more.’
Ange Postecoglou was serenaded by ultras group the Green Brigade as they unfurled a banner in the wake of his 100th match in charge of Celtic. A 3-1 Premiership victory over Hearts at Parkhead topped a memorable night for the Australian.
The 57-year-old was instantly dismissed by sections of the Hoops fanbase and many other onlookers in the summer of 2021, with TalkSPORT presenter Alan Brazil famously mocking his appointment live on air. Little did he know that 12 months later the Celtic fanatic would be publicly apologising to Postecoglou after leading the Parkhead club to the Premiership title.
After all, he wasn’t Celtic’s No.1 candidate for the job. It was only after they abruptly missed out on hiring current Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe did Postecoglou’s name finally start to crop up. Few supporters knew who he was.
Many predicted Postecoglou, who had enjoyed great success in his homeland and in the J-League, would struggle to see out his first six months in charge in Glasgow’s East End. Three defeats in his first six league games did little to inspire confidence amongst the Parkhead faithful that he was the right man to lead the club forward, change the mentality and bring success back to Celtic after watching their 10-in-a-row dreams evaporate under Neil Lennon.
However, it has been sheer dominantion since then with Postecoglou only tasting defeat once in the league over the past 16 months. Now fans are desperate to see their in-demand manager hang around for ‘100 more’ after chalking up the landmark number.
Former Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic recalled the atmosphere surrounding Postecoglou’s arrival in Glasgow. He said: “I laugh sometimes when I look back. Although I knew him quite well, there was a perception of: ‘Who’s this guy?’”.
Two trophies in his debut season marked significant progress and fans finally started to sit up and take notice of the transformation in the club’s fortunes. The football on display has been breathless to watch at times. Now, Postecoglou is targeting a clean sweep and he remains firmly on track to seal an eighth Treble for Celtic this season.
They look unstoppable on current form - sitting nine points clear at the top of the table as they close in on retaining their top-flight crown. Here, we have identified the 10 best performances under Postecoglou’s tenure so far...
1. Celtic 6 St Mirren 0 - 21/08/21
Postecoglou’s reign got off to a challenging start after losing his opening league game to Hearts but this thrashing of St Mirren gave fans a sneak peak into the future in what felt like a significant moment. David Turnbull grabbed the match match ball after completing a hat-trick, with Odsonne Edouard also on the score sheet before he left for Crystal Palace.
2. Aberdeen 1 Celtic 2 - 03/10/2021
The Hoops had lost their first three away league games and arrived at Pittodrie desperate to end their winless run on the road stretching back to February. Kyogo Furuhashi’s sublime finish with his chest gave them a first-half lead before the Dons equalised but Jota popped up at the back post with six minutes remaining to seal a crucial victory.
3. Ferencvaros 2 Celtic 3 - 04/11/2021
Celtic had struggled in European competition prior to Postecoglou’s arrival and this decisive win in Budapest secured European football beyond Christmas. Attacking trio Kyogo, Jota and Liel Abada earned praise after keeping their faint qualification hopes alive. It took their goal tally on their travels in the Europa League to 11 in four matches.
4. Celtic 2 Hibernian 1 - 19/12/2021
Four days after the highs of grabbing a last-gasp winner up at Ross County on league duty, Celtic headed to Hampden Park for the League Cup final and despite falling behind in the second half, Kyogo Furuhashi put on a masterclass as the Japanese striker scored two oustanding goals, including a stunning lob to ensure Postecoglou lifted his first piece of silverware at the first opportunity. Photo: Craig Williamson - SNS Group