‘We will be much better for the experience’ - Ange Postecoglou challenges Celtic players to learn from European exit

Ange Postecoglou is adamant regular qualification for the Champions League group stage can help his Celtic side make more of an impact at Europe’s elite level over the coming years.

The Hoops boss watched on from the touchline at Parkhead as his side’s faint hopes of finishing third in Group F and securing a Europa League play-off spot were extinguished by Shakhtar Donetsk.

Giorgos Giakoumakis had given the home fans plenty of cause for optimism as he opened the scoring in the first half with a well-taken finish before Mykhaylo Mudryk’s wonder strike after the break ensured the Scottish champions will finish bottom of the section.

Despite claiming just two points from a possible 15 so far, Postecoglou was encouraged by his side’s display as he warned fans it will take time and experience before the club can harbour serious expectations of progressing in the competition.

The Australian reckons the main priority now has to be ensuring that Celtic defend their Premiership title and secure group stage football again next season before applying what they have learned from this latest campaign.

He admitted: “It’s up to us to make sure that we’re in it again next year. That’s part of the process. You can’t go into this competition every five years and expect to make an impact. The first challenge for us is to become a Champions League football club. That means qualifying every year.

“I think with what we’ve gone through this year, and the way we’ve tested ourselves, there’s no doubt that should we qualify again this group of players will be much better for the experience. They’ll understand from the first game what’s required and the levels needed, the understandings and the fine lines between winning or not winning a game.

“So I definitely think this year will help us. The challenge is to qualify again next year, qualify the year after, and consistently be at this level. This is a group that’s very, very inexperienced in terms of this level of football. Look at where most of them were playing twelve months ago.

“This is there first time so it would be a missed opportunity if we didn’t qualify next year to use what we’ve gained this time and become a better football club at this level next year.”

Reflecting on the 1-1 draw, Postecoglou stated: “It was a tight game. It was always going to be, a lot at stake for both teams and I didn’t expect it to be an open affair with a lot of chances. For the most part we controlled the game well and played in areas we wanted to.

“We did create chances and minimised their threat, and scored the goal, and I thought at that stage we were in control. Obviously they scored a great goal from a counter-attack which is disappointing for us.

“We had a great chance for Kyogo and they missed a chance after that. It was just a tight football match that you expect at this level. I’m disappointed with the outcome but in terms of the players’ effort, I can’t ask for any more of them.”

Goal scorer Giakoumakis admits his team mates blew the chance to keep their slim European dreams alive but vowed to return stronger next season.

He told BT Sport: “We were aiming bigger. We wanted to pass into the next level. We had some good perofmrances but we could not get the results we needed and that’s why we haven not progressed.

“I’m happy to score in the Champions League. You dream of that as a little boy, but in the end you can’t be happy because you want to achieve more. We should have been celebrating but unfortunately, once more, we are not.

“We are hurting, but we have to move forward and we have to keep going. It’s really clear, we want to be in the competition again so we have to win the league. That’s our first target. We have to make sure that we do that and then we can play Champions League games again.”