Celtic Underground

The View from Down Under

 

Ange Postecoglou is the new manager of Celtic.  Fans are filled with trepidation about a manager with no European track record.  The pessemists are trotting out the usual “he’s sh!te3” stuff whilst the optimists are noting the exceptional level of positivity coming out of Australia for this guy.

 

Based upon this mixed view, I called up our friend Mike Mehall-Wood (now based down in Aus) and sought his view.

 

Enjoy…

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

The View from Down Under
Ange Postecoglou is the new manager of Celtic.  Fans are filled with trepidation about a manager with no European track record.  The pessemists are trotting out the usual “he’s sh!te3” stuff whilst the optimists are noting the exceptional level of positivity coming out of Australia for this guy.
Based upon this mixed view, I called up our friend Mike Mehall-Wood (now based down in Aus) and sought his view.
Enjoy…

Ange Postecoglou First Interview

 

Celtic have today appointed Ange Postecoglou as the new manager of the club and we have the audio from his first interview.  Interstingly in the chat that follows with Dom McKay, he once again mentions modernisation.   It seems to be his theme and listeners to the last podcast will know we heartily agree.

 

Dominic McKay: Ange is an outstanding leader and an outstanding manager

 

Dominic McKay is delighted that Celtic have appointed an experienced manager who knows what it takes to win, and he believes that Ange Postecoglou’s vision for the future of the Club aligns with his own.

In an exclusive interview with Celtic TV, the Club's incoming Chief Executive, who officially takes over on July 1, explained why the Australian manager is the right fit for the Club, and explained that he has already started working with the new Celtic manager to pave the way for future success.

“I’m delighted that we’ve managed to secure Ange as the new manager of Celtic Football Club,” said Dominic McKay. “Ange is an outstanding leader and an outstanding manager.

“In all my discussions with him to date, I’ve been really impressed by his enthusiasm for Celtic, and his keenness to work with me to modernise and develop the footballing structures and the non-footballing structures to make sure we are the successful club that we need to be for the generation ahead.

“His experience at the international level, having taken Australia to World Cups is hugely impressive, as is his experience of winning both in Australia and Japan, so I’m excited about securing a winning manager and in securing someone who wants to drive forward the club in a way that I think everyone will be really proud about.

“We’ve spent a lot of time chatting through the playing side, the coaching side and the footballing operations side.

“It would be fair to say his phone’s been busy over the last number of weeks and I’m excited that we’re getting information across to him to make decisions and get feedback on all the various aspects you would expect us to be considering ahead of the new season.

“We’ve been talking about recruitment in particular and the plans for the season ahead, so we’re very active in that regard. There are some important fixtures coming up so we need to make sure the team is in the best shape it can be, and I’m sure Ange will share more information with the Celtic support as soon as he can.”

Dominic McKay also shed light on how his own vision for delivering success to the club aligns with Ange Postecoglou’s ambitions.

“We have a shared vision and that was very important to me to make sure we had a new manager who bought into the modernising, evolution and development of the club, both on and off the field,” the new Celtic CEO said.

“In terms of his style of play, I think he will excite the fans. In terms of his communication, I think he will be great in engaging with supporters and, importantly, his philosophy, which is borne out of his experience at international level going through World Cups but also in winning competitions. I wanted a winner and I’m delighted that we’ve managed to secure Ange.”

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Ange Postecoglou First Interview
Celtic have today appointed Ange Postecoglou as the new manager of the club and we have the audio from his first interview.  Interstingly in the chat that follows with Dom McKay, he once again mentions modernisation.   It seems to be his theme and listeners to the last podcast will know we heartily agree.


Dominic McKay: Ange is an outstanding leader and an outstanding manager Dominic McKay is delighted that Celtic have appointed an experienced manager who knows what it takes to win, and he believes that Ange Postecoglou’s vision for the future of the Club aligns with his own.

In an exclusive interview with Celtic TV, the Club's incoming Chief Executive, who officially takes over on July 1, explained why the Australian manager is the right fit for the Club, and explained that he has already started working with the new Celtic manager to pave the way for future success.

“I’m delighted that we’ve managed to secure Ange as the new manager of Celtic Football Club,” said Dominic McKay. “Ange is an outstanding leader and an outstanding manager.

“In all my discussions with him to date, I’ve been really impressed by his enthusiasm for Celtic, and his keenness to work with me to modernise and develop the footballing structures and the non-footballing structures to make sure we are the successful club that we need to be for the generation ahead.

“His experience at the international level, having taken Australia to World Cups is hugely impressive, as is his experience of winning both in Australia and Japan, so I’m excited about securing a winning manager and in securing someone who wants to drive forward the club in a way that I think everyone will be really proud about.

“We’ve spent a lot of time chatting through the playing side, the coaching side and the footballing operations side.

“It would be fair to say his phone’s been busy over the last number of weeks and I’m excited that we’re getting information across to him to make decisions and get feedback on all the various aspects you would expect us to be considering ahead of the new season.

“We’ve been talking about recruitment in particular and the plans for the season ahead, so we’re very active in that regard. There are some important fixtures coming up so we need to make sure the team is in the best shape it can be, and I’m sure Ange will share more information with the Celtic support as soon as he can.”

Dominic McKay also shed light on how his own vision for delivering success to the club aligns with Ange Postecoglou’s ambitions.

“We have a shared vision and that was very important to me to make sure we had a new manager who bought into the modernising, evolution and development of the club, both on and off the field,” the new Celtic CEO said.

“In terms of his style of play, I think he will excite the fans. In terms of his communication, I think he will be great in engaging with supporters and, importantly, his philosophy, which is borne out of his experience at international level going through World Cups but also in winning competitions. I wanted a winner and I’m delighted that we’ve managed to secure Ange.”

An analogue club in a digital age

 

This week we’re back to talk about The Celtic! We will be having more of The Game series but we thought we’d take a break from that to discuss the managerial situation at the club.  First we’ve had the rejection by Eddie Howe and then the appointment of Ange (or at least the likely appointment of Ange as nothing has happened yet…).

 

This week we get Saint Anthony, Hullbhoy and Sean together to discuss the situation at the club.

 

Enjoy…

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

An analogue club in a digital age
This week we’re back to talk about The Celtic! We will be having more of The Game series but we thought we’d take a break from that to discuss the managerial situation at the club.  First we’ve had the rejection by Eddie Howe and then the appointment of Ange (or at least the likely appointment of Ange as nothing has happened yet…).
This week we get Saint Anthony, Hullbhoy and Sean together to discuss the situation at the club.
Enjoy…

The Game Ep5 - Tirollercoaster

 

This game had everything - a new team under a new manager with a new striker scoring an og in a 9 goal thriller where Celtic were out with just 6 minutes to go.  It had a full house and so everyone who was a Tim at the time could say “I was there” but for some reason it’s never one of those games everyone talks about with reverence…and it should be.

 

Celtic 6 Tirol Innsbruk 3.  What a night.

 

The Celtic Wiki describes it as follows:

 

An incredible European night. A nail-biter all the way down the line finally settled by goals in the 87th and 94th minute.

 

• It looked like Anoni was for the off. Allegedly this was all down to a training ground bust up between him and Jansen on pre-season in Holland and he had been on the injury list for some time. And just to prove it Jansen included him in the squad – so much for newspaper rumours.
• Surprise surprise when Bebeto was not going to be signing for Celtic. The 33 year old returned to Spain and although it was said he would return to Deportivo la Coruna he eventually joined Sevilla.
• Darren Jackson was taken ill prior to the match and immediately after was admitted to hospital for tests. He complained of a migraine and was too ill to play.

 

Teams

Celtic: Scorers: Donnelly (34, pen 69), Thom (44), Burley (70, 94), Wieghorst (87)

 

Tirol Innsbruck: Scorers: Mayrleb (39), Larsson (45og), Krinner (82)

 

Enjoy…

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

The Game Ep5 - Tirollercoaster
This game had everything - a new team under a new manager with a new striker scoring an og in a 9 goal thriller where Celtic were out with just 6 minutes to go.  It had a full house and so everyone who was a Tim at the time could say “I was there” but for some reason it’s never one of those games everyone talks about with reverence…and it should be.
Celtic 6 Tirol Innsbruk 3.  What a night.
The Celtic Wiki describes it as follows:
An incredible European night. A nail-biter all the way down the line finally settled by goals in the 87th and 94th minute.

Teams

Celtic: Scorers: Donnelly (34, pen 69), Thom (44), Burley (70, 94), Wieghorst (87)
Tirol Innsbruck: Scorers: Mayrleb (39), Larsson (45og), Krinner (82)
Enjoy…

The Game Ep4 - Boavista Away 2003

 

For those of us lucky enough to remember Seville it was all made possible by this night - a victory away at Boavista.  A crap game, a sclaffed shot and a penalty claim….but we were through.

 

Remy of ByTheMinCeltic fame joins Antony and I to share his recollections of The Game.

 

This is how The Celtic Wiki describes it…

 

With so much at stake, the opening exchanges were tentative, but Celtic settled first and created the game's first decent goalscoring opportunity. A hopeful Alan Thompson free-kick was flicked on by the head of John Hartson, allowing Larsson a sight of goal, but the Swede uncharacteristically pulled his shot wide under pressure from Eder Silveira.

 

Celtic were forced to bring Chris Sutton into the fray rather earlier than planned when Paul Lambert was forced off with an ankle injury with just over half an hour gone.

 

In the second half Alan Thompson had a fierce drive deflected wide on 70 minutes as they sought that elusive away goal. It finally came eight minutes later, when Larsson played a slightly fortunate one-two with Boavista defender Filipe Anunciacao before finishing clinically from 12 yards.

 

The performance may not necessarily have been vintage and will be overlooked by the Celtic supporters as we prepare for the trip to Seville, where the team will play Porto in the final on 21 May.

 

 

Boavista v Celtic, 24 April 2003, was one of the most frustrating games of football I’ve sat through. Needing to score, for 78 minutes Celtic were moribund; they made not a single attempt on goal. Instead, they did what most teams do away from home, condensed midfield and defended, while Boavista, who would qualify for the Uefa Cup final if the game ended goalless, did much the same.

 

The goal appeared to take place in slow motion. Henrik Larsson moved forward to the end of the D and tried to pass to John Hartson, but a defender intercepted. Unfortunately for Boavista the ball was returned from the interception to an unmarked Larsson on the edge of the box.

 

It spun from his preferred right foot onto his left but the shot gently arced inches away from the goalkeeper’s grasp. The goal was a deflection, although we didn’t see it at the time. The keeper was moving his weight from right to left as the ball drifted to his left.

 

It may have been a turgid game of football decided by a deflection but it was also one of the most intense sporting occasions in our 125 year history. The sheer release of tension when the goal went in was incredible. 15 minutes, and one generous refereeing decision later, Celtic were in a European final.

 

Since then we have become accustomed to our position as a credible European team but it was very different in season 2002-03. This was the first Christmas Celtic were in Europe since 1979; each milestone along the way, Blackburn Rovers (a far more credible team at the time), Celta Vigo, Stuttgart and Liverpool, was celebrated with something close to astonishment.

 

The triumphs of this season, qualifying for the Champions League group stage instead of losing to Basel, then progressing to the knock out rounds, are greater than the achievements of April 2003, but they will never feel that way.

 

That game, that season, trophy-less though it was, changed our entire landscape. Nothing would ever be the same again.

 

Enjoy…

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

The Game Ep4 - Boavista Away 2003
For those of us lucky enough to remember Seville it was all made possible by this night - a victory away at Boavista.  A crap game, a sclaffed shot and a penalty claim….but we were through.
Remy of ByTheMinCeltic fame joins Antony and I to share his recollections of The Game.
This is how The Celtic Wiki describes it…
With so much at stake, the opening exchanges were tentative, but Celtic settled first and created the game's first decent goalscoring opportunity. A hopeful Alan Thompson free-kick was flicked on by the head of John Hartson, allowing Larsson a sight of goal, but the Swede uncharacteristically pulled his shot wide under pressure from Eder Silveira.
Celtic were forced to bring Chris Sutton into the fray rather earlier than planned when Paul Lambert was forced off with an ankle injury with just over half an hour gone.
In the second half Alan Thompson had a fierce drive deflected wide on 70 minutes as they sought that elusive away goal. It finally came eight minutes later, when Larsson played a slightly fortunate one-two with Boavista defender Filipe Anunciacao before finishing clinically from 12 yards.
The performance may not necessarily have been vintage and will be overlooked by the Celtic supporters as we prepare for the trip to Seville, where the team will play Porto in the final on 21 May.

Boavista v Celtic, 24 April 2003, was one of the most frustrating games of football I’ve sat through. Needing to score, for 78 minutes Celtic were moribund; they made not a single attempt on goal. Instead, they did what most teams do away from home, condensed midfield and defended, while Boavista, who would qualify for the Uefa Cup final if the game ended goalless, did much the same.
The goal appeared to take place in slow motion. Henrik Larsson moved forward to the end of the D and tried to pass to John Hartson, but a defender intercepted. Unfortunately for Boavista the ball was returned from the interception to an unmarked Larsson on the edge of the box.
It spun from his preferred right foot onto his left but the shot gently arced inches away from the goalkeeper’s grasp. The goal was a deflection, although we didn’t see it at the time. The keeper was moving his weight from right to left as the ball drifted to his left.
It may have been a turgid game of football decided by a deflection but it was also one of the most intense sporting occasions in our 125 year history. The sheer release of tension when the goal went in was incredible. 15 minutes, and one generous refereeing decision later, Celtic were in a European final.
Since then we have become accustomed to our position as a credible European team but it was very different in season 2002-03. This was the first Christmas Celtic were in Europe since 1979; each milestone along the way, Blackburn Rovers (a far more credible team at the time), Celta Vigo, Stuttgart and Liverpool, was celebrated with something close to astonishment.
The triumphs of this season, qualifying for the Champions League group stage instead of losing to Basel, then progressing to the knock out rounds, are greater than the achievements of April 2003, but they will never feel that way.
That game, that season, trophy-less though it was, changed our entire landscape. Nothing would ever be the same again.
Enjoy…