Celtic

Ange Postecoglou's side extended their unbeaten Scottish Premiership run to 31 matches when they secured the title with a draw at Dundee United.

We had a lot of work to do, and with the support of everyone at the club, we got there.” No one gave us much of a chance at the start of the year. Our starting point was a fair way back and the way this group of players and staff has risen to the challenge - I couldn’t be more proud,” Postecoglou said. The Belgian put the game to bed with a hat-trick in a devastating 18-minute spell in the first half, before notching a fourth after the break as the away fans alternated between chanting “Kevin De Bruyne” and “Champions of England”. “It’s fairly overwhelming. We’ve jammed in a rebuilding season and a season to win.

Ange's Celtic 90 minutes away from officially clinching Scottish league title: LIVE.

“There’s been a number of outstanding performances from managers this year and I’m really pleased to receive it, but I also acknowledge I’ve had tremendous support from everyone at the football club and the players have been outstanding,” he said. People would be lying if they had heard about him: an Australian coach managing in the J-League. Postecoglou, who took charge of the Hoops in June 2021, said he was “very proud” and “humbled” to receive his latest award. “Everyone committed to something and we’ve had a few bumps along the road, but the whole staff and players embraced every challenge and stuck to the beliefs we have in the football club we want to be. “You have to have belief in yourself in what you’re about to embark on, but it’s not just about believing in something, you have to work hard for it and we’ve worked awfully hard.” “We’ve had a few good weekends, we’ve been pretty consistent over a while and the players have been outstanding in their commitment to playing our football,” said Postecoglou, who also guided the Hoops to Scottish League Cup glory in December.

Celtic have won a 10th Scottish Premiership title in 11 seasons and secured a place in the Champions League group stage.

Postecoglou, who was in warm embrace with his staff at full time, has overturned a 25-point deficit as existed at the end of last season. Rangers were easing to victory against Ross County at Ibrox but there was never any prevailing sense of Celtic being in trouble. Neither Celtic as a club nor Scottish football’s authorities do nearly enough to discourage this kind of behaviour. United’s response, via a glorious Dylan Levitt moment, created brief moments of panic in the Celtic ranks. Ange Postecoglou has made great play of the fact there are various ways to cross a finish line. As Tony Ralston crossed for Giorgios Giakoumakis to open the scoring at Tannadice, Celtic’s party was in full swing.

Ground-breaking Australian boss Ange Postecoglou has sealed his triumphant season with Celtic by winning the Scottish Premiership. The...

When something is almost a lifelong obsession and you finally get there, it's hard to put into words," he told the BBC. "It's fairly overwhelming. The 56-year-old Postecoglou has now added to his remarkable list of managerial achievements by adding a national title in Scotland with one of the world's most famous clubs to the league titles he's also won both in Australia, with two different teams, and Japan. It's taken every ounce of me to get us where we are and when you get to the finish line, you just want to collapse. "The dream was always to manage a famous club and try and make an impact. "No-one gave us much of a chance at the start of the season, so to do what they've done this year, to achieve the ultimate, is an unbelievable effort.

Ground-breaking Australian boss Ange Postecoglou has sealed his triumphant season with Celtic by winning the Scottish Premiership. The...

When something is almost a lifelong obsession and you finally get there, it's hard to put into words," he told the BBC. "It's fairly overwhelming. The 56-year-old Postecoglou has now added to his remarkable list of managerial achievements by adding a national title in Scotland with one of the world's most famous clubs to the league titles he's also won both in Australia, with two different teams, and Japan. It's taken every ounce of me to get us where we are and when you get to the finish line, you just want to collapse. "The dream was always to manage a famous club and try and make an impact. "No-one gave us much of a chance at the start of the season, so to do what they've done this year, to achieve the ultimate, is an unbelievable effort.

In Ange Postecoglou's debut season at Celtic, the Australian boss has managed to guide the Glasgow giants to a Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup ...

It wasn't just beating Rangers that was significant, but the manner in which they did it: Celtic totally dismantled their opponents, while also providing a psychological shift in momentum in the race for Scottish top-flight glory. He also won the Sky Sports Scotland goal of the year prize for his magnificent solo run and strike away to Dundee United in a 3-0 win. Rangers were to rally in the second half, but they couldn't find a way past the Hoops' rearguard which showed defensive solidity and resilience to keep out Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side. From then onwards, Rogic has become one of the first names on the teamsheet and his tendencies to entertain have returned with a vengeance. Fast forward a year, Ralston has hit double figures in terms of goal contributions, signed a new contract until 2025, and even earned a cap for the Scotland national team due to his impressive performances. Leaders were also needed in the dressing room after a demoralising 2020/21 campaign, with former club captain Scott Brown departing Parkhead alongside several others at the tail end of last season. Postecoglou had a reputation for polishing rough diamonds during his time in Australia and Japan, giving them the platform to succeed through following detailed instructions on how to function within his system. There was another motivation going into this match for the Celts, as their next clash after Dundee United was at home to Rangers the following midweek. Liel Abada put the visitors in front after 21 minutes, but this was going to be far from a stroll for Postecoglou's men. Four points behind Rangers at this point, they knew that nothing but a victory would do in order to keep up the pressure over the Christmas period. Celtic were sixth in the Scottish Premiership at this moment, with many questioning their ability to win ugly in difficult situations. Postecoglou stated that the 27-year-old would add "something special" to the Celtic attack upon his arrival, a statement that can be backed up in so many different ways almost a year on.

Celtic have regained the Scottish Premiership following Rangers' failure to beat Dundee United on Sunday.

We had a lot of work to do, and with the support of everyone at the club, we got there." Our starting point was a fair way back and the way this group of players and staff has risen to the challenge -- I couldn't be more proud," he said. We've jammed in a rebuilding season and a season to win.

Ground-breaking Australian boss Ange Postecoglou has sealed his triumphant season with Celtic by winning the Scottish Premiership. The...

When something is almost a lifelong obsession and you finally get there, it's hard to put into words," he told the BBC. "It's fairly overwhelming. The 56-year-old Postecoglou has now added to his remarkable list of managerial achievements by adding a national title in Scotland with one of the world's most famous clubs to the league titles he's also won both in Australia, with two different teams, and Japan. It's taken every ounce of me to get us where we are and when you get to the finish line, you just want to collapse. "The dream was always to manage a famous club and try and make an impact. "No-one gave us much of a chance at the start of the season, so to do what they've done this year, to achieve the ultimate, is an unbelievable effort.

In one of the greatest Australian coaching achievements of all time, Postecoglou – written off from the start – inherited a team in calamitous disarray and ...

Having initially been signed to a rolling 12-month contract, the club’s first order of business will now likely be to lock in Postecoglou on a longer deal – reward for his brilliant first year at Parkhead. There has already been a significant staffing arrival, with the club signing Mark Lawwell to be their new head of first-team scouting and recruitment. The club was dumped from the Champions League in July. By late September, they had lost three of their first six league games – including a 1-0 defeat to Rangers in the first Old Firm of the season – and were sitting in sixth. As a player and a manager, Postecoglou was always guided by a desire to deliver football his late father Jim would enjoy watching. But for the Australian’s very personality: his complete refusal to shirk responsibility or to blame referees, to explode in rage or make an ugly scene out of a press conference. Fans also loved his respect for the club and its history, and his unerring belief in the project at hand – and that success would follow. They also lost their first two Europa League group games, including a humiliating 4-0 thrashing at the hands of German club Bayer Leverkusen. Postecoglou’s players were struggling to implement his complex and demanding attacking strategy, and often failed to maintain the intensity he required of his charges. Postecoglou had only been handed a rolling 12-month contract by the board, hardly the most inspiring show of faith in the new manager. If the Australian had been dealt a ‘poor hand’ with his squad, equally unfortunate was the situation off the pitch. Celtic fans had already taken up arms against the board in a string of protests. The club spent over 100 days at the end of last season without a coach during a failed pursuit of now Newcastle coach Eddie Howe, with a gentleman’s agreement for him to take over apparently falling apart due to the club’s refusal to allow him full control over his backroom staff. “The reality is Celtic are taking a colossal gamble at a time when they can’t afford to be taking risks,” Sutton wrote. The squad included a host of wantaway players who had been convinced – probably mistakenly as it turns out – to stick around for one more season.

Coach's transformation of a team who had been a distant second to Rangers should lead to substantial transfer backing.

The green-and-white grip on the Scottish game is such that excitement and anger over events of a year ago look a little silly now. Rangers will cite the claiming of a league flag that matters – no Scottish club has won 10 in a row – but the overall picture serves as a reminder of which club is the country’s dominant force. In time, especially with a Champions League campaign upcoming, this could be portrayed as a lack of versatility that will cost Celtic but for now he presides over a group with complete belief in their coach. This has been a period of concerted domestic success for Glasgow’s green half, with the Premiership campaign of 2020-21 the clear exception. The manager’s status in the eyes of Celtic’s following is such that he could add Ally McCoist to his coaching staff and supporters would find a reason to nod in agreement. Celtic, from such a weak position at the point of Postecoglou’s arrival, are the champions of Scotland once more.

Ange Postecoglou has led his Celtic side to the Scottish Premiership crown, another landmark achievement from Australia's most successful soccer manager.

12 May 2022 5 May 2022 12 May 2022 12 May 2022 "It's fairly overwhelming. When something is almost a lifelong obsession and you finally get there, it's hard to put into words," he told the BBC.

He was in the middle of serving customers when he received a call from South Melbourne, the National Soccer League club with whom he had won titles as a player ...

The rebuild phase and the winning phase had to be sardined into the same can. He probably would not have predicted this 26 years ago, either, while he was working in a bank and Rangers were on a nine-title run. The fractured state of the club left no time to play the long game. “I’m not going to coach in between, just notch up a stint for my country as a coach flatlining.” To the neutral the sentiment appears mulish. Appointed eight months before the 2014 World Cup in urgent circumstances, he culled the veterans who had steered the country to qualification under predecessor Holger Osieck and dragged down the average age from over 30 to 26. “I know people will say I’m being ridiculous but that’s just the way I’m made up,” he said. At Brisbane Roar in 2009 he came under pressure – including from his own players – for his uncompromising style of play but did not yield and lifted back-to-back A-League trophies. “They said, ‘look, you’ve got the job for the next three games just as a caretaker coach, and then we’ll make a decision for next year’,” Postecoglou told the late Shane Warne in December. “As soon as I put the phone down I quit the bank, I walked out. He blooded – among others – a 22-year-old Mat Ryan in goal against group-stage opponents Spain, Chile and the Netherlands, and gave the latter a good shake. It is also one of the less surprising outcomes associated with Postecoglou. Now it is confirmed, and Celtic’s capture of the Scottish Premiership marks an unprecedented achievement by an Australian football coach.

Ange Postecoglou said it took every ounce of him to lead Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title after their dogged draw with Dundee United.

"It's hard for me to comprehend. "For me, the medium- to long-term future of this club is really bright, and in the short term we secured top six and now Europe and we have a chance to finish it off and get fourth position." It's fair to say it's taken every ounce of me.

'Took the bull by the horns': The Ange 'brilliance' that turned Celtic around — UK View.

“It’s almost like two seasons jammed into one, it’s been a rebuilding season and a season to win in one. For a coach who was relatively unknown in this country to come into a massive club like Celtic and command instant respect speaks volumes for the sort of man he is.” “After pre-season and the first few weeks of introducing his ideas and methods to players, he then delegates virtually every training session to his support staff. “They’ve allowed it to roll. Winning titles and trophies is what motivates him.” “I never held it against anyone. “Postecoglou is a private man. However, he watches every session and takes notes. “What he has done is nothing short of brilliance. I don’t think many – if any – people would have looked at the situation last July and tipped Celtic to finish as champions. But for a team so used to winning, its latest triumph could not be more unexpected. I think he’s got a brilliant demeanour about him.

The Hoops lost three of their first six league games of the campaign but have since gone on a 31-game unbeaten run. Postecoglou has successfully transformed the ...

“It’s pretty special, mate. A 1-1 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice Park was enough for Celtic to claim the title in Postecoglou’s first season in charge at Parkhead. Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic have clinched the Scottish Premiership title with a game to spare.

There are five principal elements that contributed to Celtic's championship success this season – and Andrew Smith talks you through them ...

In essence, it was the first time it was seriously entertained that the Australian’s revamped side could snatch the title back from Rangers. And when Celtic then embarked on a faultless run before the pair’s next head-to-head at Ibrox two months later, digging in for a 2-1 victory at home of their rivals allowed them to open up a six-point advantage that was never going to be over-turned in the closing six weeks of the season. The thumping 3-0 success that night for Postecoglou’s men altered everything about the title race, never mind that it sent Celtic to the top of the table. However, again they couldn’t get the better of their ancient adversaries, with the 1-1 draw completing a trio of Premiership outcomes that proved to be decisive. There were a number of boxes that Postecoglou absolutely had to tick off for Celtic to earn the title. And the electric atmosphere for Celtic’s 3-0 home derby success the midweek after the United denouement was key to them performing as if they had been zapped by 20,000 volts. He spread calm and assurance even as 11 points were spilled over the first seven cinch Premiership games through trusting the process, and trusting that his team would find their way once a host of new players had been bedded in.