The strike rate Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed in his transfer market dealings has more than earned him the benefit of the doubt in the minds of Celtic supporters, so the odd misstep here and there has largely been forgiven.
Yosuke Ideguchi, for instance, has yet to come anywhere near the heights hit by compatriots Kyogo and Reo Hatate since the trio were brought to the club as a job lot last January, while £3.75m summer signing Alexandro Bernabei has yet to show he can come close to challenging the hugely impressive Greg Taylor for a regular stint at left-back.
In Bernabei’s case though, Postecoglou is keen to stress that the significant outlay it took to get him to Scotland from Lanus in Argentina was a long-term investment, and that the 22-year-old will make good on the raw potential that first convinced the club to part with such a princely sum to secure his services.
In the shorter term, the Celtic manager believes his improvement can already be seen, in fact, and was in evidence at Hampden as he filled in for the injured Taylor against Kilmarnock at the weekend.
“He’s a young guy and he didn’t have a lot of first team experience, so we brought him in for the long term,” Postecoglou said.
“He’s somebody who we really believe has real potential, and I think he has shown that. I think he’s growing with every game.
“Greg has been outstanding at left-back, so he hasn’t really had a lot of opportunities, but when he has come in, I think people have seen he’s improving all the time.
“Obviously now with Greg being out he’s got to play a couple of big games for us, and I think he has handled himself well.
“It was a tough game on the weekend for all of the players with the conditions the way they were, and it was a cup semi-final, and the greatest thing for us is that he will learn from that and will benefit from that, and we will then benefit from that.”
Growing up in Argentina, it is unlikely that Bernabei played all that often in the sort of conditions that greeted him at the national stadium on Saturday evening, and Postecoglou urged patience with the full-back as he gets to grips with life in Scotland in general, and life as a Celtic player.
“We try to help them in all aspects,” he said.
“You have to remember that he is playing in a position that is quite unique to us that players have to adapt to in terms of full-back.
“Where he has played before, he played in more of a traditional way, so it takes time for guys to get used to it. Even Greg Taylor last year, this year we are seeing the best of him now that he has got to grips with it, and he is more experienced.
“You see that with Anthony Ralston and with Josip (Juranovic) as well, so all of these things have to be taken into account.
“I think what is important is that we really look for growth from all our players. Are they improving? Are they benefitting from the experience? Are they taking in information?
“We are more than happy with what they are giving us, so it is only if there isn’t the progress or improvement there that potentially there would be an issue for us to address.”
