Andy Walker reckons that it wasn’t just Ange Postecoglou who got a bang for his bucks with his Celtic signings.
Hoops fans more than got their money’s worth as well.
The former Celtic star turned Sky Sports pundit has six brothers who all stump up for Parkhead season books and they got great value over a sparkling debut campaign in Scotland for the Aussie.
New arrivals like Kyogo, Jota, Giorgos Giakoumakis, Daizen Maeda, Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate became instant heroes and punters can’t wait to see what the gaffer will bring in next.
It didn’t take long for the Celtic support to buy in to their new boss but Walker is convinced he would have won them over even if he’d failed to land the Premiership title.
Capturing the big prize was priceless – and Postecoglou is now hugely in credit with the faithful as he gears up for the challenges of retaining the crown and competing in the Champions League.
Walker said: “I’ve got six brothers and they all go to Celtic home games.
“We’d a chat at the start of the season about what would be deemed a success this year and it was said it would be if Ange could get that 25-point gap down to single figures, if Celtic could beat Rangers at least once and if they were enjoying what they were seeing.
“If you get that, you’d let it go in the first season if the title wasn’t to be.
“Postecoglou has WAY surpassed any expectations.
“Domestically, winning the League Cup – and the Scottish Cup could have gone either way in extra time – but with the league form, fans are getting value for money watching this Celtic team under Postecoglou.
“They went 32 games unbeaten in the league.
“I never thought I’d be saying it about a Celtic manger, when you look at what he had to bring in and the turnover in the squad. You look at his success in the transfer market. It’s hard to find any of his signings who have not made an impact.
“The turnaround has been extraordinary. Celtic have been a great watch for a big part of the season and let’s see if they can keep that up.”
Walker knows from his two spells at Parkhead, that you don’t get much chance to sit back and enjoy your triumphs.
The next test is never far away – and it tends to be even tougher when you’re at the top.
Celtic will face a major fight to keep a resurgent Rangers at bay while there is also European football that will now be firmly on the agenda.
Hoops punters might play it down or poke fun at their Glasgow pals after Gers fell agonisingly short in the Europa League Final.
But deep down they will fancy some of that themselves.
Celts got a taste for it when they headed to Seville in 2003 and there have been some memorable moments in
continental competitions since.
Reaching the last 16 of the Champions League three times, beating Barcelona, toppling Lazio home and away to top their Europa League group. But too often the high points have been fleeting and Walker reckons Celtic need to emulate their rivals and make some kind of sizeable footprint on foreign soil.
The former striker said: “The only thing they need to think about is doing what Rangers have done in achieving European success.
“Celtic have been poor in Europe and that’s an area where they can improve.”
Walker believes Celts will need to add to their squad over the summer to make a splash but it shouldn’t be too tough for Postecoglou to tempt targets to Glasgow.
He said: “It can only help attract players going straight in to the Champions League group stages.
“But I hope it’s not just going to be seen as an occasion. I hope they can go and compete.
“That comes down to what Celtic do in the summer transfer market. It’s great the Scottish champions go straight in to the group stages of the Champions League – and that’s whether it’s Celtic or Rangers.
“The Scottish champions should be involved at that level and I think it makes the Champions League better having our sides there.
“It also gives access to the Champions League riches, which means the gap won’t be as big in the future.”
While Walker’s siblings are celebrating the title success, he is also looking back at the campaign with a warm glow as he believes Scottish football is box office again.
He said: “If you look at the last Old Firm derby, it was great in terms of what Scottish football has to sell.
“You see John Terry with his phone out in the directors’ box, filming the stadium.
“That’s someone who’s played everywhere at the top level, and he was taken aback by the noise and the passion, the general excitement about the highest level of Scottish football.
“What I liked as well was the measure of respect between Ange Postecoglou and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
“You could tell that respect was genuine, between the two managers and the teams they represent. It’s going to be
fascinating next season.”
Definitely worth the price of a ticket.
