NOT content with pushing Joe Hart out of his comfort zone last season by making him take more responsibility with the ball at his feet, it appeared during Celtic’s pre-season camp in Austria and the Czech Republic that he was attempting to convert the keeper into an auxiliary centre-half.
It was striking just how high Hart was positioned in the friendly matches against Rapid Vienna and Banik Ostrava in particular, with the 35-year-old often only a few yards behind his defenders when Celtic were in possession, playing a full part in their build-up play.
Given the team are still shaking off the cobwebs at this time of year, the gambit predictably led to a number of heart in mouth moments over the two games, particularly against Banik when the opposition really should have scored twice after winning possession in midfield with Hart miles from his unguarded goal.
When pressed on the logic behind the high-risk strategy, Postecoglou said that the tactic may well be one he employs throughout the season as and when he sees fit.
“Depending on the context of the game,” Postecoglou said.
“Joe and the goalkeepers are getting used to our gameplan. Last year, he came in pretty late and we didn’t have a chance to work on a lot of things. It depends on the context of the game.
“There were a couple of times [against Banik] when he almost got caught out but that was because of our sloppy passing.
“There is no denying, we want to be an aggressive team. To do that, it means everyone needs to be a bit more aggressive, and Joe or whoever our goalkeeper is needs to be a part of that.”
Postecoglou expects that the risk factor in having his keeper so high up the pitch will be eliminated when the rest of his team sharpen up a little.
“Well, there is no risk when you don’t give the ball away,” he said.
“The risk comes when you give it to the opposition. If we stop that, the risk doesn’t happen.
“The times we gave the ball away [on Wednesday] were just sloppy, not because of pressure or them doing anything to us.
“They were just lapses in concentration which should be eliminated pretty easily.”
