Ange Postecoglou wasn’t able to bloody noses during his first few swings in the Champions League.
Funnily enough, we quite fancied smashing a few Porto faces 20 years ago as they cheated and dived their way through the last stages of the UEFA Cup Final. But, looking to the next tilt at Europe, Postecoglou might just alter his strategy slightly. And I definitely feel the key to winning a few rounds next season is properly defending their own patch.
It’s hard to believe it’s the 20th anniversary of Seville tomorrow. I can still remember the night clearly. The sea of green and white on the bus to the stadium, the whole occasion, the joy of feeling we could get it done when Henrik Larsson scored his two goals Then the sheer despair when it was slipping away and the anger that built inside as Porto conned and connived their way through the end of the game to get over the line. It infuriated us. Don’t get me wrong, all teams do it. We’d have done it as well if we were 3-2 up in extra-time. Just not to the same levels of high-standard housery.
Ultimately, there was pride in what we achieved to get there. I am proud to have been part of the whole Martin O’Neill era, to be fair. We did some superb things in Europe. Aside from that run to Seville, our away form in Europe and in the Champions League left a lot to be desired. But it was a different story at home. We fancied ourselves against anyone and we got some great results against some high-class sides.
It’s not something that stopped either when Martin left. Gordon Strachan took care of Manchester United, Milan and Benfica on his way to a couple of last 16s. Neil Lennon did the same in beating a brilliant Barcelona side when taking his team into the knockout stages. Celtic Park was a fortress back then. Then it had a spell when it became more like a sandcastle.
Visiting teams have enjoyed playing there rather than fearing it. Postecoglou has had a couple of goes. Wins over Ferencvaros and Real Betis in the Europa League were more like it before, obviously, the Champions League was a major step up. He couldn’t have asked for a tougher start than tackling the champions in Real Madrid. Celtic played well for almost an hour before the masters took control.
Leipzig deserved to win in Glasgow and Shakhtar Donetsk, despite Celtic outplaying them in Warsaw when the sides first met, would have won in the East End as well had one of their players not produced one of the misses of all-time. It’s very difficult to be critical. The levels of the Champions League these days are absolutely off the scale at the highest end.
It was my pleasure to be at the Etihad in Manchester this week commentating as City booked their place in the Final against Inter Milan. Pep Guardiola’s side were absolutely sensational. Unplayable. Reaching that level on a sustained basis is just impossible for Celtic with the finances the way they are in the modern game.
But it’s not long ago that Rodgers’ side went toe-to-toe with City in Glasgow. That 3-3 draw in Brendan’s first go at the Champions League with Celtic was a fabulous display and proved what can be achieved in a one-off.
Since then, it’s been pretty barren on their own patch. Neil arrested the slide superbly in the Europa League first time around in his second spell with some superb wins and performances, notably when seeing off Lazio on a thrilling occasion. The following season, however, was a disaster during the Covid period. An empty stadium was the backdrop for some bitter and heavy defeats. One in particular against Sparta Prague stands out.
It's Postecoglou’s turn now and his side have been unbeatable in their own stadium domestically since he arrived into the club. It’s incredible they haven’t lost a solitary match on home soil in almost two seasons and it’s hard to imagine St Mirren ending that run, despite the result in Paisley earlier this term. They’ve been comprehensively seen off each time since. But how does Postecoglou transfer that to the Champions League?
It’s not going to be easy, but it has to be the next step in his progression if he is to take Celtic where he wants to go. I’m a big admirer of how he plays. The fact he sticks to his principles. Even if I was watching through the cracks in my fingers when Celtic were 5-0 down in the Bernabeu with just an hour gone and were still throwing bodies forward and getting countered.
Postecoglou won’t change his ways. But that doesn’t mean he can’t tweak them and I’ve a hunch he might well do just that next season. Plaudits are all very well, but he’s all about results and, if it has to be reined in a bit to get them, then that’s what’ll have to happen. He’s too smart not to see that. He needs to keep certain players. Buying and selling will come in the summer, but he has to keep Reo Hatate, Cameron Carter Vickers, Kyogo and Callum McGregor. The draw, obviously, will play a part in how it goes.
Champions League success is asking too much in the current climate, but performing well, obtaining a scalp, then getting past Christmas and making a mark in the Europa League is not. Rangers proved that under Giovanni van Bronckhorst last season when doing the same as Martin’s team and getting to a Final in Seville. Postecoglou has ruled Scotland. His task now is to make that mark abroad just as we did 20 years ago. And fighting well in your own backyard is key to winning a few rounds and bloodying those noses.
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