FOOTBALL, it is often said, is a results business. Even Ange Postecoglou, who has always prioritised his process over the outcome, acknowledges that.
The Celtic manager though is steadfast in his belief that the fastest and most effective route to getting results at Champions League level is not to back down from the principles that got his team to that stage in the first place, but to double down on them.
After the 3-1 defeat to RB Leipzig, some pundits and critics have been arguing that Postecoglou must at the very least make some concessions to his idealistic, front-foot approach when coming up against teams of such a high calibre.
The futility of such unsolicited advice though is obvious to anyone who has followed his coaching career. The manager is not for turning. In fact, Postecoglou would argue that the only way Celtic will ever compete against them is to take them on at their own game.
"That is who we want to be,” Postecoglou said.
"I know people just measure outcomes for the most part, which is understandable.
"But I am not going to shirk away from the football team we want to be, how we want to play and approach things.
"We want to match up with the best and that is how the best play their football. That is what we want to aspire to be.
"We are not out there to survive. We are not out there to salvage reputations or minimise damage. We are out there to make an impact. In my view, the only way to make an impact is to take these teams on.
"Leipzig are a fantastic team, a Champions League side with a lot of players who have been with them for many years. They are well schooled in how they play their football and have some real quality.
"They have also been consistent with their approach and that is how we want to be, and what we aspire to be.
"That is why we will continue down the road we have started.”
That being said, while Postecoglou will never waver from steering his team onto that road, some creeping and uncharacteristic negativity in their play during the week – the factor he blamed for building towards the error from goalkeeper Joe Hart which gifted Leipzig their crucial second goal – meant some course correction has been required in the days that have followed.
"My role is to intervene at this moment,” he said. “If I don't then what is the point of being the manager of this club?
"My role is to show them the way forward and give them the solutions that exist to make sure we deal with those scenarios differently. I will look at different aspects of the game with the players.
"We did our video review on Friday morning, as we always do, and we give them the opportunity to use the tools and the resources to deal with it better next time.
"It's not about Joe Hart. That's the point I made after the game. It has nothing to do with individuals. It's about us as a team. Joe Hart doesn't lose a game, this football club loses a game.
"I am not interested in how individuals react to things as if they carry the burden for the defeat. Ultimately, the team lost the game - not one person.
"It's not about Joe Hart or anyone else, it's about us as a team maintaining our levels and concentration, particularly at Champions League level where mistakes are going to get punished. Once people start thinking about things on an individual basis, you start to lose your way.
"That stuff is irrelevant. It's not about how Joe responds to making a mistake, it's about how we respond as a team to not getting the job done.”
Nothing, he says though, will have the lasting impact of the lessons picked up in the practice of actually playing that game in the Red Bull Arena.
“You have to live through the experience of games like that,” he said.
"Nothing else can replicate going through the process of living it. You can prepare for it but those sort of games are about experiencing it. But it's about how you live that experience. You can waste it if you look for different reasons as to why you lost, and not the important stuff.
"For us, there are key components in our game. When we do them well, we are a very good football side. When we go away from that against other teams with strong identities, you struggle.
"We have to be at our best and the players recognise that. They have lived through it and it's an opportunity to improve.”
Postecoglou will have a quick opportunity to measure how his team have reacted with the lunchtime trip to McDiarmid Park to face St Johnstone today.
With RB Leipzig coming to Celtic Park on Tuesday as well, there may be opportunities in Perth for some of his fringe men, particularly with Callum McGregor and David Turnbull absent. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Aaron Mooy will be assessed prior to kick-off.
"We will have a look at how everyone is but we do have a few players who are waiting for an opportunity and there might be a chance to get them game time,” he said.
"St Johnstone played midweek and were disappointed to lose, so at home they are going to make it hard for us.
"We will need to have plenty of energy and intensity to our game, so it makes sense to make some changes. But we will wait and see how everyone looks before making changes.
"Giorgos (Giakoumakis) came on in midweek and it's good to have him back. Liel (Abada) is also available.
"Those two especially can add some of that energy I am talking about.”
