'A juggernaut created by a man with echoes of O'Neill'

3 years ago 63

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Like so many in Scotland, I'll admit I didn't know much about Ange Postecoglou when he arrived in the summer of 2021.

He was probably a bit like Wim Jansen when he first came over as Celtic manager. Nobody had really heard of him, and he struggled in his first few games. Everyone was saying "get him out, get him out".

Ange was the same. He had a tricky start - including losing to Hearts - and the vibe was that "this guy doesn't know what he's doing" and all that nonsense. Then all of a sudden, bang, away he goes.

And that juggernaut is still going.

This Saturday's Old Firm game is another chance for him to take a step forward as Celtic manager. Nine points clear of Rangers already, avoiding defeat will surely close out a second league title and intensify the pursuit of a domestic treble.

Who makes your combined Old Firm XI?

My view is Rangers won't catch Celtic even if they get a result this weekend, but I don't see them winning on Saturday anyway. Ange's side looks too strong and have a way of playing that is now second nature. Michael Beale knows Rangers have to get Celtic in their sights to apply a bit of pressure on them - but doing that is going to be tough.

I was at the Viaplay Cup final and Rangers didn't lay a glove on them until they had to in the final 20 minutes. It was so one-sided in the first half, it was only when Rangers got the goal that they decided to give it a go. I don't think Rangers fans will accept that this time, although they won't be inside Celtic Park to see it.

With Celtic being at home and with no away support, all of the crowd will feel the league title is over if they get any sort of positive result.

Rangers have to do more. It's like the old Tommy Burns era; Celtic were brilliant, but they came up against Andy Goram. If you couldn't beat Andy, you couldn't win.

It's the same for this Rangers team coming up against this Celtic side under Ange.

'Martin galvanised us... there are some similarities'

When you look at Celtic as a whole, they are so strong. Kyogo gets plaudits for his goals and Callum McGregor is so consistent he is an eight or nine out of 10 every week. Reo Hatate is coming on to a game. Matt O'Riley is a great player who can do fantastic things.

But it's the manager who has been the revelation. He knows the Japanese market and that has been a massive plus when you look at his recruitment.

If I think back to my time at the club, we needed someone like Martin O'Neill to come in and galvanise us. There are some similarities between the two, but this team is different. It's a new era and the team are in a new moment.

The team I played in had everything. We had skill, strength, goal scorers, guys who had won big trophies. This group is a great team to watch, but they will want to make their own mark.

Win on Saturday and the league is virtually over, if it isn't already. Then you're on to the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers. No disrespect to Falkirk or Inverness Caledonian Thistle, but it's hard to see them stopping this Celtic team eyeing a treble.

Ange hasn't won the Scottish Cup, so he will be keen to add that to his list of successes in Glasgow.

Making a dent in Europe will also be incredibly high on his wishlist during his time at the club, but that's for another day and another season.

Celtic need to live in this moment and seize it, and under the current manager, I can't see them doing anything else.

Paul Lambert was speaking to BBC Scotland's Scott Mullen

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