'Pretty long odds I'd reach 100 games at Celtic'

Celtic face Hearts twice in four days, starting with Wednesday's Premiership meeting in Glasgow

Ange Postecoglou cites Celtic's style transformation as the most pleasing aspect of a 100-game milestone that he says was "long odds" when he took over.

Postecoglou hits a century of games as Celtic manager when the Premiership leaders host Hearts on Wednesday.

Asked his proudest Celtic moment, he said: "The day I was appointed."

He added: "All you can ever ask for in life, and particularly somebody like myself, is an opportunity. Being given the opportunity to manage this great football club was the best day for me.

"I've just been working hard ever since to hopefully repay the faith people showed in me.

"I guess 100 games is fairly significant. It would have been pretty long odds when I took the job that I'd reach it, so I guess that's something."

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Having succeeded Neil Lennon in June 2021 after Celtic's first trophyless season in a decade and the failed bid for 10 in a row, Postecoglou overcome a rocky start and has overhauled the squad to imprint his high-octane attacking football.

His record so far stands at 73 wins, 12 draws and 14 losses. With the League Cup retained thanks to victory over Rangers last month, Celtic have won 31 of 33 domestic fixtures this season and are chasing the treble.

They hold a nine-point Premiership lead with 11 games remaining and face Hearts for the second time in four days when they visit Tynecastle on Saturday in the Scottish Cup last eight.

"What we've achieved in just over 18 months has been probably the most pleasing part," said Postecoglou. "We're well down the track in terms of playing the kind of football and being the kind of team I want us to be.

"That is great because I can keep accelerating this and make us a more compelling team. That's where I get the most satisfaction.

"Not that you disregard the success or trophies, because that's they key cornerstone for any manager, but the kind of football we've played is the thing that has pleased me the most."

The Australian says changing the culture at the club was pivotal to his success and that his Celtic project has no "end point".

"It's an ever-vanishing target. If I ever think I'm close, it just gets further away," he added.

"I've always felt culture is people. Irrespective of what kind of environment and what behaviours you want people to have, it's a lot easier to do that if you have the right people.

"By that I mean people with the values you're looking for, the character and personality. Those things then become a lot easier and self-fulfilling because I'm not having to tell people what to do every minute of the day."

Meanwhile, Celtic and Scotland winger James Forrest has been ruled out for several weeks with a muscle strain.

It scuppers the 31-year-old's hopes of a Scotland recall for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Cyprus and Spain later this month.

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