Ange Postecoglou makes 'heavyweight champion of world' comment after questions over St Mirren draw

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou accepted his team have deviated from their core principles following their struggles that required them to twice come from behind to dig out a 2-2 draw with a vibrant St Mirren.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou gestures during the 2-2 draw against St Mirren.

Yet, the Australian was careful to place his frustrations over his belief that his players have “come off it” of late, through failing to “fully committed” to their game plan and their defensive press out of possession, in the context of their storming to a second successive title before the drop in levels evident against the Paisley club and in the 3-0 loss to Rangers last week.

“It’s collective responsibility and there’s no hiding from it – it starts with me and then the group,” he said of dip since they confirmed their top flight triumph with a 2-0 victory away to Hearts a fortnight ago. “But, again, these guys are champions. They’ve won the title. When the heavyweight champion of the world lifts the belt, he doesn’t have to have won every round.”

Postecoglou, though, is far from simply accepting over the sub-conscious switch off that often besets a team once they have wrapped up a league success, apotential issue with two remaining cinch Premiership fixtures this week ahead of the Scottish Cup final on June 3 in which they will be seeking to complete a domestic treble.

“That’s probably true [players can switch off],” he said. “But the games are still there. Either you accept that you’re going to struggle for these games or you do something about it. I understand that they’re human beings and we’ve won the title again, which is what the ambition was. But there are still games to be played. I keep telling them every day not to waste a game of their career, when they have a chance to go out and enjoy their football. It’s not enjoyable when you struggle.

“With three games to go, two in the league and a massive game in the cup final, you can’t enjoy it unless you’re fully committed. And the players know that. It’s just a matter of them addressing that. If they don’t address it, they’ll get outcomes we don’t want. The defensive side of the game, we’ve been really poor in the last couple of weeks, not being relentless in our pressing and counter-pressing, which is the basis of our game.

“If we’re really good at that, and we have been unbelievable in that this year, we’re almost impossible to stop. Because we’ll always be a threat with the ball. But we haven’t been as committed to that side of the game. And that’s natural, if you’re talking about relaxing subconsciously. Because when they get the ball they still want to create stuff. It’s what you do when you haven’t got the ball – and we’ve gone off that.”