Ange Postecoglou says Celtic hero will be remembered 'long after I've gone' - but one player gets 'dropped trophy' quip

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou congratulates goalscorer and captain Callum McGregor after the win against Aberdeen.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou labelled Callum McGregor a player who will enjoy the ultimate posterity after he marked his comeback from injury with an imperious, matchwinning goal at Pittodrie.

The 29-year-old, out since October with a knee injury, ended the stubborn resistance of Aberdeen with an 87th-minute strike to give Celtic a 1-0 victory. But it was his fluid promptings as Celtic ran the entire encounter in their return following the winter break – McGregor, with 170, had more completed passes than the home team combined – that drew the highest possible praise from his manager.

“He was a bit rusty, wasn’t he,” Postecoglou quipped. “It doesn’t need me to say he’s an outstanding Celtic footballer who will be remembered long after I’m gone. And there’s more in him. He’s taken on the leadership role in the last year and a half and he’s grown in terms of his influence on the field.

“I said before the game, we did awfully well to cover his absence. It doesn’t take away from the fact he is just a fantastic footballer and he makes our team better. His ability to link up play in the way we want to play is crucial. He was key today, he was the one who sped up the game for us at times, at times slowed it down as we wore the opposition down.

“You would not know that he had missed so much football. He had an enormous number of passes and touches today and scored a fantastic goal. Am pleased for him because he has worked hard to get to this place, he is a credit to himself and to this football club. He is an outstanding leader.”

On an afternoon when Celtic had 33 goal attempts and 81% possession as they racked up 856 passes before claiming their 200th goal of Postecoglou’s 18-month era, the Australian could afford to be jocular over the absence of newly-crowned player of the month Sead Haksabanovic with a knock. “I think he picked up the award and dropped it on his foot,” he said of the winger expected to return for Wednesday’s hosting Livingston.