Ange Postecoglou sets the bar higher as Celtic boss demands players 'take it to another level'

Celtic’s best before the World Cup break was more than good enough to produce imperious domestic form.

In resuming their season with a Saturday lunchtime visit to Aberdeen though, Ange Postecoglou’s demand will still be for better from his team. A European exit that ensued from finishing bottom of their Champions League group means it will only be football on the home front for Celtic across the remaining five months of the campaign. In that domain, the Scottish title holders racked up 15 wins from 16 games. However, as they chase silverware in three competitions, Postecoglou’s pursuit appears perfection.

“The key for us is that we’ve had a really strong start to the season, but we want to really now take it up another level and be really strong for the next bit,” he said. “This is the important part of the season. We’ve had a good build-up to this game and most of the squad are up and ready and in good physical condition, so we’re looking forward to it.

“You have to [keep trying to get better]. That’s my responsibility with these players. A lot of them are still in the early stages of their careers and there’s so much more in them. My role is to keep pushing them to reach their potential and, if we do that, we’ll get to where we want to as a team. But we are still very much in development. We are 18 months into creating this team and the way we want to play, and there has to be better ahead. We must be looking to get stronger. That is our aim and our ambition and, irrespective of past form and past results, what is key for us is what is ahead.”

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou during a training session at Lennoxtown on Friday. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

That drive will be fired by the return of arguably Celtic’s most influential performer in captain and integral engine room piston Callum McGregor. The 28-year-old is ready to resume his role anchoring the midfield nine weeks on from being forced off with a knee injury in the loss away to Leipzig. The shutdown for the World Cup finals covered five of these weeks and Postecoglou believes that fact could have worked to the long-term benefit of McGregor.

“You have to be sensible about these things and Callum knows his body better than anyone,” he said. “We always knew that, whatever timeline they gave, he would push it. I think the break helped us there because it took away a bit of time pressure for him to get back, even in his own mind. He’d set his stall out to be back after the break and having the weeks has been helpful. He’s worked awfully hard away from the group and now with the group over the past couple of weeks.

“The boys did a fantastic job covering for him. Both in terms of on the field with performances and also with influence. Boys like Joe Hart, Cameron [Carter-Vickers] and Greg Taylor have all stepped up during his absence.

“Look, Callum is a fantastic footballer, so we’re getting a quality player back into our team. He’s our leader, so it’s great for us. All the boys are looking forward to him being back out there and I’m sure that he is as well.”