Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou reveals his stance on Bodo Glimt time-wasting, and the imminent “danger” for his team

The sands of time may be running out on Celtic’s European adventures this season.

Celtic's Anthony Ralston nets the fifth in the 6-0 win by Ange Postecoglou's men in their last home meeting with Dundee, in early August. The Celtic manager doesn't expect as "open" an encounter as the Tayside club return to the scene of that mauling under new manager Mark McGhee. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The prospects of a run in the Conference League – following tilts at the Champions League and Europa League – seem mighty remote following the 3-1 defeat to Bodo Glimt in Thursday’s home first leg of the teams’ play off for the competition’s last 16 stage.

Ange Postecoglou’s team came up short on all fronts against Norwegian champions they must now beat by two clear goals this week just to take the tie into extra-time. Outplayed by opponent that played smart and dexterous football in Glasgow, Bodo/Glimt were also more adept at the dark arts. Time and again, they had players who would go to ground as if seriously stricken, only for them to recover miraculously once more vital seconds had been taken off the clock. Postecoglou will demand much more from his men both in the Arctic Circle decider and their hosting of Dundee that precedes it. But he will never look for them to be streetwise, as it is often euphemistically referred to in football, in the fashion witnessed at Celtic Park in midweek. This wasn’t countered by Latvian referee Andris Treimanis, but there was a rueful, no-change-there-then attitude from the Australian on that front.

“It is part of football and not something I encourage my teams to do, but you understand why oppositions do that, it kills a bit of time,” said the Celtic manager. “It always amuses me when the referees say they are going to add time and it never really happens.” The apparent time-wasting extended to Bodo players breaking into a huddle when they should have been taking their positions for the restart in the moments after Celtic had reduced the arrears to 2-1 late on – only to conceded again instantly. The group gathering was another head-scratcher for Postecoglou. “Yeah it was a bit unusual, but I guess when you are winning you can get away with a bit,” he said.

Of more immediate concern is returning to winning ways following a first defeat in 18 and retaining leadership of the cinch Premiership. It seems as if Celtic could hardly have hand-picked a fixture that would seem more favourable than Dundee at home. Postecoglou’s men have hit 10 goals in their two league encounters against the club currently lying second bottom – six without reply in Glasgow six months ago – and that are now under the charge of shock appointment Mark McGhee, following the curiously-timed dismissal of James McPake. That development trumps any previous form guide for Postecoglou in assessing the Sunday square-up.

“There is a danger of thinking that way,” he said to suggestions the Dens Park side seem a good opponent for his team right now. “They have just had a change of manager and usually when that happens there is a reaction from the playing group. I expect it to be tough, it may not be as open as the game we had against them here last time. We just need to make sure we understand we got here not just from being free flowing all the time, we have had to grit and grind our way through games. Those kind of qualities need to be there as well as the football we play.”

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