‘If players get comfortable, I’ll sign another’ - Celtic keep squad on toes as only one assurance on Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota

It can appear that the trick for Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou over the closing months of the season will be keeping his sizeable squad happy.

With the Scottish Cup quarter-final away to Dundee United on Monday night beginning a period where the cinch Premiership leaders have regular midweeks, his two-players-for-every-position will have fewer opportunities to be dropped in and out of his starting line-ups. Yet, spreading the contentment by rationing out game-time isn’t in his thinking when he sees banking outings as on his players, not him.

With English suitors with much deeper pockets circling for Tottenham Hostpsur loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota, on a season-long deal from Benfica, it could seem another source of difficulty for the Celtic manager will be persuading the pair that the attractions of his club offset greater remuneration elsewhere. Except that Postecoglou is sanguine about that situation. His only demand from them is retaining full focus over the closing two-and-a-bit months of this campaign, which he has no concerns over.

"How do you define happiness? I've never worried about players being happy,” said Postecoglou. “I assume players get their happiness from winning things and being part of something successful. I don't expect them to be walking around with smiles on their faces and singing a tune if they are not playing. I want them to be disappointed and determined to break in, as long as they don't use that in a negative way. At the moment, training is really competitive and at a great level because they want to play and be a part of it - they don't want to miss out. They are disappointed if they miss out, but what they do with that disappointment is come back to training the next day and try to show me they are ready to go should they get called up. That's the important thing.

Celtic's Jota celebrates with Cameron Carter-Vickers, with Carl Starfelt looking on. And while the club's support is concerned over the possibility that Jota and Carter-Vickers won't be retained at the end of their loan deals, manager Ange Postecoglou appear relaxed over their situations as long as they continue to give their all this season. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

"If a player is not happy with their situation here, they have choices they can make. But always understand that you can go to another club, play every week, and never win anything. If you want to be at a big club and fighting for trophies every year, then you have to be prepared to be competing for your spot every week. There won't be a moment while I'm here that any player will feel comfortable. If they are comfortable, I will sign another player to play in their position to make sure they are at their absolute best. That's my role and that's what they want me to do - keep pushing them to be the best they can be. As long as that disappointment isn't used in a negative way, let them come back tomorrow determined to prove that they should be out there.”

It is more than likely the cinch Premiership title winners this season will earn direct entry to the Champions League group stages. It could be a factor in retaining Carter-Vckers and Jota, the Celtic manager agrees, but there could be another strand to that carrot. And should financial reward trump all else for them, Posteocoglou won’t take the hump. “I’m sure [Champions League football could help keep the two of them] but I'm sure it would be [a draw] for other players who want to come to our football club. This is a two-way thing,” he said. “The players have to want to be here, and we have to want them here. When you have that thinking, I'm sure we will get a deal done. There's no issue if players see their future away from here or have different motivations. The appeal to come to this club is playing in front of 60,000 people every second week, competing in Europe, competing for trophies and playing for a club that's universally known around the world. That's the attraction.

"If we are playing Champions League next year and, if not, next year - it should be our goal every year - then it will be an attraction for players to stay but will also be an attraction for players to come. It doesn't really change the situation. Both Cameron and Jota are saying all they need to say to me with their performances. They have been outstanding contributors all year and are great young men as well. I am loving having them as part of his football club.

"That's OK [if they can get more money down south]. That's fine. I would never deny that. We could get offers for some of our other players, depending on how we finish the season. That's the choices they make. There's no problem. If that's what they desire for their next move, I have no issue with them. But while you are here with me, you give everything you can to this football club to make it successful and if you do that then whatever your next step is I am happy for you."

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