Ange Postecoglou rebuffs Celtic 'miracle worker' tag as he fronts up to Champions League reality

Ange Postecoglou insists he can’t be expected to work a Champions League ‘miracle’ on Celtic - as he braces himself for more bad news on crocked skipper Callum McGregor.

The Aussie spoke out following Wednesday’s crushing Champions League Group F defeat against RB Leipzig which has left his side rock bottom with just one point from a possible nine, and while Postecoglou revealed McGregor has visited a specialist to determine the full extent of the injury he suffered on a damaging night in Germany, the Parkhead boss says he’s not about to push the panic button just yet.

In a strong defence of his own tactical masterplan, Postecoglou insisted he needs more time to make his side competitive against European football’s elite. “Absolutely, I’m no miracle worker," he said. "It’s not like I have taken over a club that has consistently been in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

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“We want to make an impact but there is a process to getting there and it takes time. The way you make progress is by being brave, bold and not looking to survive.

“As human beings, your natural inclination is to try to feel comfortable. Who wants a struggle in life? Nobody. But in elite sport, comfortable doesn’t get you to the next level. Comfortable keeps you in the same place.

“You need to be uncomfortable, you need to push yourself, make mistakes and test yourself in every moment. I want to see what other possibilities exist but to do that, we need to brave and courageous in our outlook. That is how you create something special.”

But Postecoglou looks set to have to plan for life without McGregor after confirming that his midfield