Ange Postecoglou turned Celtic isolation hotel into rebuild bunker as he admits rare Rangers moment of doubt

He’s the first Celtic manager to start work on the job while isolating in a London hotel room.

That’s where the plotting and planning began for Ange Postecoglou. He hadn’t even been unveiled yet.

But he barely had time to look inside the mini-bar as he assessed, reviewed and analysed what he was walking into. That preparation and attention to detail paid off.

Just 11 months later he’s now on the cusp of leading the club to a Premiership title and is the William Hill Scottish Football Writers’ Association Manager of the Year.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing. He admits to having self-doubts after just seven domestic games.

Postecoglou has revealed that after looking at Rangers close up, he didn’t think they’d lose a game to any side apart from Celtic in the title race.

Thankfully for Hoops fans, he was wrong. And when Gio van Bronckhorst’s side had a blip, the Parkhead side went in for the kill and took advantage.

On Wednesday night they could clinch the league flag against Dundee United at Tannadice.

Given where he started, it will be a phenomenal achievement for the Celtic gaffer.

But from the minute he started work in that hotel room, the Australian knew the size of the task he faced.

Postecoglou said: “I got my head around that pretty quickly. I had a week of isolation in a hotel room where I could exorcise all my demons and any doubts I had about the enormity of it.

“Once I got here I didn’t have time to think about it. If you do that too much then it becomes overwhelming.

“In that hotel room I was working – absolutely. I had no time to waste. There was too much to do.

“I knew the enormity of the task but I was prepared to take it on because I was confident I could build something.

“At the same time I knew we