Celtic: 'Big call from Postecoglou' involving crucial £4.95m star

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou made a brave decision leaving Kyogo Furuhashi out of his squad to face Rangers on Sunday, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Hoops went on to win the match 2-1, stretching their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to six points.

The forward injured his hamstring on Boxing Day against St Johnstone and hadn’t played since. However, after over three months out, he looked set to return for the Old Firm clash at Ibrox.

Postecoglou said in the build-up to the game that Furuhashi was back in first-team training, but he ended up leaving him out of his matchday squad.

The Australian coach explained his decision afterwards, stating that it was a precautionary measure, and that he had decided to hold Furuhashi back, despite the 27-year-old pleading with him at the club’s training ground in Lennoxtown for some game time.

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O’Rourke has admitted that it was a huge decision for Postecoglou to make, and he hinted that the Celtic boss must have been tempted to play Furuhashi, given how important the game was.

Referring to Furuhashi’s omission, O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: “It was a big call from Postecoglou not to throw Furuhashi back in for such a big game. It would have been a gamble to throw him into such a high-end kind of game with so much at stake.”

Leaving out Furuhashi paid off for Postecoglou in the end, and the £4.95m-rated attacker could still be a key player for Celtic in the final weeks of the season.

Despite suffering multiple injury setbacks this term, Furuhashi has still chipped in with 16 goals in 26 appearances in all competitions.

Postecoglou has given him an extra week to improve his condition, and Furuhashi