How Ange Postecoglou eased pressure of Celtic 'ticking clock' with pressing football persuasion

Ange Postecoglou says he came into the Celtic job seven months ago in full knowledge of what lay ahead – even if those in Scotland had little, or no, knowledge of him.

Not only was the J-League winner in a new job, a new environment and a new country, he also had to answer the questions being asked of him – who he was and could he turn Celtic around after the first barren season in the east end of Glasgow for more than a decade.

And how soon could he do it?

Postecoglou used the power of persuasion through his attacking football philosophy. It might have created a ‘rocky start’ with Champions League exit and early defeats to Hearts, Livingston and Rangers, but seven months of Celtic are top of the cinch Premiership with one trophy already in the Parkhead trophy cabinet.

“There are always plenty of sceptics every time you get involved and that’s only natural,” he admitted. “That’s the nature of football. There are always question marks when someone gets appointed.

“With me going over, there was a lot of the unknown in terms of who I was and what I was about.

“That doesn’t really affect me. My approach is always the same – trying to get people to believe in me.

“It doesn’t matter how much knowledge I have, and what I believe, if people don’t believe in me as a person then none of it will work.

“Wherever I’ve been, here or Japan or back in Australia, it’s about trying to get people to believe in me.

"It's about trying to get people to believe in what my values are and the kind of vision I have for the team we are going to be.

The Celtic fans know all about him now, and now they are extolling his work. It’s that newly bridged confidence and understanding that is key to turning around the fortunes, he says, and from the