Last Saturday after Celtic lost a pre-season friendly to Preston North End, new manager Ange Postecoglou cut a forlorn figure as he spoke to the media in the aftermath.
he manager visibly couldn’t disguise his disappointment after watching his new team toil against a mid table English Championship side ahead of his first competitive game as Celtic manager on Tuesday night against Midtjylland.
For the Preston match, 2000 supporters were inside Celtic Park for the first time since March 2020 to watch the game, which brought lots of excitement in the stands but unfortunately that didn’t transfer onto the pitch
Fast-forward 72 hours from Saturday and quite rightly there was some trepidation amongst supporters going into the Champions League qualifier.
However they needn’t have worried because the players put in a performance that showed there’s good reason for optimism ahead of the second leg.
I have to admit I didn’t see it coming and I’m not sure even the most optimistic of Celtic fans did.
That opinion was based on what I’d watched through pre-season and the squad at the manager’s disposal but the players stepped up.
The 1-1 score line absolutely flattered their Danish opponents as Celtic showed the opposite from the Preston game - they were high energy, a trait of teams Postecoglou has assembled in the past, and had a real edge to their attacking play.
There was criticism in the second half of last season that Celtic lacked any cutting edge and were predictable as well as being easy to play against.
Postecoglou, in his early pronouncements, promised fast attacking creative football and for spells his team delivered on that. They had a real zest to their play and looked to penetrate Midtjylland as opposed to going from side to side without any purpose.
Liel Abada, the new signing, got his first goal for the club and was a breath of fresh air on the right wing.
He’s one of the few players not scarred by the disillusionment of last season and he played with a freedom that got the supporters excited of what’s to come from the young man.
Unfortunately when Nir Biton’s stupidity saw him sent off, Abada was sacrificed tactically but its left the fans talking and wanting more.
On the other wing Ryan Christie has been scrutinised immensely over the past year as his performance levels have dropped and he’s looked a shadow of his former self at times.
Some people have questioned his commitment as he enters the last six months of his contract but on Tuesday night he completely dispelled that.
He was energised, drove the team forward, chased hard to win the back the ball and looked like the weight on his shoulders that followed him around last campaign was gone.
On that form he showed what Celtic will miss if they don’t manage to get him tied down to a new long-term deal.
It proved that Celtic operate much better when they have dynamic and direct players on the wings as it brings a different dimension to their play.
When you consider James Forrest is still to come into contention you can understand the quiet confidence that, if anything, the near future could be an entertaining time for Celtic. After last season’s many drab encounters its music to some fans’ ears.
Callum McGregor was handed the honour of being Celtic’s new captain, replacing the highly successful Scott Brown.
With that responsibility brings focus and attention, which can unnerve players and affect their own game. Tuesday night showed that McGregor isn’t one of those players.
He excelled with the armband on, he thrived on the pressure of leading the team he grew up supporting and delivered his best performance in a Celtic jersey for a long time.
There had been murmurings about the possibility of McGregor being reacquainted with his former boss Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City but I think he firmly put those rumours to bed with his committed display on Tuesday night.
There is no doubt there’s a long way to go for Celtic, they are still four or five players short of being where Postecoglou wants them to be, but there are shoots of hope which is encouraging.
Its only one game and they certainly won’t be getting carried away but the challenge for the manager and players is to continually push the boundaries as they strive to get Celtic back on the right track.
What I like about Postecoglou is that he calls it as he sees it and shows his vast experience in doing so. If he’s not happy about someone or something he’s happy to bring it to the fore.
His reputation is on the line as Celtic manager and he isn’t prepared to protect anyone if it’s detrimental to him.
He’s been critical of the recruitment policy since he came in and the time it is taking to get new signings over the line. That directly impacts on his ability to do his job properly so he’s politely reminding others of their roles and responsibilities. It’s strong leadership and is something the Celtic fans have craved over the past number of years.
The one down side of it all unfortunately is the team’s lack of a top class goalkeeper.
Vasilios Barkas arrived last summer with a big price tag and high hopes but it hasn’t worked out for both parties.
Sometimes in football, for one reason or another, it transpires that way so it’s best to cut your losses and go your separate ways. He made a huge error of judgement for the goal they conceded against Midtjylland and he doesn’t give confidence to those around him, which is a huge concern.
Fraser Forster has been linked with another loan move back the club after he turned down a new deal at Southampton, which seems to happen every transfer window!
Albeit he may not have the ball playing abilities Postecoglou is ideally wanting from his goalkeeper but he makes crucial saves at big moments and is someone who instils belief in those around him.
This Wednesday will be vital in Denmark for Celtic to progress to the next stage of the qualifiers. They have to take great heart and belief from the first game.
The tie is more than winnable if they can replicate the first leg performance. Time will tell whether not they can!
