Ange Postecoglou admits he NEVER thought a club like Celtic would come calling.
The Australian was unveiled to the media yesterday after finally settling into life in the Celtic Park hot seat.
Postecoglou is on a 12-month rolling contract and tasked with returning Celtic to the summit of the Scottish Premiership.
His appointment after a deal for Eddie Howe collapsed raised plenty of eyebrows - not least his own.
The 55-year-old has had approaches from big clubs before, but quickly realised they didn’t really understand what they’d be getting and would always stuck with what they knew.
That meant he’d almost given up of being handed an opportunity of this magnitude, and is determined to be successful after the Hoops took a chance on him when it would have been easy to look elsewhere.
He said: “I’ve had an ambition to manage on the other side of the world. Absolutely. Specifically Celtic? No because, I’ll be honest, I didn’t think a club like Celtic would look at me because of the things I have spoken about.
“I have had discussions with clubs over here who have shown some interest.
“There was a lack of real knowledge about who I was and what I did. It was disheartening for me. You have to realise okay, it’s going to take an enormous leap for somebody to make that decision and look beyond what’s convenient or normal.
“So when the [Celtic] approach came, it was fantastic for me. I got the opportunity to manage and coach on this side of the world, but to get to do it at a club like this is fantastic.
“I hope this place is rocking and people don’t sit down for 90 minutes.
“I hope the fans see almost from the first day that the football we play will excite them. I’m well aware of the expectations in terms of success but that’s why I’m here.
“I want this team playing a certain type of football that everyone talks about and everyone will talk about this football club. I gather there was a mixed response when I was announced, but my role is to provide a team they can be proud of.”
Priority number one for the club is knocking Rangers off their perch.
The failure to clinch a historic ten-in-a-row last season will sting for some time and ensuring their are green and white ribbons back on the league trophy as soon as possible is the best way to go about easing that hurt.
But Postecoglou is more focused in getting Celtic playing the way he wants to rather than concentrating on a two-horse race.
And he's confident it’s one his team will win anyway if he can get Ange-ball implemented.
He explained: “My brain is just not wired that way. I don’t think we’re in a race with one other team.
“I can sit here and talk about the beautiful football but the best reference point for me is what I produce in terms of the football with the teams I’ve had. When I get them playing in a certain way, it ends up being successful and that’s all I’m focused on right now.
“If other clubs out there do something better than me and end up ahead of us then I’ll hold my hands up, but what I know is that wherever I’ve got my teams to play the football I know I want them to play, then success follows.
“I just want us to play football everyone talks about and if we do that I reckon we’ll be well on our way to success. I don’t take finishing second too well, either. I’m driven to be successful.”
