Ange Postecoglou lapped up the adulation of a sell-out Celtic Park on Thursday night but admitted he’s done nothing to deserve it.
Not yet, anyway.
What the Australian has done, though, is give the Parkhead support hope that better days are ahead after a season from hell that saw Rangers rip up their 10 in a row dream and look capable of an extended period of domestic dominance.
Three Celtic wins in a row, 13 goals scored, and a swashbuckling style of football has changed the dynamic, though, and that, allied to their rivals hitting a dip that cost them £30m-£40m in Champions League revenues, has brightened the scene at Parkhead more than any number of disco lights would.
Postecoglou isn’t getting carried away, though. He loved every minute of Thursday’s win over FK Jablonec - ‘to have these kinds of experiences is why I fell in love with the game in the first place’ - is how he described the atmosphere in the immediate aftermath, but the 55-year-old knows his work is just beginning.
Asked about the reception he got, pre and post-match, he said: “It was special. To be fair, the supporters have been unbelievable since I got here.
“At the moment I feel it’s a little bit unwarranted – I haven’t done anything yet.
“The way they have embraced me, even the other night, I just felt the need to acknowledge them.
“They’ve been so supportive since I got here, but inside I feel I don’t deserve it yet.
“There’s still a long way to go and I need to achieve things at this football club, and make the supporters proud of this team.
“Hopefully when I’m done I’ll eventually walk away knowing I’ve been part of something special.”
The new boss is desperate to add to his squad ahead of the next European challenge against AZ Alkmaar on Wednesday night but he admits he is happy with the manner in which those he has in the door are buying into his methods.
He added: “Winning builds the belief. That’s the kind of team we want to be – an aggressive, attacking side that scores goals.
“In the last game (Dundee) it was Kyogo and Ryan Christie who got the headlines, the other night it was David Turnbull and James Forrest, Tommy Rogic was outstanding.
“It’s good we have multiple threats. That’s the kind of thing we want to keep developing and improving.”
The new recruits already signed have hit the ground running, despite Postecoglou giving them no time to adapt to their new surroundings by easing them in gently.
“I’ve kind of thrown them in, and it’s been a bit unfair,” he said. “It puts them under the spotlight right away.
“But they’ve all coped remarkably well. Liel Abada, Kyogo, Carl Starfelt and Joe Hart, they’ve all been thrown in and really embraced what we are all about.
“We want to be a brave team and make brave decisions, and they have been helped by the ones already here.
“Cal (McGregor) has been unbelievable as a leader, to make sure they feel comfortable and feel part of it.
“It hasn’t been ideal the way we’ve put them in but they’ve coped with it.”
And the re-emergence of his fellow Aussie Tom Rogic in the last two games has felt like another new signing. The midfielder was sensational against the Czechs and after spending the last couple of seasons on the fringes, looks like being one of the new man’s main assets.
Asked why a player of Rogic’s ability had faded into the background, Postecoglou answered: “It’s hard for me to say. I don’t like talking about when I wasn’t here because everyone has unique circumstances.
“We don’t know what drives certain people.
“I know Tommy really well and he’s an unbelievable footballer. He’s one of the players the supporters love to watch.
“He had a bit of an interrupted pre-season but he’s been super in training and getting better and better in the games. Long may it continue because he’s an exciting footballer. He’s still got a lot to offer – he’s in his peak years now.”
Before Alkmaar arrive for that Europa League play-off first leg, Celtic face Hearts in the League Cup tomorrow. The same Hearts who gave Postecoglou a bloody nose in his first Premiership match as manager.
“It will be different,” he said. “Cup games, by their nature, are different. They tend to have more of an edge, knowing the result is so crucial.
“That day (at Tynecastle) I think Carl had hardly had a session, Kyogo was only with us at the hotel and a couple of the other boys had not had a great pre-season so, we are a bit further down the track and our football has improved a little bit.
“But that’s not to say it is going to be any easier a game for us or a game where we can just naturally dominate. We’ve got to work hard. Hearts are a good side and it will be a good challenge for us.
“We’re at home in front of a big crowd again, which will be great, and I think we’ve improved since last time.
“It was a good game at Tynecastle and we were competitive for long spells. We weren’t really threatening Hearts enough and they did a good job of shutting us down.
“Our job is to turn the possession in to more of a threat this time.
“I just want us to keep developing. I wasn’t too distraught, even in the Midtjylland games we were well in those matches.
“But we know there’s still a long way to go because we can be successful.
“We’re on a good trajectory.”
