The Ange Postecoglou football journey may read like the globetrotting exploits of Phileas Fogg.
But the Celtic boss insists he’s not on a one-man mission to force Angeball into every corner of the globe.
Quite the opposite. Postecoglou insists the courage of his convictions both on football and life are open to compromise and change.
Managerial posts in Australia and Japan have shaped his beliefs and principles and he admits moving across the world to work in the SPFL is another learning curve.
And if they handed out medals for passing teams to death, Celtic would be in the winners’ enclosure already after it was revealed they have the most ball circulation of any team in 40 leagues across the world.
But there’s a long way to go before Angeball can claim silverware and he hopes to take another step on that particular journey at home to Hearts tonight.
Postecoglou believes the latest chapter of his far travelled career is making him a better boss and a better man.
He said: “Australia is very different to Japan, Japan is very different to Scotland and I’m sure it would be different from any other nation if I coached somewhere else.
“The one thing I try to do is embrace that. That’s what I love about football and why I’ve travelled far and wide to do my job.
“It has helped me evolve as a person and a manager. What you don’t want to do is go to a new place and try to enforce your own values or ways of doing things down people’s throats.
“It’s got to be a marriage of the two. I need to adapt my values and beliefs into the culture I’ve inherited and I love that.
“It’s helped me have some fantastic experiences and because of that I’ve evolved as a person.
“My family have seen different countries and cultures and it’s what I love about the game.
“Ultimately it’s a game of football, there’s a round ball and a couple of goals with 22 players going at it, so from that perspective, my principles have never changed. There aren’t big differences, they are subtle like different cultures and different structures with the leagues.
“There are different challenges with the environment more than anything else.”
Celtic’s latest challenge arrives tonight against the Jambos and the boss is sensing a growing confidence within this squad.
After recovering from being pegged back by an Aberdeen penalty on Sunday to win 2-1, Postecoglou is adamant it was a sign of good psychological strength.
He said: “I see self-assurance and self-belief growing within the group and they are embracing what we are trying to do.
“We can only enhance that by focusing on ourselves, playing our football and finding our answers.
“Once you start reacting to different scenarios and different types of pressure, whether that’s within the games themselves or from elsewhere, then there’s the challenge.
“When you concede a goal, what does that do to you? There’s an understanding that if we need to have a reaction then we do that rather than being openly emotional about it or reacting negatively.”
Another huge positive for Celtic was the display against the Dons from James McCarthy who impressed in only his fourth start.
Postecoglou said: “I thought his performance on Sunday was good. We need to remember that he’s had a disrupted pre-season and that was his first meaningful start for a while.
“It’s not an easy task to come into a team and perform at those levels so he got through the game well which was the main thing physically.
“He had no issues and he got a taste of it. James is one we are going to need this season because of his experience and the way he plays. Everyone knows he can improve and we want him to improve.
“Like the rest of the players, when you come into the team, that’s your baseline and he’s getting the chance to perform at a high level.”
The test against Hearts will also see a return to Parkhead for former Hoops skipper Craig Gordon.
Postecoglou admitted: “It’ll be a tough match. Hearts have been very consistent, they have some excellent players, are well organised and have an outstanding goalkeeper. They have some speed up front and we are ready for that.
“Ultimately it’s about us and how we play. Particularly at home, we need to put the opposition on the back foot and dominate the game.”
Postecoglou also responded to a report which had under-pressure Australia boss Graham Arnold claiming he won’t be forced out of the role in the way the Hoops boss was earlier in his career.
He added: “I wasn’t forced out. I won the Asian Cup and qualified for a World Cup, it was my decision to move on as I felt I’d done what I needed to do.
“I only speak on behalf of myself but nobody drove me out of any job.
“My national team experience was a hugely positive one. I had four years and we won the only trophy which was on offer and that was the Asian Cup and then we qualified for the Asian Cup so I think I completed the mission.”
