Ange Postecoglou insists he won’t allow Celtic’s title charge to be derailed by soaring anxiety levels and wild mood swings as the race to the line enters the final stretch.
The Parkhead boss – who is hoping Giorgos Giakoumakis will return from illness tonight – saw his side come under fire for dropping two points at Hibs on Sunday - before Rangers let them off the hook by drawing at home to Motherwell on the same afternoon.
And he insists he won’t be dragged into the growing sense of hysteria as the top flight season goes down to the wire.
Postecoglou’s players have the chance to consolidate their position at the top of the table tonight when they face a visit from St Mirren - with their city rivals away to St Johnstone, still trailing by three points.
And he admits the pressure of a first genuine Championship battle in more then ten years is starting to take a toll.
He said: “Look, I kind of understand it. I totally get it. It’s not something that is surprising.
“I guess people find it a bit sort of weird that I don’t react to it, and that’s where people are a little bit confused by it.
“It’s not because I don’t think that sort of reaction happens if we don’t play well or we don’t get the result that people expect us to get – or that I want people to not be passionate or emotional about it.
“That’s not the case, when you are so invested in something then obviously you are going to get extreme reactions. Our job, as we have done and as I have said all along, has been to remember that we are building a team here.
“Irrespective of our position in the table or our success or otherwise, that’s where we are at. We’re still building.
“People obviously try to push me to a point of saying we are further ahead or talking about our progress, but that’s why I’ve resisted it.
“We’re still in a stage of trying to create a team that will be successful, and hopefully for a sustainable time.
“We can’t react to these swings in mood or attention, and that goes both ways. It can be equally as damaging if you start believing the hype you have already achieved something.
“I’ve said all along, our job is to be there when the trophies are handed out, not in the meantime. At the moment, the players have been really good at focusing on ‘what is the next challenge?’
“Our next challenge is St Mirren at home, a tough game, and that’s where our focus lies.”
Postecoglou hopes Greek striker Giakoumakis will make the match having been ruled out of the squad for Easter Road through sickness.
And he was no clearer when asked when long term casualties Kyogo Furuhashi and David Turnbull might be ready to return to action.
He said: “It’s still 50/50 with Giorgios. He’s better, but he’s not 100 per cent, so I’ll leave it to Wednesday morning to make a decision on him.
“It will be touch and go, he’s unlikely to start, I would go as far as that. As far as everyone else, the ones from the weekend all pulled up well and are fit and available.”
