Ange Postecoglou doesn’t feel the need to throw a supportive arm around Giorgios Giakoumakis.
Instead, he’s more interested in seeing his Greek hitman thrive upon the responsibility.
To grasp more opportunities to be a Celtic hero.
And Postecoglou will take great pleasure in seeing Giakoumakis step forward again in big pressure moments from the penalty spot or anywhere else on the pitch because that’s the reason why he signed.
The former VVV Venlo striker was the sinner last weekend when his injury-time spot-kick failure cost Celtic a win over Livingston.
However, Postecoglou insists even the greats miss them.
What makes a top-class forward is getting back into those positions to strike again.
The Hoops boss doesn’t need to reassure Giakoumakis and said: “He’s a striker. Last year he was top scorer in the Dutch First Division and scored nine out of 10 penalties.
“I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t want to grab the ball to score a last-minute winner at Celtic Park.
“I’m not here to protect players and hide them.
“If you come here to Celtic as a No.9 and a central striker you want the opportunity to win games of football.
“That’s how you make a career for yourself, so I don’t have to put my arm around Giakoumakis or tell him anything or try and protect him. This is a big club with expectations and that’s why he’s here.
“The best in the world miss them and the best in the world get up and take them again. It’s part of football and Giorgos understands that.
“He wanted to come to this big club because he knows the next time he gets that opportunity to score a winner in front of 60,000, it will be a memorable moment for him and I’ll be happy if he steps up again.
“That’s where he is at.”
If Giakoumakis or anyone else steps forward to deliver a big match-winning moment in Budapest on Thursday, it will revive Celtic’s hopes of making the Europa League knockout phase.
Emphatic victory over the Hungarians at Parkhead two weeks ago breathed life into the aspirations of Postecoglou’s team to make it past Christmas on the continent.
Should Celtic repeat the trick, they’ll be in pole position to reach at least the Conference League play-off with hopes of Europa progress also still kicking.
Celtic have lost three of four Euro away matches under the Aussie but Postecoglou said: “It is an opportunity for us to keep developing.
“Every game we have had away from home has been a unique challenge.
“We have been competitive in all of them. We did lose in Midtjylland but it was 1-1 after 90 minutes.
“We lost in AZ Alkmaar but we actually won the tie on aggregate. We lost in Betis but gave a top team a hell of a game and lost 4-3.
“Every game is an opportunity for us to develop and grow.
“We’re facing a good team in Ferencvaros and it’s a really big challenge in a game we know we need to win to keep our chances alive of progressing.
“We obviously lost our first two games. If we want to get out of the group, a victory is going to help us in that cause.
“We have to go for the game, go for the win, play our football and try to get three points out of it.
“We’ve got a chance of getting out of the group. After losing the first two games, we knew we had to beat Ferencvaros to have a chance.
“That’s where we are now. With a chance. If we get a result we’ll still have a chance. It’s a great opportunity.”
Postecoglou has choices to make in his backline with Swedish defender Carl Starfelt out until after the international break with a hamstring issue.
Stephen Welsh could partner Cameron Carter-Vickers and the manager said: “Chris Jullien is not ready yet, so we’ll look at an opportunity with Welshy or Nir Bitton back there.
“We have a couple of options we can use for the game and I’ll be comfortable with whatever way I go because both are ready.
“Welshy has been a bit unlucky not to get a bit more game time so that opportunity might come.”
The defender is a senior player now with previous Euro experience and Postecoglou added: “I’d like to think that is how he sees himself.
“He’s already had many games and big European ties so I’m sure he’ll be looking for an opportunity and looking forward to it.”
Sadly for Celtic’s stars, they won’t have any backing in the Groupama Arena with Hungarian authorities preventing visiting fans from entering due to vaccine certificate issues.
Many have still travelled to Budapest and Ange said: “We’re disappointed. We’re edging towards things being normal but it will take time. They won’t be in the stadium but there’ll be plenty out and about and plenty watching at home cheering us on.”
