Topics: Australia, Football, Celtic, Real Madrid, Champions League
Aussie coach Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a wonderful start to life at Celtic capped off with a fantastic 9-0 victory over the weekend.
The Australian has been applauded as one of the best coaching hires in Europe in recent years, but he is coming up against his toughest test in just over a week - Real Madrid.
Postecoglou’s men drew the Spanish side in the group stages of the Champions League, and while the Madrid side are the reigning Champions League holders, the Aussie has been sending out a warning of intent.
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Following Celtic’s 9-0 victory over Dundee United, the former Socceroos boss was asked about the upcoming Champions League tie.
And true to form the Aussie is aiming high and will only be satisfied if the Scottish side come away with all the points.
He said: “What you want to make sure is that when you have these opportunities, it's better to swap shirts with players you admire after you've knocked them off, rather than just grabbing one for your collection.”
The way Celtic are playing, you wouldn’t put it past them to take it to Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
The Scottish side is currently on a 37-game unbeaten streak and has so far enjoyed a perfect start to the league campaign.
Their mammoth victory over Dundee marked Celtic’s biggest away win in the club’s 134-year history.
Following the game, Ange said via ABC News: "It's about the intent and we don't want to be led by the scoreboard or whatever the circumstances of the game are.
"With respect to whether it's the first or the last minute, or whether we're winning or not, we want to play at a certain tempo and intensity."
It’s that mentality that lead the likes of Jordan Gardner, a European football executive and investor in Swansea City to tweet: “I’m not sure there’s been a better coaching hire recently in global football than Ange Postecoglou at Celtic.”
The football world seems to agree.
One fan tweeted: “This. The man’s a legend already.”
Another said: “Yet the world laughed when Australia tried to tell them Ange was something special.”
Whilst one tweeted: “Ange will be coaching Madrid before he plays them at this rate.”
With a huge clash at Celtic Park just around the corner don’t be surprised if Ange proves once again why the football world needs to take notice.
