Time for Postecoglou to party as Celtic reclaim Scottish crown
Paradise found: Celtic celebrate after clinching the Cinch Premiership title after a 1-1 draw at Tannadice Park, Dundee.
As Tony Ralston crossed for Giorgios Giakoumakis to open the scoring at Tannadice, Celtic’s party was in full swing. The Hoops, needing just a point to secure the Scottish Premiership title, had Dundee United at arm’s length.
United’s response, via a glorious Dylan Levitt moment, created brief periods of panic in the Celtic ranks. But ultimately only that.
Ange Postecoglou has made great play of the fact there are various ways to cross a finish line. Celtic’s approach was to tiptoe, this draw sufficient to leave Rangers an insurmountable challenge. Celtic could have won, they should have won, but none of their followers will care. Postecoglou, who was in warm embrace with his staff at full time, has overturned a 25-point deficit as existed at the end of last season.
That Postecoglou’s men did not smash the tape to pieces is understandable. The Australian’s team is a new one, pieced together at a time when the club was in apparent crisis. Many of Celtic’s players had not encountered intensity anywhere near that as exists in Glasgow before this season. Having claimed the ultimate domestic prize, there is cause to think Celtic under Postecoglou will only improve.
"The dream was always to manage a famous club and try and make an impact. When something is almost a lifelong obsession and you finally get there, it's hard to put into words," Postecoglou told BBC as his players were bathed in adulation by the travelling support.
"It almost feels like two seasons in one. We've jammed in a rebuilding season and a season to win. We had a lot of work to do, and with the support of everyone at the club, we got there."
"It's fairly overwhelming. It's taken every ounce of me to get us where we are and when you get to the finish line, you just want to collapse. We've been focused all season, not getting distracted by anything. The players were really good at dealing with what was in front of them - and that's not easy to do."
The first half at Tannadice involved shadow boxing and little else. Reo Hatate fired well over the bar following Celtic’s finest piece of play, where the Japanese midfielder combined for a one two with Giakoumakis. The latter’s cross, six minutes before the interval, narrowly evaded James Forrest. United, despite having the carrot of European football ahead of them, were dismally passive during those opening 45 minutes.
Grim, too, was much of the verse from Celtic’s significant travelling support. In 2022, with an exciting football team to support and a title within grasp, concerted pro-IRA chanting bellowed out. Neither Celtic as a club nor Scottish football’s authorities do nearly enough to discourage this kind of behaviour. Hence, naturally, it continues.
Rangers were easing to victory against Ross County at Ibrox but there was never any prevailing sense of Celtic being in trouble. Ralston stood up a cross, United’s Liam Smith leapt and missed with a clearing header attempt. Giakoumakis nodded through the hands of Benjamin Siegrist.
A brief United rally followed. Rory MacLeod, a 16-year-old forward, cracked Joe Hart’s left-hand post with a low shot. Tony Watt headed against the Celtic woodwork. Charlie Mulgrew was afforded a decent set-piece opportunity from 20 yards out but curled into the awaiting hands of the former England goalkeeper.
Back came Celtic. Siegrist delivered a terrific one -handed save from Jota. Giakoumakis shot inches wide. But just when Celtic looked sure to double their lead, Levitt endorsed his blossoming reputation. The on-loan Manchester United midfielder curled beyond Hart from 25 yards, having collected a Mulgrew lay-off. Levitt’s graceful touch has been a recurring theme in United’s campaign.
Jota lashed into the side-netting as Celtic chased a victory that would add gloss to their status as champions. Daizen Maeda, following a glorious first touch, lashed into the stand as stoppage time ticked down. It mattered not; for the 10th time in 11 seasons, Celtic are the champions.
Siegrist, Liam Smith, Edwards, McMann, Freeman, Meekison (Mochrie 70), McDonald (Mulgrew 58), Levitt, Niskanen, Clark, Macleod (Watt 58).
Sporle, Eriksson, Neilson, Graham, O'Donnell, Cudjoe.
Hart, Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor, O'Riley (Turnbull 63),McGregor, Hatate (Rogic 63), Abada (Maeda 70),Giakoumakis (Furuhashi 90), Forrest (Jota 63).
McCarthy, Ideguchi, Bain, Welsh.
9,401
Nick Walsh (Scotland).
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