CELTIC legend Paul McStay was thrown his support behind the club's new manager Ange Postecoglou - insisting that the Greek-born Australian's drive to succeed means he'll be a hit at Parkhead.
McStay, who made over 650 appearances for the Glasgow club during his playing career, has been based in Australia for over a decade and has witnessed the coach's work first-hand in that time.
Postecoglou led the Socceroos to the group stages of the 2014 World Cup and was most recently manager of Japanese outfit Yokohama F Marinos, who he quit to succeed Neil Lennon as first-team manager at Celtic.
There are some supporters who are concerned that a relatively unknown coach has been handed the top job at Parkhead - but McStay insists that the new manager is a born winner who favours an attacking brand of football.
He told the club's website: “The people I talk to in the football world here feel Ange is a top coach and it’s a move he deserves after all the success he’s had in Australia, Japan and with the national team.
“Everyone’s delighted his success has been recognised by a top club in Europe. The football community here are excited by the prospect of Ange working at Celtic and the prospect of it raising the profile of Australian football in the eyes of Europe.
“I’ve been here for 11 years now and Ange is a name aligned with quality coaching and success here and in Asia.
“What I’ve learned in my 11 years of being here and keeping an eye on the game is that he’s a winner. Wherever he goes, he seems to have that formula and structure to his teams, and the way he plays brings success.
“That comes from him being a quality coach but I think within him is a character who has that winning edge as well, which I think will be really important at Celtic.”
McStay continued: “I’ve seen what he did at Brisbane and the Australian national team. Going to Europe is taking it up a level from the point of view of the A League and the Asian footballing world.
“What he’s proved is he has that experience and expertise and the mental strength to go and win things over in Europe. It’s what he’s been waiting for – that opportunity to go and show he can do it in Europe as well.
“He has that opportunity now and whether you’re a player or a coach, sometimes you need someone to believe in you, look at what you’ve done in your career so far and give you that opportunity to move up a level.
“He has that now and when he flies to Europe he’ll not lose his coaching knowledge and expertise. It’s just a matter of taking it up and level and maybe working with better players, and he’s got the capability to do that.”
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