HIS stay in Glasgow may have been short. His legacy at Celtic though, will live on forever.

That was the sentiment from Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou yesterday as he reflected on the passing of a man who was once in his shoes, with the sad news emerging that Wim Jansen had died at the age of 75.

It is almost hard to believe that Jansen was only in charge of Celtic for a period of just over 10 months, given that his impact on the club has stretched on throughout the many years that have followed.

His mission upon arrival at Celtic was simple; stop the 10. How he managed it though, with the signings of players such as Paul Lambert, Craig Burley, Marc Rieper and of course, Henrik Larsson, ensured that his solitary league success would be the father of the many successes that followed, and the foundation upon which they were built.

He also won the League Cup during season 1997/98, defeating Dundee United at Ibrox to capture a double, but the fact this triumph is but a footnote in his Celtic story tells you just how significant his other achievements were.

Like Postecoglou, Jansen joined Celtic from Japanese football, with his previous club being Sanfrecce Hiroshima. And like the Australian, he had to deal with his fair share of ignorance upon his arrival.

Then he stopped Rangers winning 10 in-a-row. And he signed Henrik Larsson. It’s a legacy of which any Celtic manager could be proud. Postecoglou only hopes that he can have the same sort of success as a man who came to Scotland in such strikingly similar circumstances as he did.

“It’s sad news, particularly for his family and those closest to him,” Postecoglou said.

“He was a huge figure in Dutch football, part of that golden era of Cruyff. He made his mark as a player.

“As a manager, we were probably in a unique space. Not many have come over from Japan to Europe to coach, and we both did it at this football club.

“He only had 12 months here, but what an impact, and for anyone involved in football that is kind of what your ultimate ambition is, that when it’s all done and dusted and finished up your career you’ve left a mark. You’ve felt like you belonged somewhere.

“Wim is definitely a part of Celtic folklore for the eternities to come because of the amazing impact he had in the 12 months he was here.”

While Postecoglou had a similar management background to Jansen prior to joining Celtic, the situation he came into was also remarkably analogous, being tasked with rebuilding a squad and dragging the club up by the bootstraps in short order.

“Spot on,” Postecoglou said. “Sometimes it’s not about how long you’re at a club, it’s more about the impact that you make and how you deal with what’s in front of you.

“He came in at a challenging time for this football club, and knowing that the stakes were at the absolute highest.

“He navigated it superbly, and got an unbelievable outcome in winning the league, in signing Henrik Larsson, things that were not just for the 12 months he was here, but beyond his time had a lasting impact.

“I think every manager works under the same philosophy that wherever you go, you leave it in a better place than how you picked it up, and your legacy remains on, and that’s what happened with Wim.

“When you look at it from an outside view, you might think he only had a year at the club, and how much impact can you have in a year? But the fact that we are talking about him today and his status among Celtic fans shows you that his impact wasn’t just about 12 months, it lasted a lot longer than that.”

Jansen’s knowledge of the game came to be admired in Scotland, but given his background, it is remarkable that it has taken so many years for him to be properly appreciated here. Particularly when you consider his references.

His teammate with The Netherlands – the greatest Dutch player of them all – the legendary Johan Cruyff, once said of him: “Wim Jansen is one of only four men in the world worth listening to when they talk about football.”

High praise indeed, from the highest of places.

“Johan Cruyff was a pretty harsh judge when it came to football discussion, so if you can make a list that he puts together than you are absolutely in elite company,” Postecoglou added.

“His impact even as a player as part of that famous Dutch team was remarkable.

“It’s a sad time, but the important thing is that because of his impact – both as a player and as a manager – his memory will live on.”