'It's pretty strong language mate' - the best of Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou's media soundbites

Yet just six months into his tenure the Aussie has brought back the 'thunder' to Celtic Park and is quickly ascertaining hero status in Glasgow's East End.

Despite winning titles in Australia and Japan and guiding the Socceroos to a World Cup finals and their first-ever international trophy success, Ange's appointment was still viewed as a massive gamble by Celtic.

Not any more.

It's certainly not been an easy ride for Ange since he took over the managerial reins from Neil Lennon in June.

READ MORE: The stunning Celtic renaissance that shows Ange Postecoglou's spinning gold from straw

The morale was low in the camp after Celtic relinquished their grip on all three domestic pieces of silverware last season.

The club also blew their chance at creating a huge slice of football history by failing in their bid to clinch 10-in-a-row as rivals Rangers stormed to the league flag by a 25 point winning margin.

A Champions League qualifying loss to Danes FC Midtjylland and an opening day Scottish Premiership defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle saw Ange get off to an inauspicious start.

Gradually though it has started to come together for the Aussie and his bhoys.

Ange ensured European football after Christmas in the shape of the Europa Conference League after finishing third in a Europa League group containing German and Spanish heavyweights Bayer Leverkusen and Real Betis respectively.

With a potential £40 million windfall up for grabs for this season's Scottish Premiership winners, Celtic currently trail league leaders Rangers by six points in the title race.

However, earlier this month the Aussie waltzed off with the first silverware of the season as Celtic defeated Hibernian 2-1 to claim the Premier Sports League Cup at Hampden.

Celtic's 3-1 win over St Johnstone on Boxing Day saw them stretch their match unbeaten domestic League and League Cup run to 17 matches before the decision was made to bring the winter break forward by three weeks.

It's been a rollercoaster of a campaign so far for Ange.

He has made a huge impression on Scottish football in more ways than one.

His dealings with the media have had everybody hooked from day one.

So here's a Hogmanay treat.

The Celtic Way's Anthony Haggerty sifted through six months of Angeisms to bring you the good, the bad and the ugly of the Aussie's media utterances since he took charge of the club.

On being unveiled as Celtic manager:

"I know the reaction to my appointment was mixed but they all want me to be successful. I can’t wait to see them at the stadium. My job is to give them a team to be proud of.

“I’m a big believer that, if you can produce homegrown talent & players who have come through the club, there’s extra meaning to represent that football club for the player”

“I want my football teams to play and that’s to make sure our supporters don’t sit down for 90 minutes”

“It’s something I dreamt about years ago – being over here and managing in Europe. To be given the opportunity to manage a huge club is one I’m really looking forward to.”

“If I didn’t want pressure I’d probably be doing a different type of occupation.”

“Celtic is a club with great traditions and history but it’s also a club of great standing and high values and I won’t let anyone use this club as a vehicle for individual purposes.”

On that infamous mic's up training session: (July 2021)

"We never stop. We stop at half time and we stop at the end of the game when we celebrate. If the opposition wants to stop that’s good for us.”

On being knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by Danish side FC Midtjylland at the first hurdle: (July 2021)

"It's pretty strong language mate, I don't know what your version of catastrophic is but it certainly doesn't fit my definition of what happened tonight. This is obviously a disappointing night, disappointing we didn't get through.

"No, catastrophic to me means the end. This is far from the end.

"You are suggesting this is a club falling apart and our season is finished, I don't see it that way."

READ MORE: Three Celtic goals built on Ange Postecoglou's mic'd up footballing principles

On players leaving and Celtic's finances: (July 2021)

“The guys who are going to leave will leave, that’s not my department. I’m concentrating on the ones who are involved. I can’t afford to waste time on anyone other than the ones who are here and committed to being here.”

“I’m not an accountant mate. I’m a football manager. When people start talking to me about finances they miss the essence of what I’m about. I’m not interested. I want to win games, I want to win trophies, I want to bring special nights to here. The finances are for other people.”

On his knowledge of Hearts, Celtic's Scottish Premiership opponents on the opening day of the season: (July 2021)

“I’m still on the same planet mate, I haven’t come from outer space. You’d be surprised how much I know about Hearts.”

“Mistakes are a part of the nature of football, it’s the reaction to them that’s important”

On being rated as underdogs for first Glasgow derby of the season: (Aug 2021)

“Favourites, underdogs become really irrelevant. What becomes important for me is belief. Belief in ourselves, belief in our football, belief in our football club and to take every contest head-on.”

On the Scottish Premiership title race being all over by October: (Oct 2021)

"I thought the Premiership was over mate, so I’m not looking at the table anymore.

“We are just doing our own thing so that result has zero significance. What’s more important to us is that we get more belief into the team."

On sticking to his attacking philosophy and values ahead of a Europa League tie against Ferencvaros (Oct 2021)

“My view on that is, if you are a strict vegetarian, you don’t drop into Macca’s just because you are hungry mate, you know? This is what I believe in!”

On keeping clean sheets: (Oct 2021)

“I don’t pop champagne corks for clean sheets.”

On being asked about cup-final allocations on the eve of the crucial Bayer Leverkusen Europa League tie? (Nov 2021)

"No, you're not going to ask me about ticket allocations as we are playing Leverkusen in a big game tomorrow night. Why waste the opportunity? I have no desire or inkling to get involved in any ticket allocations that is not my brief. I will let you pass on that one, I'll give you a freebie, give me another question."

READ MORE: Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou's relationship with the media: Catastrophes, outer space, McDonald's and mates

On Steven Gerrard leaving Rangers: (Nov 2021)

"I'm making everybody fully aware that we can't get distracted by anyone or anything as we are trying to build something here and when you try to build something and be successful you can't afford to be looking to what other people are doing.

"We have got to build our house and make it nice and beautiful and see how it stacks up against the rest of the neighbourhood."

On being asked if Kyogo was a diver and a cheat? (Dec 2021)

"Who are these brave people, these warriors, who are out there, who are accusing people?”

“Kyogo is the size of a jockey, he is playing against guys who are almost a foot taller than him and all these brave warriors on the outside are casting aspersions, are they?

“I haven’t read it, I won’t read it.

“If you end up in arguments with ignorant people, you eventually become one of them.”

On winning the League Cup: (Dec 2021)

"It is [emotional]. I know the significance of it. It's been a hell of a ride so far and we haven't come into this opportunity the easy way.

"It is not a pressure situation for me. It's what I want. It's why you accept this position. You don't accept this position to shy away from creating special things. We're still at the beginning. We want to enjoy this as the players have been through an awful lot and risen to every challenge including today. We just want to keep going."

"It has to be just the start. It's the only measure at Celtic. You win it, and then you go onto the next one."

On gambling on the fitness of Kyogo in the cup final: (Dec 2021)

"He's a brilliant player, a great person too. He was determined even on one leg to get out there today and help the boys out."

"Good luck with telling Kyogo that he wasn't going to feature in the cup final, mate. He had it in his head and his mind that he was going to play. He would have snuck on the bus or snuck onto the field at some point! He wanted to help the players and the team and to be part of this. To have that composure in such a big game is incredible - they are two world-class finishes in a big game.

"I don't know how he did it. What a fantastic player and what a fantastic person.

"This football club and him are a match made in heaven."

On the possibility that Tom Rogic and Kyogo could miss the Glasgow derby due to being called up for international duty: (Dec 2021)

“If they (Rogic and Kyogo) get called up they will be.

“There is a lot of violin playing around the place, we are not going to be one of them.

"I am very supportive of our club's stance."

On bringing the winter break forward and playing in empty stadia: (Dec 2021)

"The break's coming at the right time because I don't like playing in empty stadiums, mate. I don't know why people confuse the two. We didn't want to keep playing not because of any other reason than, if anyone enjoyed today's game in here, then I'm sorry but they understand a different football game than I do.

"I like supporters here. I don't care if they're all away supporters, that's what the game is about."

READ MORE: Is Celtic striker Kyogo's League Cup final stunner the sporting highlight of 2021?

On what football means to the Celtic fans: Dec (2021)

"It's everything. It's what this football club's about, it's what football's about. We just pass through these clubs, but the people in here, it's generational support. They've invested their lives in this club, and these are the rewards."

“The Celtic fans are the most important part of this football club.”

On Celtic's triple signing of Daizen Maeda from Yokohama F. Marinos, Yosuke Ideguchi from Gamba Osaka and Reo Hatate from Kawasaki Frontale: Dec 2021

"We are really pleased to bring in Daizen, Yosuke, and Reo to Celtic and I think they are players who will excite our fans. 

"Clearly I am well aware of their attributes and I think in bringing all three to the club we are bringing even more quality, personality and energy to the squad

“They are all really at the peak of their careers, ambitious to achieve more success and I am sure at this particular time we will be getting their best years."