The secret of Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou's relentless pursuit of success

It's just as well really. The Aussie is going to have to dust down his book of motivational speeches and dig deep into his football philosophy bag of tricks from the get-go this season.

Like it or not, Celtic now have a target on their backs. The Scottish Premiership champions are there to be shot at and not just by Glasgow derby rivals Rangers.

Every team in Scotland's top flight will be determined to stop the Hoops in their tracks and claim their scalp. Especially when you consider that history informs us that traditionally Postecoglou's teams usually ramp it up a level.

No second-season syndrome or difficult second album here. Move along, nothing to see.

Well, actually, in a Celtic context under Postecoglou there will be plenty to see.

Whether he was coaching in the A-League, the J1 League or the Australian national team, Postecoglou's work ethic ensured success.

He turned a trophyless Celtic team into Scottish Premiership and League Cup double winners at the first time of asking during a rebuild.

A rebuild? Perish the thought that Postecoglou gets the chance to perform this managerial malarkey for real this season with no distractions.

The League Cup draw took place on Sunday and the holders were handed a tricky away tie to Dingwall to face Ross County.

It was then pencilled in for the final day in August by Premier Sports who wished to show it live.

Cue moans and groans as the broadcaster also confirmed Rangers' clash with Queen of the South at Ibrox will be played 24 hours before, giving them an extra day to recover for the Glasgow Derby the following Saturday.

A matter of days later Celtic will also enter the Champions League group stages under Postecoglou for the first time.

The end of August and the beginning of September is shaping up to be tasty that's for certain and will give an early indicator as to where they are at in the second season under the manager.

This is the bit that Postecoglou will relish. The challenge of competing on all fronts is right up his street.

Last season many times he was at pains to tell anybody who would listen that his players were neither making nor looking for excuses.

An early Champions League exit, a chronic start to the domestic campaign which yielded just three wins from the first seven league games and serious injuries to key personnel... Postecoglou took it all in his stride.

He told his players if they wanted to be successful then they had to be resilient and go out and overcome every challenge. His charges duly did that and then some.

It's no coincidence that former Manchester City and England number one goalkeeper Joe Hart let the Celtic faithful into a little secret about what makes the manager tick.

How is this for a motivational speech before every game?

"Why not make the game you are about to play the best game you have ever played in?"

Hart said those are the words of Celtic boss Postecoglou ad nauseam before every challenge.

It cuts right to the core of his managerial fibre and very being.

Postecoglou is always looking at how his men can tackle the next challenge, how they approach the next game, how they go about winning the next trophy and how they can create the next piece of history and magic.

With no Champions League qualifiers to negotiate this is the most relaxed, settled and stress-free Celtic have been during the pre-season summer months for years.

Postecoglou will never be relaxed, settled or stress-free though.

It's why he enjoyed success as a player with South Melbourne and has now gone on to become a serial winner as a manager with South Melbourne, Brisbane Roar, the Australian national team, Yokahama F Marinos and finally Celtic.

If the Celtic players are being told by Postecoglu to make the game they are about to play the best they have ever played in then you can bet the boss man is also going to make the same game the best that he has ever coached in.

If the secret of Postecoglou's teams' success is 'we never stop', it's largely because he never stops.

This piece is an extract from today’s Celtic Digest newsletter, which is emailed out at 4pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from The Celtic Way team.

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