Why Celtic's manager had a pop at the semi-final team leaker

What are your thoughts on that performance and result?

Yeah, it was a brilliant result and outstanding performance against an Aberdeen team that has been so good this season in the league. And we knew how tough it was going to be, so we knew we had to be good today in a lot of our game. I think it's a massive credit to the players, their mentality and how ruthless they were in the game. So, yeah, it was a good one.

You spoke before the game about building the game a couple of weeks ago and Aberdeen's comeback. Was that in the players' minds that they were so aware that that could happen again?

I think what we did say is that if you let Aberdeen play, then they have the quality to score goals. I think we've seen that all season and none more so only a few weeks ago. But it's about learning and I think that you can see that we've learned from that, that if you give them time, they can play. They have got gifted technical players. You get strikers and wingers that want to run in behind and can give you problems. So we had to control that. I thought our counter-pressing was good. It got us the ball back a lot. And then, especially in the second half, we passed the ball much faster. Good numbers on the inside, moved the ball around really, really well and scored some outstanding goals.

How pleased were you for Daizen Maeda getting that hat-trick at the end?

I think what's great is that he's there. The goal that he breaks away for and sets up Kyogo as well. He anticipates it and he's away. It's what we train them to do to get into the second post. The wingers, you've got to be there. You've got to make the runs. You've got to do the work. And if you do that, you'll get your reward. So, yes, it's a special day for him to get a hat-trick in a semi-final.

Is that a statement victory, given the fact that you've been up there with you all season?

I think it's, we said before the game, there are four teams this weekend that are playing to get to the final and we are one of those teams. So, we can decide about getting to the final or not. You know, I said before the game that two things will happen, is that the game will kick off at half-five and it'll be dark. So that's not changing and there's going to be a brilliant atmosphere at the National Stadium. We have two teams that are riding high and the atmosphere is going to be great. Everything else, we can decide. How we press, how we run, how we work, the quality of our football. And if we can play to our level, then we have a really good chance of getting to the final. So, I couldn't have asked any more from the players in that aspect.

In terms of performance, do you think that was the best of the season so far?

No, no. I think that there were moments where, especially in the first half, we were too slow on the ball. We had to pass it quicker and I got a yellow card because of that. But no, it was much more aggressive. We were really clinical in the first half. We had some good movements, but we needed to be faster with the ball. And in the second half, we were really good in our press and then that gave us the platform to play our football. Just on that, you seem to be so demanding on your team.

You're always demanding on your team. The fact you were 3-0 up in the first half and you still seem to be shouting at the players, saying they weren't moving it quick enough. It looked like you didn't want to give Aberdeen an inch today, You just really wanted to press on and punish them, would that be right?

Yes, it's one where this suits our game here at Hamden. The pitch is beautiful. It was nice and slick for us. And the quicker you can move the ball, the faster the opponent has to move. And then eventually, you hopefully can tie the opponent out. But if it's slow, and I felt that sometimes we needed to put more speed on our pass, because when you do that, then it creates the gaps in front. So, no, I think we were good in the first half, but I thought we were outstanding in the second half.

Does Maeda just epitomise everything good about this team?

Well, it's just hunger, isn't it? He hadn't been feeling great there for a few weeks just before he went away with Japan and then he came back and he wasn't great. You could see the tiredness in him. That's why we give him a rest there during the week for a bit. His appetite to work hard and run is absolutely incredible. Like I say, he gets into areas now and he's scored really important goals for us this season. So, a real joy to work with. He wants to run and we want him to run and we're a running team. We need to be active in the game and there's nobody more active than him.

How does this set you up for Tuesday?

Yes, it's obviously a different game, again, a different level of opponent, with the greatest respect. But no, it's exciting for us. We needed to and wanted to make a really good performance today. And we've done that. We are playing against a top team from a great league will be another challenge for us. But it'll be absolutely rocking at Celtic Park. So, we will look forward to that.

Did the ref tell you why he booked you?

To be fair, it was well-deserved. I shouldn't have been falling over there. I think it was because I kicked the ball on the pitch. I think we'll appeal the yellow card. I'm only joking, by the way! I bounced up pretty quickly. Probably through embarrassment. But no, I was a wee bit slippy on the surface with my shoes. So, no it was a good decision by Kevin.

Can I ask you about an issue you might not be aware of but both the Dundee and Aberdeen teams have been leaked on social media before the games. What are your thoughts on that?

My thoughts are that it's clearly disappointing. I think it's something that we've seen before and it's not ideal. However, it comes out. It's a modern game, there are no real secrets in football. That's the reality of it. But it's not nice when it gets out there. Especially if it's out from Celtic supporters. Yeah, because it might feel great for someone's ego to put it out and pass it on to other people. I can tell you as a manager that I've had that before with other teams. When I got to know about it, it really, really helped me in my preparation. I've come up against a plan to play against a team. I was then told the day before the game that the team was going to play a different shape. I could then stick in an extra meeting that night at the hotel to say, this is what we think that team is going to do because we've had a message. And then, lo and behold, we go in the next day and the team is playing that shape. It really helped us to win the game in a good way. So whoever is putting it out, if it's someone from Celtic, you're not a Celtic supporter. You're not a Celtic supporter because you're not helping Celtic. It's as simple as that. If you're not a Celtic supporter, we will do everything we can to find out. But for me, I don't get angry about it. It's just something that it's the modern world now, isn't it? There's so much communication. There's so much out there. My focus is really just trying to perform. Because like I say, I think the biggest thing is that you can still know the team. I would like to think it won't be until you play Celtic and you're stood in front of them that you feel the intensity. That there, you can never know until you play against them. It's because it's just modern times, I suppose. But yeah, it won't dampen our performance and our achievement today, which was absolutely brilliant.

Your front three were excellent in the game, weren't they?

Aye, with the speed in the game, it's how we want to play. Once we broke through Aberdeen's pressure, we had space to exploit. And yeah, no, very, very good.

You managed to get players back today does that set you up nicely for this run of fixtures?

It sets you up quite nicely for what's a very busy run of finishes. Yeah, yeah. Well, it's exactly what we'd hoped we could do. Sometimes you make changes as a manager and a coach and you might not quite get the performance that you want. But you have to do it to allow, like we had six fresh players today. So if we weren't brilliant against Dundee for a little period or against Motherwell, you get your rewards today. I'm so pleased for the players because they all have value to me. You think of Liam Scales, and how brilliant he's been over the course of this last season. But I felt putting in Auston Trusty with his extra bit of speed, especially with Aberdeen, who want to penetrate and go in behind. He can cover that for us. All the players are getting good game time and all contributing. You mentioned Scales and Trusty.

How good is it to have that competition in the team?

Obviously, you've got it left back now with (Greg) Taylor and (Alex) Valle as well. Yeah, well, I think it's important, very important. You see Taylor coming on today. He can clean up the game for us. Alex was really good. But then we wanted to just get a cleaner with our passing and get a better control and Greg comes in and does that superbly well. As does Scales. He comes in and settles the game. Yeah, they're both very, very important players for us.

Can you replicate that on Tuesday night?

It is a totally different game. A totally different game. I think the idea is we have to be balanced. We're playing against one of the top, top teams in European football. I know they lost today but we're playing against a really, really top team. So we have to be mindful of their physicality, their speed, their pace. Everything that you would have seen with Atalanta. So it's about balance. It's about putting pressure at the right times and closing gaps. But also looking to impose our way in the game when we can.

How important are the fans on Tuesday?

Well, Celtic Park is always so important for the team to perform. And I always feel that when Celtic really wants a result, the supporters can really pull the result towards you. So I'm so looking forward to it. They're really, really special nights. But I think the supporters in the main are happy with the team. They're happy with the progress. Happy with how we're doing in the Champions League, bar one game. I think we've seen that that was just one of those results that went against us. And now we can get ready for a really exciting game on Tuesday.

Today's performance seemed very fluid, especially in the attacking phase. (Reo) Hatate and Arne Engels performing really well in those half-spaces. Was that something that just came naturally to the players or was there a specific tactical tweak?

No, no, it's how we play. It's how we play. You're playing against a team that's going to press 4-4-2. So you've got to try and connect the game through those areas. It's just the players know the patterns of how we can arrive in there. But yes, the fluency of the triangles on the side of the pitch was really good, between the full-back, the winger and the on that side of the pitch. So, yes, it was good, especially in the second half. That's hopefully how you would see us play in the main.

Matching those triangles between the wingers, the midfielders and the full-backs. Is that something you sort of really emphasise in work and training to sort of see it match?

Yes, listen, the team are coached in that way. It's the patterns you see the full-back moving in on the inside, more so on the left side than the right side. We were able to adjust to them pressing with the two. We could then morph to a three as well at the back. So we were fluid in being a two and being a three at times. But yes, it's just repetition. That's obviously the big satisfaction for a coach when you can see the relationship between training and the game and all the great work that goes on by the coaches and everyone. It's good to see, but it's repetition, repetition. There's no, as I said before, there's no secret in the football. We work very, very hard in that fluency. Then we get days like today, which is great.

Is the most pleasing thing for you that this team can get better and will get better?

I think it will do. I think it's, and that was part of my frustration of getting booked. It's my job, of course, to win and win titles and everything else. But I'm a developer at heart, you know, so people will say, well, what can you develop when you're 6-0 or whatever the score? Every day you can develop and improve. And that's what I always look to, to drive home, that standard of performance to be better. So, you've got lots of players that are young enough and even the older players, you can always improve and that's something that we drive through every day.