Another home win and another clean sheet helped lighten the mood around Parkhead on Saturday in the wake of Dominic McKay's shock Celtic departure, with Ross County succumbing 3-0.

Goals from Albian Ajeti (two) and Cameron Carter-Vickers provided plenty of talking points for the fans but they were also on manager Ange Postecoglou's agenda as he spoke to various press outlets post-match.

Also on his mind was McKay's exit and the unveiling of a fan banner criticising the board.

Here, we take a closer look at Postecoglou's comments to the press.

The Staggies went into the game without a league win from their opening four matches but having earned creditable draws against Aberdeen and St Johnstone and scored twice against Rangers.

It was no surprise, then, that they provided a sterner test than many were probably expecting with Postecoglou telling Celtic TV: "It was testing. When you don't score early it always has the potential to turn into a little bit of a struggle but for the most part we maintained our discipline. 

"We knew in the second half it would open up a little bit and we'd get some opportunities. Once the first goal went in the game sort of opened up a little bit so, yeah, it wasn't easy but we didn't expect it to be. Credit to the players, they stuck at it."

A common theme with Postecoglou is that of belief - he expects his players to know what is required and trusts his gameplans will work if they stick to them. That is echoed here with his reference to maintaining discipline and it is telling he went on to confirm his message to the players at half-time was simply "to stick to our principles". It paid off in the end, as he suspected it would.

 

A debut goal and clean sheet for Carter-Vickers impressed the manager, while he also gave Ajeti a chance to shine in the absence of Kyogo Furuhashi and handed Jota his Celtic bow.

Postecoglou told Celtic TV: "He (Carter-Vickers) was great. We've got to remember that we're still giving guys debuts so that shows you that the team is still very much in the building stage. I thought both Cam and Jota came in and done good jobs.

"He (Ajeti) had to persevere. A couple of times he almost got on the end of crosses in the first half but the key is to always be there - if you're there all the time the balls will arrive. In the end he got his rewards."

Two things stand out here: the salient point that so much of this team is still a work in progress and the importance of persistence.

The first matter almost goes without saying given the club recruited 12 new faces over the summer but the 56-year-old still feels it is worth reminding everyone of that as he tries to get the side to gel as quickly as possible with European and domestic challenges in the offing.

READ MORE: Detailed Celtic match ratings as Cameron Carter-Vickers impresses on his debut and Albian Ajeti bags a brace

In Ajeti, Postecoglou has a striker who does know how to score but perhaps there are question marks over his suitability to sub in for a relentless presser such as Kyogo. Postecoglou brushes that question mark aside pretty routinely here by pointing out the type of persistence required from Ajeti is a different kind to that of his Japanese team-mate. Simply put: as long as the Swiss striker continues to consistently get himself in positions to score, the manager will be happy.

Now on to the elephant in the room. With the match taking place in the immediate aftermath of McKay's departure, Postecoglou told Sportsound: "I guess it was a bit of a surprise. I’m not across all aspects of the club, my focus over the last 48 hours has been on preparing the team so that’s where I’ve had my mind.

"My relationship with Dom was good. It’s been good with everyone in the club. I came in late in the piece and I’ve had a hell of a lot of support within the club and outside the club to make sure I could hit the ground running, that includes Dom. The club has done all it can to support what we have in place."

Nonetheless, Postecoglou almost distanced himself from McKay and referenced his replacement Michael Nicholson when he went on to tell the written press: "We have to be careful with the narrative of who brought me to the club. I was as surprised as anyone that Dom resigned but I am going to be respectful of him and his family. When people cite personal reasons, there are reasons for that. Michael is now in charge and that's good because I already know him."

Likewise, the Greek-Australian would not really allow himself to be drawn on the banner fans unveiled criticising the board. He added to the written press: "We are all transient figures at this great club. The constant is the fans and they expect us to get on with it. I've done that throughout my career and will continue to.

“Everyone is allowed to express opinions in whatever way they choose to. Our job is to send the 60,000 here home happy and the millions around the world. Sometimes it's good to be kept on your toes and I am sure our supporters will do that.”

Fans will be worried about what the departure of McKay will mean for the mooted modernisation of the club and also that Postecoglou was presented as 'his man' back in June.

They have every right to be concerned, with the interim appointment of Nicholson perceived in some quarters as a return to the same old structure that came in for such vehement criticism in the not-too-distant past.

Key to the whole affair will be, as always, how transparent the club is when it comes to keeping the support appraised of matters as they move forward. Watch this space.