CELTIC boss Ange Postecoglou has revealed throughout his managerial career players would do anything to avoid sitting next to him on long-haul flights.

The Parkhead manager went so far as to call it the "death seat" for his players if they ended up sitting with him on a plane.

Postecoglou, 56, revealed on Open Goal that he's always tried to "keep a distance" between himself and his players as to not influence his team selection.

And he takes that to such extremes as enduring a horror eight-hour flight without uttering a word to those sat next to him.

But he told Si Ferry and Paul Slane that the reason behind his unnerving approach is to ensure he doesn't damage his tactics by developing a relationship, positive or negative, with his players.

Postecoglou explained: "Most people would tell you, if we got on a plane they would shuffle the boarding passes, because nobody would want to sit next to me.

"I could sit on a plane with someone and not say a word to them and it totally uneases people, particularly players. I've done it many a time. They (the players) hated it. It was a death seat for them.

"I always like to keep a distance between me and the players. The biggest responsibility I have is to make decisions, and I want to make the best decisions all of the time.

"It's human nature if you like somebody, or maybe dislike somebody, that might affect you."

And while Postecoglou is not one to be influenced by personal relationships with his players - he is hopeful his Celtic stars know he's in their corner.

He added: “But I like to think the players always know that I’ve got their back and I’ll fight for them right to the end.”