Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou feels his side can use the Ajax model to help the team become a 'competitive' force in Europe once again.

The Australian thinks that replicating how the Dutch giants trust the process of promoting young players is one way in which the Scottish champions can bridge the financial gap between themselves and the European big boys.

He noted that Alfred Schreuder's team's philosophy could be an effective long-term strategy for the Bhoys to compete in the Champions League once again.

Speaking to Stan Sport Football in his homeland, Postecoglou said: “You can do one or two things. You can sort of say that’s a gap that will never be bridged because, ultimately, the rich clubs will continue to get bigger as we’ve seen.

"Inevitably now, as their riches are greater in these competitions, they focus more on them, so they are the ones that are the beneficiaries of it, so that gap becomes bigger.

"Or you can take the view as I have that you chip away at it. Every year you go there and you make a little bit more of an impact.

“The more you’re at that level, I think the more belief you gain as a club and as a group when you are competing on consistent levels.

"If you look at an Ajax now, and people say Ajax have sold so many players in recent times but are consistently making the Champions League and made it to a (semi) final."

The 57-year-old went on to praise the current champions of the Netherlands for how committed they are to building up young players.

He highlighted how even though they did not experience instant success in doing so, the longer-term process worked.

"There was probably a three or four-year period when they were building that team that they didn’t even win the Dutch league," he continued.

"But they had the discipline to say, well, we’re going to play young players.

"We probably won’t win the Dutch league, but over the course of time.

"You look at a club like that and they’re chipping away at it. That’s where I see a club like Celtic.

"You go into the competition, yes for experience, but also to make an impact and chip away at these bigger clubs, so that every time you are in it, you get a little bit closer.

"Will you ever get to the same space? Probably not. But enough when you’re more than competitive.”