Steve Blair is part of Ange Postecoglou's inner sanctum. The pair formed a solid bond in each other's hearts while playing for South Melbourne in the 1980s.

Drumchapel-born and Celtic-daft ex-pat Blair who now hails from Melbourne flew into Sydney and scratched a five-year itch on Monday when he was reunited with his old pal.

'Blairy', as the Hoops boss often refers to him, couldn't be prouder of his mate. This reunion was no doubt the most emotional part of the 57-year-old's return to Australia for the Sydney Super Cup. 

The ex-Socceroos coach's popularity has soared since he guided Celtic to a Scottish Premiership title and League cup double last season. The 60-year-old insists that Postecoglou has finally found his football-happy place in Glasgow.

Blair kicks every ball with his friend and admits that he feels it more than anybody else whenever the fortunes of the Parkhead side are concerned.

"It had been four of five years since I last saw Ange," he said.

"It was great to catch up with him. He is relaxed and comfortable in what he is doing. He told me it was great to be back in Australia and to bring Celtic here to play in front of the fanatical support that they have Down Under. He is in a good place. It is hard being such good pals with the manager of the club I support. I feel it twice.

"Irrespective of Celtic bringing a team to compete in a cup competition in Australia, I would be here anyway, but when it is your mate at the helm, the interest and level of support are magnified. You want him to do well and be as successful as he possibly can.

"It is true what they say Celtic are just one big giant family. I have never felt more connected or bonded to the club in my life than at this moment in time, and it is all because of Ange."

Ironically Blair conceded that while Postecoglou is well known in Glasgow, there are some parts of his own country where his anonymity would take centre stage.

Blair said: "Ange struggles with the concept that football is not the number one sport in Australia. There are parts of Melbourne where he could walk down the street and very few people would recognise him, but in Glasgow, it is vastly different now. He cannot go out with his family, and not for bad reasons, because everybody now wants a piece of him in a good way.

"He told me that he loves that passion among the Celtic supporters because it matches his own. He's always had that passion from when he was a young kid at Hellas Melbourne.

Celtic Way:

Blair has watched in awe and admiration as Postecoglou has transformed the 'mess' that he inherited last summer into the team we see now.

The Australian has hardly put a foot wrong since and his recruitment policy has been a rip-roaring success. 

Blair said: "When he arrived players like Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Ryan Christie all left. It was a total mess. Hat off to Ange that he took on that challenge on. He told me he believed that he could do something with the club. A lesser person would not have possessed the mental fortitude to think like that.

"I said to him that some managers could have been overawed by the position and the expectation levels. He was steadfast in his belief that he could transform the club and get them back on track again. I'm delighted that he has.

"His signings have been fantastic. The club brought in a manager who knew the Asian market inside out. They had never looked at that kind of market before, but the calibre of players he has signed from there has been top-notch. It is amazing to me how he knew that a player like Kyogo Furuhashi would make such a difference to Celtic.

"That's the definition of someone having a keen eye for a player. There was no part of Ange's thinking that made him believe that Scottish football would be too physical for Kyogo. How can you not sell the dream that is Celtic to players? You have access to Europe. You have a chance to be successful and further your own career and win trophies. What's not to like?"

Celtic Way:

Now Blair is convinced more than ever that his friend won't rest until he has made a dent in Europe.

"European football is the driver now for Ange," he continued.

"He has stuck his toe in the water. He has more experience now. He has seen what it takes to be successful on the Champions League stage. Ange wants the club to be at that level and to be competing in that tournament on a regular basis.

"That's what is driving him now. He will want to improve and be better at the Champions League level and he knows that by winning the title for a second time, he will be able to qualify automatically for Europe.

"It might be small steps the next time, but he will want to improve, and by that, I mean winning matches at the group stage level. That will be driving him on as he wants to progress all the time."

"I was watching Celtic in the Champions League still attacking Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu when they were 5-0 down. It was like those games you played as a kid where the last goal was the winner regardless of the scoreline. In that first hour against Real Madrid at Parkhead, Ange's team were unbelievable.

"He was measuring himself against the greatest club side in the world. The shortfall was that the team competed for an hour against Real Madrid and the game lasts 90 minutes. Ange has since told the Celtic supporters that he wants to win matches at that level.

"If the club can return to the top table, then he knows he will have to deliver on that promise to the fans. It takes a brave man to think in this way and speak publicly about it. Most people will not put that expectation on themselves."

Like his friend, the 60-year-old truly believes that the club can be successful both domestically and in Europe now that Postecoglou is getting the buy-in from everyone involved in the club.

He still can't believe the journey that the former Brisbane Roar boss has gone on from playing football under one working floodlight to the bright and dazzling disco lights of the Champions League. He is behind his pal every step of the way.

Blair said: "I am so proud of Ange. From our humble beginnings here, where we would train together on a field with one floodlight that worked to the success he is having now. To come from that background to playing in front of 60,000 at Celtic Park and going to the Bernabeu is an incredible story. Imagine what his dad Jim and Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskas would think of what Ange has achieved with Celtic?"

"He has won the supporters over and the board trust him implicitly. When he was appointed at Celtic, I was getting calls from people asking who the hell is this guy Postecoglou. They certainly know who he is now."

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