Postecoglou's perfect Celtic player - full Q+A

What are the final updates with regard to transfers? Are you planning any surprise transfers coming into the club before the end of the window?

No. There won't be any more incomings. In terms of outgoings, there are still some things happening in the background. Again nothing [has been] confirmed yet.

Giorgos Giakoumakis - what is the latest what can you tell us?

Again it is ongoing. Discussions are taking place but nothing has been finalised. We are getting to the tail end of it one way or another and we'll get a conclusion in the next 24 hours. Nothing [has been] concluded yet just ongoing discussions.

How would you assess this transfer window for you and the club?

From my perspective everything we set out to do and wanted to get done in this window we have got there. We went into it with the knowledge that there were a couple of areas that we wanted to strengthen and a couple of areas where there would have been more than likely to see some exits. To get ahead of it we wanted to do some business so we didn't get caught short. One area was right back with Josip [Juranovic] but we got Alistair [Johnston] in nice and early which was pleasing. The other one was Giako's [Giorgos Giakoumakis] future. Again if we hadn't brought Oh [Hyeon-gyu] in then we could have been in this position now and really scrambling around to see what we needed in that area. We've also added Tomoki [Iwata] and Yuki ]Kobayashi] who are guys we identified pretty early on that we wanted to bring in. Depending on the outgoings with Josip and Giako going out we have brought four players in under the age of 24 for less money than we have had to pay out. From that perspective, our objectives going into the window have been achieved. The success of that will bear fruit over the next few months and beyond as how well the new players contribute. To be fair they've already made a contribution.

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In terms of others who have not had the opportunity is it a case now of you trying to trim the bloatedness and get the right squad in terms of numbers?

We've already brought in players to insulate from the ones that are leaving. Although the obvious ones are the guys that haven't played a lot of football for us. If they find opportunities or seek opportunities elsewhere then we are comfortable with that but it has to suit all parties. If that happens then I am really comfortable that we have brought in four good, young players who will be contributors this year and beyond. We will see what happens over the next few hours. If the guys who have not played a lot of football are looking for opportunities elsewhere and they exist and it suits all parties then we will try and make it happen.

Is it right that Oliver Abildgaard and Yosuke Ideguchi are exploring their options?

They fit the definition of what I just said. You are not really on Mastermind at the moment where you have figured out some drips I am giving you. I have said guys that haven't played regularly and they definitely fit that bill. For us, that's kind of where we are at in terms of the squad right now. Anyone who has played football and has been a meaningful contributor won't be leaving in this window. The ones who leave are the ones who haven't got a lot of regular game time and there are four or five of them in the squad. I am not going to talk about individuals because if nothing happens I don't want that to become that players are staying reluctantly. There are four or five in that category, two of whom you mentioned who are exploring opportunities right now.

You said you think a transfer window ahead. Are you happy with this group of players going into the Champions League or are you already planning for the summer?

You are jumping a few steps ahead. Our objective this window was to strengthen the squad and look for opportunities that would help us achieve that goal. The January window is a unique one where we can take advantage of certain things which I think we did last January. I think we have done that again by hitting markets where you can get deals doine pretty quickly. The second part of that as I said earlier was that we had a feeling there would be a couple of departures in terms of players who are significant contributors. So we wanted to get ahead of that. I think on both of those fronts we are in good shape. You are talking about the Champions League, we are in a position right now where we are competing in three competitions and our objective is to be successful in them. Our planning beyond that goes further down the line in terms of what we could potentially do in the next window. We try and always plan as much as we can but that is not focused on what potential outcomes we have it is focused on making the squad stronger every window if possible.

Are you surprised by how quickly you have been able to mould a squad into your image since your arrival in the summer of 2021? 

I think it is four windows I have been involved in. I am not surprised because that's what I was brought in to do. If I didn't believe I could turn it around and I have said already that was pretty much my brief to come in and rebuild a team and have success as quickly as possible. I am not surprised also because the club has been totally aligned in the direction we want to go. I have had great support on and off the field in terms of the decisions I have made. When you are supported and backed by the club then you can turn things around in a timely manner. At this football club that's what you have to do. You cannot spend two or three years trying to get us back where we need to be. There was a really small window of opportunity for us to get it right last year and we got it right. This year the challenge is to continue to improve which I think we have. That will always be the brief. I am not surprised but it has not come with the club being totally aligned in our decision-making. 

What are you expecting from the Livingston game?

It will be a tough game and a tough challenge. When you play Livingston it is always a good challenge and they are in good form. They are having an outstanding season. David (Martindale) got them up and about in terms of really competing in every game and they are in a great position on the table and I am sure they are looking forward to it. They just missed out on the top six last year and I am sure their goal is to stay in there and potentially get European football. They will be highly motivated and it will be a great challenge for us. At the same time we have been in good form for a long time now and very consistent in performance and results at home. We just have to make sure that we play our football and dominate the areas we want to and the result will take care of itself. 

Do you admire the job Martindale has done? He has the lowest budget in the league and to be up where they are is pretty impressive is it not?

I think he tells us that on a weekly basis doesn't he? There is no secret there. That is a nice way of him down playing their prospects and he maybe pumping himself up a little bit and there is nothing wrong with that. He is doing a great job. It just goes to show that he has a clear idea of the way he wants his team to play and he backs his players. You can tell every game they are up for the contest and they are well drilled and well disciplined and it is largely why they are in the position they are in. I have got admiration for him and like I said before I have admiration for every manager. I know how tough the role is irrespective of where you are working. There are always challenges there and I have every respect for everyone that is in that role. As for Livingston and where they are in the table then you can only admire the work that he and everyone at that football club has done including the players.

Team news?

Nothing's really changed. Tony [Anthony] Ralston is still out but he is back with the group. We will give him another week to get up to speed. Benjamin Siegrist had a little bit of a setback with a calf complaint and he won't be available for tomorrow but everybody else got through the last game well.

How do you keep finding solutions to break down defensive teams? 

The solutions to all of these things are in our principles and in our football. Certain constraints will always be there in the way we play and as long as we don't get derailed from that by all number of things that can happen in a game of football. That can be the opposition, refereeing decisions or other circumstances. All of these things are there to test your will and resolve of what you believe in. This group of players have been really good for a long time now and have always stuck to our principles regardless of the circumstances in terms of playing football in a certain way and being structured in key areas. It is easy to dismiss that when you are winning as regularly as we are but it is still important on a game-by-game basis. I always tell the players that I can't do things for them. My role is to give them the tools to be successful. I can't tell them what every challenge will be.

How important are clean sheets?

It is something we have focused on, and to be fair, I do not get as excited about clean sheets as some other managers do. I do not want to be dismissive of their importance. I think it is about what our intent is and what we do as a collective. Our defensive structure is there as a platform for us to play football and score goals. The basic premise is that the more aggressive we are defensively then the more opportunities we will get to score goals and create chances. It is more about how we can concede opportunities. We defend high up the park and it stops the opposition from scoring as they have fewer chances. You cannot be successful if you are not solid both defensively and in attack. Being aggressive defensively allows us to do the things that I do get excited about, which is putting the ball in the back of the opposition net.

How important is Callum McGregor?

I have already said he is an important part of the culture at the football club. It is easy for any manager to talk about the culture they want but culture is about people. The people in the building need to live and breathe the behaviours that I, as a manager, want to instil into them. With Callum and I, there is a perfect alignment there because we believe in the same things. I did not need to guide him towards acting a certain way when I joined. I believe there should be certain traditions in the way a football club acts, and for me, if there is any resistance there then it becomes a more difficult task. He is a vital cog in what we have built here and are building here. I believe that his best football is ahead of him and that is exciting for him and the football club.

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Will the new signings allow for any tactical changes to be made?

If you look through my career I have played with three centre-backs, two holding midfielders and had one season without a central striker. I have never been fixed to one formation, but the one consistent factor is that I have had success with just about all of them. It is just about adjusting the team to wherever I think the current football trends are. I have been managing for 26 years, and in that time, football has changed. The way teams analyse games has changed, data has changed and opposition tactics are different. For me, I am hoping that eventually, you do not really see much of a formation. If you look at us now, when we have the ball out wide, we have two players in the box even though we do not play with two strikers. That is why we score so many goals. We don't have three central defenders but sometimes we have three players in the build-up. It has never been about fixed positioning and I think as football evolves and I keep managing during my career, then I will keep developing teams that are more fluid in their positioning.