Celtic hero Paul Lambert reveals the one elusive feat Ange Postecolgou must achieve to become a Parkhead great
PAUL LAMBERT reckons Ange Postecoglou needs a long Euro run before his Celtic team rank alongside the greats.
The former Hoops captain is a big fan of the Aussie and is thrilled he’s dominating Scottish football.
But Lambert, who led Celtic to the UEFA Cup final in 2003, claims they can’t be considered one of the great teams in the club’s history until they have post-Christmas runs in Europe.
Charlie Nicholas claimed the current team trumps Brendan Rodgers’ Invincibles.
And Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes said he’d never faced a Celtic team this good.
But Lambert is withholding judgment until he sees proof that the Aussie rules abroad as well as at home.
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He said: “It’s always hard to compare teams from different eras, although the Lisbon Lions will always be the greatest — the club was built on the foundations of their success.
“Ange has done a great job since he came, when he inherited what could be described as a shambles, with players who no longer wanted to be at Parkhead and others who should never have been there.
“But he hasn’t won a Treble — yet. Martin O’Neill also took over a side trailing behind Rangers in 2000 and won a Treble at the first attempt.
“Brendan won an invincible Treble, which has never been done before, and then became the first manager in history to win back-to-back Trebles.
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“He couldn’t make an impact on Europe, though, unlike Martin, who took us to the Uefa Cup final against Jose Mourinho’s Porto in 2003.
"We lost in extra time against the club which would win the Champions League the following year and that remains the biggest regret of my career.
“If pushed — and I admit I’m biased — I would say Martin’s team would be too strong for Ange’s side.
“However, if his next two transfer windows are as successful as his last three, then they can also take that next step next season.
“Celtic should win the title again and that will guarantee them a place in the groups of a new-look Champions League.”
Lambert, who won four titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups in eight seasons at Parkhead, reckons Postecoglou will have identified progress in Europe as the next target for his players.
He said: “I could sense the hurt and disappointment coming through in Ange’s post-match interviews after their defeats against Real Madrid.
“They’d been the better team and created the better chances for an hour at home before they were caught by sucker punches.
“The best teams do that to you. The level in the Champions League is ten times higher than the Premiership and you can’t slack off for a second.
“Ange will know where his team were lacking after those defeats by Real and RB Leipzig and he’ll look to sort that out.
“My gut is the manager and those players are desperate to make their mark in the competition and, with an even stronger squad next season, they should be in with a chance.
Advantage
“Ange’s strike rate with his signings has been phenomenal and the arrival of the Japanese lads, with their talent and their work-rate, has been a breath of fresh air.”
Lambert also points out the champions have a huge financial advantage over their rivals — and he believes the Hoops could end up being one of the biggest clubs on the continent.
He said: “Celtic are much stronger than Rangers commercially and that’s important.
“The structure is sound, they have better merchandising and sponsorship deals, so they’re flying on and off the field.
“That financial gap will only increase if Celtic get into the Champions League next season — with four guaranteed home games and all the extra TV and Uefa revenue which comes with it — and Rangers miss out.
“Michael Beale has a big rebuild to do at Ibrox and, with Rangers on Uefa’s watchlist over these Financial Sustainability rules, they’ll be limited on how much they can spend.
“So he needs to get every new signing spot on just to try and keep up with them.
“Rangers outspent Celtic for many years but now it’s the other way round.
“For Celtic, though, the potential is there for them to become a European super club. They could be a real monster if they get things going and the manager keeps on doing what he’s doing.
“If they could put on another tier and increase the capacity of Celtic Park to 80,000, they would still fill it every week.
“It would be like my old club Borussia Dortmund — one end of the Westfalen Stadium holds more fans than most grounds.
“Celtic are a worldwide institution, even now.
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“If they were ever invited to join the Premier League in England and get access to the cash they’ve got for just being in the league, I’ve no doubt that, after taking maybe a couple of years to find their feet, they would be challenging for the title.”
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