A game of two matches

So this is what “the business end of the season” looks like.

I was reminded of how it started today when I was chatting to a pal who is closely involved with the administration of the game in Fair Caledonia.

He believes that the Hoops are two league victories away from sealing the deal.

Win in Dingwall and beat Sevco and that is very much that.

Well, it’s hardly a controversial statement, given what the league currently looks like.

However, it was worth re-visiting what he had initially thought of the Ange fella.

We had first discussed Celtic’s new manager last September.

Now my buddy has no interest in the Glasgow fitba feud, and he simply calls it as he sees it.

Moreover, he has decades in the professional game, so I listen to him with quiet respect.

Last year his  analysis was bleakly forthright:

“Sacked by Christmas” was his confident prediction.

For the avoidance of doubt, he didn’t say that with anything approaching hand rubbing glee, more like a wearisome sigh that indicated that he had seen it all before.

Quite simply, after losing three league matches very early on, he didn’t see any way back for the Australian.

Consequently, it was only a matter of when and not if the guys in the boardroom decided it was time to go.

Indeed, I even saw that exact subject discussed on one Celtic message board around the same period.

One thread started with, “do we sack him now?”

Everyone with affection for Celtic will be heartily glad that such a course of action was not undertaken.

The last time the basket of assets defeated Celtic in a Scottish Cup semi-final, it led to significant changes at Parkhead.

Sadly some of the Sevco High Command somewhat overdid the schadenfreude that day.

Mr Desmond was displeased, and he hired Brendan Rodgers.

What then followed was treble after treble.

There is no question that what Postecoglou inherited last summer was far more dysfunctional than what Brenda Rodgers and Chris Davies had to deal with in 2016.

Therefore, Ange’s achievements are right up there.

Now on Sunday, it is back to the scene of the Great Escape with the Amazing Raldo.

Down to ten men, Ange’s Bhoys just refused to be beaten as the minutes ticked away.

Even after that cardiac straining experience, the gaffer was a paragon of calm post-match.

He doesn’t seem to get phased by anything.

That’s exactly what my buddy said today, and there was no more talk about the date of his sacking.

We both agreed that Celtic has got seriously lucky with this managerial appointment.

Ange in a Lawwell free environment just might be the beginning of something beautiful.

Hampden last Sunday doesn’t change that.