Livingston boss David Martindale claims he feels sorry for Ange Postecoglou after watching how the Celtic manager operates during their Premiership encounter, via The Scottish Sun.
The Hoops lost 1-0 at Livi on Sunday for their fourth defeat in their last five games across all competitions. Postecoglou now has a 50% win-rate over 14 matches since taking charge at Parkhead this summer. Arriving after three-years with Japanese side Yokohama Marinos.
Martindale notes how Postecoglou accepted the Celtic job without installing his own team of backroom staff. The Livingston coach feels it makes the job even tougher without having your own crew supporting you in the dugout.
Martindale doubts Postecoglou has any rifts with those at Celtic, but compared the topic to himself. Noting: “I feel for Ange a bit.
“I watched how he went about his business, and it must be a tough job when you’re over here doing it yourself. If I was in Australia and I didn’t have my own staff, I don’t want to go into the politics of it all, it would be a tough gig.
“From a coaching point of view, it would be a really tough shift. I’m not saying there are bad relationships, and it’s none of my business anyway. But it must be difficult when you’re inheriting not just a coaching staff, but a full backroom.
“I’ve no doubt Ange will have a great relationship with John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan. They will trust one another, but that’s totally different to someone you’ve maybe worked with in the past, or played with previously or is a friend. You see a lot of managers taking the same people with them, and it’s friends, because you have that trust in one another.”
Does Postecoglou need his own team at Celtic, like Martindale suggests?
Postecoglou seemingly focused his efforts on improving the Celtic squad this summer than building the crew around him in the dugout, which Martindale suggests he would need to establish personally if he was moving half-way around the world to accept a new position.
Postecoglou is looking to make off-the-field changes, however, but wants gradual changes to the Celtic staff, per the Daily Record. The Australian accepts the task at hand of building a sustainable structure at Parkhead will take time to get right.
But, like Martindale suggests, Postecoglou may need friends on the touchline to help get Celtic playing – and winning – his way. As they will already have the understanding of the Australian’s system that those he adopted at Parkhead are still learning.
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