Ange Postecoglou savoured Celtic’s title party but insisted he needed no reinforcement of what his Parkhead role brings him.
The 57-year-old is reported to be high on Tottenham’s wanted list as they search for a new manager but Postecoglou remains focused on winning the treble with Celtic ahead of next weekend’s Scottish Cup final against Inverness.
Celtic warmed up in style with a 5-0 win over Aberdeen before collecting the cinch Premiership trophy.
“I don’t need any reinforcement, I feel it every day,” Postecoglou said. “I know it’s a special football club and I have had wonderful support from day one.
“I am enjoying it, I love being part of this football club but also I take the responsibility I hold very seriously.
“Days like today are about enjoying them, appreciating the great people I have got around me, the staff and my own family.
“These days are ones where you get the chance to appreciate what you have got. It’s a special day, we do trophy days well.”
There were moments of concern for Celtic when two-goal Kyogo Furuhashi limped off after being hurt in a 50-50 with Aberdeen goalkeeper Kelle Roos, and then when Alistair Johnston went off after pulling up on his comeback from a lower-leg knock.
When asked about the Japan international, who played through a hamstring injury in last season’s League Cup final, Postecoglou said: “Too early to tell. I don’t think it’s anything serious. We will see how it settles down but at this stage, being a cup final, he has done a cup final on one leg before, mate, so unless both his legs are out then I think he has a chance.
“Ally just felt it lock up. To be honest, I didn’t think we would get 90 out of Ally anyway. He was brilliant when he was out there and, again, we will have to assess it obviously, but talking to the medicos and watching them jump around in the dressing room, they all seem like they will be okay.”
A header from Carl Starfelt ensured Celtic broke their post-war club record for goals scored in a league campaign – set by the Lisbon Lions in 1967 – and Oh Hyeon-gyu’s double took them to 114.
“I’m really proud of that because it’s kind of what my football is all about,” Postecoglou said.
“It’s how I want my teams to play. I set my teams up to win but also to hopefully entertain and excite the fans.
“The players have done that this season, they have been relentless. The sheer volume of goals come from the fact that even a day like today there was never any thought at 3-0 or even 4-0 to relax at all. They wanted to make every minute of the game count.”
Postecoglou had earlier made another reference to Michael Beale’s comments in January that he was a “lucky man” because of the money he had to spend.
Addressing the fans on the pitch, he said: “We’re champions again because of this incredible group of players, brilliantly led by our skipper Callum McGregor.
“Champions again because of this unbelievable group of people working behind the scenes, the staff. Outstanding.
“Champions again because of you. In the words of the immortal Tommy Burns you are always there. Always.
“Champions again because I am a lucky man. And we’ve got one more to go. We never stop.”
Aberdeen had sealed third spot in midweek but manager Barry Robson was expecting more from his side.
“I am angry,” he said. “It looks like it was a game too far for us. I think we’ve really squeezed what we could out of the group and after all the emotions of Wednesday night we got more tired and tired as the game went on.
“Obviously, we had boys pulling cramp, hamstrings, Ross McCrorie had to come off. All these things. But it’s still a reminder to the players that I’ll not accept that. I’m not accepting that.
“For as good as they’ve been, and the praise they’ve had, next season we need to be better than that.”
He later added: “As frustrated as I am right now, the way I am as a person, I’ve still got to remember how good they’ve been. I think the fans will remember that as well.”
Haaland has 'full trust' in Guardiola to halt Man City slump
Erling Haaland has "full trust" in the "best manager in the world", Pep Guardiola, to get Manchester City back on track against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Guardiola's side have lost four matches in a row across all competitions, which is the Spaniard's longest losing run in his entire managerial career.
The Citizens last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (six – the fifth game of which was also against Tottenham).
But after putting pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension at the club earlier this week, Guardiola has his eyes firmly set on returning to winning ways on home soil.
And Haaland, who has scored 105 goals in 114 appearances under Guardiola at City, believes they can make up the gap to leaders Liverpool, who are five points ahead.
"When you look at what he's been doing for the club, he's not bad, is he? So he's got my full trust," Haaland told Sky Sports.
"And if he tells me something, I'd better do it because he knows the best in the end. Everyone knows that. So I'm sure he will find solutions now as well. I'm sure of that.
"[Guardiola] demands us to be at our best in every training session, in every game. And that's what we need to do. It hasn't been good enough, losing four games now, but let's try to win the next."
Arsenal handed another injury blow as White ruled out for 'months'
Mikel Arteta confirmed that Arsenal defender Ben White is facing "months" on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury.
White had been dealing with several issues all season and has missed five games in all competitions for the Gunners already this term.
After struggling through until the November international break, the decision was taken for him to undergo surgery in order to finally address the ongoing problems.
It serves as a bitter blow for Arteta, with only Thomas Parety (13) making more interceptions than White (11) for Arsenal in the Premier League this campaign.
Though Arteta confirmed that the surgery was successful, White is set for a lengthy spell out of the team.
"It has been different kinds of struggles. It has never been the same thing, but we had to make a decision. He has not improved over the last few weeks, unfortunately," said Arteta.
"We know that Ben is going to push every boundary, but it got to the point where we have to protect the player and we decided to do the surgery.
"He agreed with that and it is going to keep him out for a few months."
Asked for a specific time frame, Arteta added: "We have to see how he reacts post-surgery. I don't expect it to be half a year, but I cannot tell you exactly."
It offers a concern for Arteta in the full-back area, with the Spaniard also revealing on Friday that Takehiro Tomiyasu is "going to be out as well for a bit".
There was, however, some positive injury news for the Gunners ahead of welcoming Nottingham Forest to the Emirates on Saturday.
After not featuring for England during the international break, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are expected to be fit to feature against Nuno Espirito Santo's side.
Leandro Trossard will also be available for Arteta despite picking up a hamstring injury during the international break with Belgium.
Defender Riccardo Calafiori is also in contention for Saturday's game after a month out with a knee problem.
Conte hopes for Ranieri's success at Roma after Napoli clash
Antonio Conte hopes that everything will go well for Claudio Ranieri after he came out of retirement to take charge of Roma, but only after their Serie A clash this weekend.
Ranieri was tempted back into management by a return to where he began as a player. His third spell at Roma comes after the club sacked two coaches already this season and with the team 12th in the standings.
A trip to leaders Napoli is Ranieri's first task, and Conte is looking forward to meeting up with the 73-year-old.
"I am pleased to see Claudio, I have great esteem for him and there is also friendship," Conte told reporters ahead of Sunday's game.
"I am happy with the chance he has been given. It will be a tough game, for us and for them. Last year, Roma finished ahead of Napoli, they are in the Europa League and had a good transfer window.
"They are not performing according to expectations and I hope for Claudio that everything starts to work after Sunday's game."
The arrival of Ranieri in place of Ivan Juric brings with it not just the danger of the 'new manager bounce' but also upsets Conte's plans for the game.
"When a team changes coach there is an important input on a nervous level," Conte said.
"They are at the third change on the bench. It's inevitable that, if Juric had remained, we knew what kind of team we were going to face.
"Now it's an enigma, we don't have much information nor do we know how they will deal with us. So let's think about ourselves, there is a desire and enthusiasm to continue this path."
After a streak of 21 consecutive home wins in Serie A, Conte lost his last home league match (0-3 against Atalanta). Only once in his career has he recorded two consecutive home defeats in the competition: in November 2009, when he was in charge of Atalanta (against Juventus and Roma).
Napoli are top of the table, but Conte knows it is still early, and with just two points separating the top six clubs, which includes the likes of Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio, for now, it is a different title race than usual.
"Only 12 games have passed and there are many teams within very few points," he said.
"We are doing well, but so are the others. There isn't one team which has distanced the others. Perhaps there is a little amazement in seeing some teams in those positions in the standings."
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