ANGE Postecoglou tonight insisted it is far too early to write off Celtic’s chances of winning the Scottish title after his side were held to a draw by Dundee United at Parkhead for the first time in eight years.
The Glasgow giants have now won just one of their last four league matches and are six points behind their city rivals and defending champions Rangers in the top flight table as a result.
However, Postecoglou, whose saw his team hit the crossbar three times this afternoon, stressed he was proud of how his players performed and expressed confidence they will come good when they start converting their scoring chances and key men return from injury.
“It's a weird league,” he said. “You call things early here, don't you? It's quite remarkable that seven games in people are calling the title already.
“It's just not how I work. I'm not pulling up stumps after seven games just because other people seem to think there is some sort of insurmountable challenge out there for us.
“If we weren't playing well, if we were struggling through things, then by all means I would be looking at things a lot differently.
“With the efforts we are putting in at the moment, and the football we are playing, and the chances we are creating, and what we have got to come back into the team, I just see it totally differently.”
Postecoglou added: “I know people are wanting to push me on some kind of edge of the ledge somewhere. It's just not going to happen.
“I don't worry about those things. I look at how my team is playing and what we are trying to create. I know it frustrates people because I know what they want me to say . . . I don't know what they want me to say to be honest.
“I know what the club is about, I know what the expectations are. I believe the road we have started on will get us there so we will just keep going.”
Josip Juranovic and James McCarthy both limped off with injuries during the 1-1 draw with United – but Postecoglou is hopeful that neither Celtic player will be sidelined long-term.
He also expressed hope that Giorgos Giakoumakis, the Greek striker who suffered a calf strain warming up during the Premier Sports Cup game against Raith Rovers on Thursday night, will be able return to training this week.
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