Ange Postecoglou has vowed to bring a new perspective but warned an “extensive” rebuild of his Celtic squad is required.
The 55-year-old Australian held his first press conference on Friday, where he reiterated his intent to implement an attractive, attacking brand of football that delivers success.
“I guess what I bring is maybe a different perspective,” said the new Celtic manager.
“I’ve had a different journey from many others. Most of my career has been spent on the other side of the world and in internationals.
“Every team I’ve coached has had a very clear identity. I think that was one of the reasons I was chosen. In my 25 years in coaching, my teams have always played a certain way.”
Postecoglou took training at Celtic for the first time on Thursday
Celtic finished 25 points behind Steven Gerrard’s unbeaten Scottish Premiership winners Rangers last term and Postecoglou is in no doubt about the scale of the task facing him.
“It’s fairly extensive,” replied Postecoglou when asked about the size of the rebuild required. “It is a season of change. But after a period of success and what happened last year, it was always going to be a period of change.
“I see it is an opportunity to make changes in the direction I want.
“We’re working very hard but with the players we have existing, they will all be treated on merit. For the ones coming in, we’ll bring in ones who will fit.”
Celtic spent three months chasing former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe before the deal collapsed, but Postecoglou does not mind being second choice – or worse.
“You’re assuming I was second choice,” he said. “I might have been fifth choice. I don’t know.
“It doesn’t really bother me. What’s important is that I’ve been given this opportunity.”
Incoming Celtic chief executive Dominic McKay added: “The target for every Celtic manager is success and we’re craving success.
“But we want to do that with a style and a panache, which Ange’s teams in Australia and Japan have done.”
Lambert: Postecoglou must win
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Paul Lambert hopes Postecoglou is the right man to lead his former club back to the top of the Premiership but says he will have to hit the ground running
Ange Postecoglou must bring instant success to Celtic and will not be given time to settle, according to Paul Lambert, who also believes the transfer window will be “massive” for his former club.
There are question marks over the future of key players including Leicester target Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer, with Bayer Leverkusen in talks to sign the defender.
The 55-year-old is also searching for a new captain after Scott Brown joined Aberdeen as player coach, while several other players left the club after loan spells at Parkhead.
“It is a massive season for Celtic regarding players going and coming in,” Lambert said.
“I think he has got to assess what he has got there and who wants to stay and who wants to go – that will be massive for him.
“The season Celtic had last year wasn’t to the standard everyone expected but you get that when you’re at a club of that size.
“It is not a normal run-of-the-mill club when you get time to bed yourself in. He’ll need to find his feet quickly and when it really kicks off, you have to win games.
“He seems a really clever guy and knows what he wants to do but ultimately it will be down to the players he gets in and the players already there.”
