Ange Postecoglou welcomes Celtic fan protests as he downplays surprise club departure

Josh Thomas

Ange Postecoglou welcomes Celtic fan protests as he downplays surprise club departure image

Celtic's 3-0 win over Ross County on Sunday morning (AEST) was overshadowed somewhat by matters off the pitch. 

Ange Postecoglou's side bounced back from defeat in the Old Firm Derby last time out with summer signings Cameron Carter-Vickers and Albian Ajeti securing the Hoops all three points with second-half strikes. 

Despite things going smoothly on the pitch, some fans voiced their concern with matters off it with one banner unveiled inside Celtic Park reading, 'Board like no other'. 

Hoops fans have long been critical of their club's hierarchy with chief executive Dominic McKay stepping down for personal reasons this week after just two months in the position. 

Rather than sidestep the protests, Postecoglou welcomed Celtic fans expressing their opinions and believes they are the ones that will keep the club on track. 

"I saw some other banners as well. I'm not going to go around and read every banner. Everyone's allowed to express their opinions," Postecoglou said post-match

"We live in a free society and again our job is to send our 60,000 fans, and millions around the world, home happy today and looking forward to the next game.

"Sometimes in life you need to understand that having a little bit of difference of opinion isn't necessarily a bad thing. It keeps everyone on their toes and keeps us on the right track and I'm sure our supporters will do that."

Postecoglou also stressed that McKay's departure had to be respected and that his full focus remains on the job at hand with his Celtic team. 

"We have to be careful with the narrative of who brought me to the club and all those kind of things," he said. 

"I was surprised as anyone that Dom resigned but I am going to be respectful of him and his family. When people cite personal reasons, there’s a reason they do that.

"We're all just transient figures here. We all pass through this great club. The constants are the ones here that come and what they expect is that irrespective of what happens, the next day you get on with representing this football club and trying to do your best.

"I've had that view my whole career and nothing that's happened recently changes that." 

Celtic next face La Liga side Real Betis in the Europa League group stages on Friday morning (AEST) before backing up against Livingston in the league on September 20.

Josh Thomas