If there is one thing Celtic fans love more than a successful player at the club, it’s an outstanding coach as well.
Because a good coach is really worth his weight in gold to a club. And if you look at Celtic over the years, they have been blessed with them.
From Billy Stark, Tommy Burns, Murdo McLeod, John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan, they have all done their bits to ensure success happened at Celtic.
And they have also helped to improve players at the club who otherwise may not have made it. Look at what Burns did for the likes of Paolo Di Canio. It is well known that the fiery Italian credited the legendary Burns for turning his journeyman career around at Celtic.
Just this week, Brendan Rodgers told how Kennedy and Strachan are both responsible for different areas of the team and why Luis Palma singled out Harry Kewell in his goal celebration at Ross County.
And speaking of Kewell, it seems that the Australian coach was working his magic the minute he came to Celtic. That’s according to journalist, Mark Guidi.
The now radio pundit explains how he knew exactly how Giorgo Giakoumakis felt about Kewell when the big Greek striker was at the club last season.
Guidi said [The Go Radio Football Show], “He [Brendan Rodgers] inherited him and didn’t need to keep him on. But he clearly got to know him and would have done his homework.
“He would have asked John Kennedy about him and, clearly, he’s had rave reviews.
“And I know for sure the likes of Giakoumakis really rated Harry Kewell’s input that he used to put in with him.”
Harry Kewell is proving to be so important for Celtic
The 45-year-old coach was brought to Celtic by Ange Postecoglou in June 2022. And right away he seemed to have made his mark.
Credited with working hard with players in the training ground, Kewell’s desire to work under Brendan Rodgers after Postecoglou left the club is clear.
And it seems to paying off with not only players from the Ange era, but also under the new manager. Kewell was at pains to point out that there are four players at Celtic who are brilliant on the training ground.
Callum McGregor was singled out as the one who drives the standards but if it wasn’t for Kewell’s input as well, the buy-in from the players wouldn’t also be there.
So it’s clear that the Australian has been a positive and important addition to the Celtic backroom team and it cannot be underestimated just the value a good coach can be to a playing squad.
In other news, Sydney van Hooijdonk to Celtic could happen this January – Mark Guidi