Ange Postecoglou feels Celtic are looking stronger each week
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou feels his side are looking stronger each week as they close in on what looks set to be another memorable season finale.
But he warned they need to maintain their mental discipline and focus on what is immediately in front of them rather than thinking about trebles.
Celtic comfortably came through what looked likely to be one of their biggest challenges of the domestic season on Saturday when they beat Hearts 3-0 at Tynecastle to reach the Scottish Cup semi-finals.
Aaron Mooy’s second-minute goal set the tone and, although Joe Hart pulled off an excellent stop from Toby Sibbick midway through the first half, the result was never really in doubt.
Kyogo Furuhashi netted just before the break and Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark made some good stops before Cameron Carter-Vickers headed a late third.
Celtic, who lead Rangers by nine points in the cinch Premiership, have now won 13 games on the trot and 20 out of 21 since losing to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
When it was put to him they would be hard to stop if they maintain their form, Postecoglou said: “You have hit the nail on the head by saying ‘if’ we continue this form.
“There is always the possibility you won’t if you don’t concentrate, if you aren’t disciplined and work hard every day.
“This group does work hard every day and it’s OK me saying that, but we see it out there.
“You see the end product but I see it from the whole group on a daily basis. They push each other to be the best they can be.
“As a consequence of that, our performances have been really strong and are getting stronger.
“We look a stronger and better team every week than we were at the start of the year. And we weren’t a bad team back then.”
Postecoglou side-stepped another question about a potential treble.
“We’ve got Hibs next week and that’s where our focus is,” he said. “It’s worked well for us that way and it’s not a throwaway line.
“I get it. I spoke about it before the game, football in Scotland is very much a cauldron. There isn’t a person who hasn’t got an interest or some skin in the game. There is always a lot of noise, a lot of talk.
“Our role is to stay really disciplined and focus on what is important to us.
“The lads have embraced that, they understand that if you take your eye off the ball you are going to trip up.
“We never look beyond the next challenge. It’s a cliché but that’s the only way we are going to achieve what we want to.”
Hearts were missing forwards Lawrence Shankland, Stephen Humphrys and Yutaro Oda as well as key midfielder Robert Snodgrass and a number of long-term absentees.
“There’s nothing you can do about that,” manager Robbie Neilson said. “It creates opportunities for guys to come in and I thought Josh Ginnelly led the line well.
“Barrie McKay did well for us in those wee areas – we asked him to do a bit of a different role on Callum McGregor.
“Other guys coming in, I couldn’t ask any more in terms of work-rate. At times, the decision-making and quality wasn’t there.”