Ange Postecoglou hails Liel Abada's impact in Celtic's comeback win at St Mirren

The Hoops came from behind to beat St Mirren 5-1

Author: Gabriel AntoniazziPublished 5th Mar 2023

Ange Postecoglou hailed the contribution of Liel Abada after the half-time substitute had a major impact in Celtic's emphatic comeback against 10-man St Mirren.

Abada replaced Daizen Maeda with Celtic trailing to Mark O'Hara's early penalty and soon had a hand in Jota's equaliser.

Alistair Johnston's first goal for Celtic put the Premiership leaders ahead before Abada fired their third goal and then set up Matt O'Riley to net ahead of Oh Hyeon-gyu's late penalty, which completed a 5-1 victory.

The Israel international has started 16 of Celtic's 39 games this season but the only one he did not feature in was a Champions League tie against RB Leipzig which coincided with Jewish holy day Yom Kippur.

The 21-year-old has now delivered 12 goals and seven assists and Celtic manager Postecoglou stressed his importance whether he starts or not.

"He was really good," Postecoglou said. "It's important - and it's a weekly thing - that the guys who come on make an impact.

"The fact they're not starting doesn't affect their mindset. I just thought the way the game was going it was a good game for him to come on into. I knew he would get a bit of space out wide to run at them.

"He's a handful when he does that and he's always a goal threat. It doesn't matter what opposition he is up against.

"He's played a lot of football over the last 18 months for us and he's scored a lot of goals and supplied a lot of assists. He's still got a way to improve, I'm sure, but again he's another within the group who just wants to be better. Consistently, when he is asked to contribute, he makes a contribution."

Postecoglou added: "I know he's not had a lot of starts but he's still played a lot of football. He and Matty (O'Riley) are probably the only two who have played every game for us this year.

"People focus on who starts and they think players aren't getting game time. But from our perspective he's a really strong contributor last year and this year and he will continue to be.

"He's a really ambitious guy who wants to be at a big football club. He wants to win things and be the best he can be. That's exactly where he is at.

"All our players, particularly the younger ones who want to go on to further opportunities, maybe to a stronger league, do you think they are going to go to a club where they are guaranteed game time?

'No, so it's no different here. We are a big club. Nothing is guaranteed. You've got to earn everything and these boys do that."

Postecoglou praised Kyogo Furuhashi for the pressing which led to Charles Dunne's pivotal 38th-minute red card for pulling down the striker after playing a short backpass.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson said: "You think you're in total control of it but we've made a poor decision when we were in total control of the ball.

"Charles is a human being, he makes mistakes like everyone, but ultimately I pick the players so it's my fault. Nobody gets hung out to dry at this football club.

"The overriding factor is that if you play with 11 men against Celtic it's a tough task, if you play with 10 it becomes very, very hard.

"Ultimately they break you down, they make you tired, they make you make tired decisions defensively and I think three or four of their goals were tired decisions defensively when they move the ball about."

1880-1889

Celtic football club was founded in 1988 by Irish Marist, Brother Walfrid.

1890-1899

In the 1890s, Celtic won their first pieces of silverware, winning four league titles and two Scottish Cups.

1900-1909

Willie Maley was the first-ever Celtic manager. Under his tenure, the club won six league titles in a row.

1910-1919

Celtic once again won six league titles during this decade. The club missed out on the 1917/18 title by one point which stopped another six-in-a-row run of titles won.

1920-1929

The 1920s provided two titles and three Scottish Cups. This decade also had some of Celtics greatest ever players such as Jimmy Quinn (pictured above), their record all time goal scorer Jimmy McGrory and Patsy Gallacher.

1930-1939

In the 1930s Celtic won two championships and three Scottish Cups. The 1937 cup final (a 2-1 win over Aberdeen) was played in front of a record crowd at Hampden of 146,433

1940-1949

World War II meant that for the first half of the decade, there was no football being played professionally in any league.

1950-1959

During the 1950s, the club had one title win, which was part of the club's fourth double and two Scottish Cup wins. They also won the league cup for the first time and went on to win it again in this decade, beating Rangers 7-1 in the 1958 final

1960-1969

Jock Stein arrived as manager in 1965 and led the team to four championships, three Scottish Cups, five League Cups and the European Cup in half a decade in the 1960s. The European cup win in 1967 made them the first British and only Scottish side to win Europe's elite competition.

1970-1979

During the 1970s, the club carried on with the success winning 7 league titles, 5 Scottish cups, 2 league cups, 2 Glasgow cups and 1 Drybrough Cup. They also reached their second European cup final in 1970 but lost 2-1 in extra time against Feyenoord in Milan.

1980-1989

Ex-player, Davie Hay, replaces Billy McNeill as manager between 1983-1987. During this decade, Celtic win 4 league titles, 4 Scottish Cups, 1 league cup and 2 Glasgow Cups.

1990-1999

The 1990s was a decade with little glory with only three trophy successes – one league win, one Scottish Cup and one League Cup.

2000-2009

The Noughties was the clubs second most successful decade with 14 major trophies lifted. Martin O'Neill's side won Celtic's first treble since 1969. By the end of the decade Celtic had won six titles, four Scottish Cups and four League Cups.

2010-2019

This decade was the most successful in Celtic's history. The trophy haul included eight league titles, five Scottish Cup wins and five League Cup victories. They won a record 18 trophies in a single decade.