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Ange says strong league key to Euro success

By Graeme Croser

CELTIC manager Ange Postecoglou insists Scotland’s prospects of further improving the European coefficient depends on a stronger domestic product.

A 7-0 thrashing at the hands of AZ Alkmaar saw Dundee United become the second Premiership club eliminated from the Europa Conference League qualifiers, after Motherwell’s exit to Ireland’s Sligo Rovers.

Despite those embarrassing defeats, three Scottish clubs remain active in Europe.

Rangers take on PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of the Champions League play-off on Tuesday, while Hearts enter at the same stage of the Europa League with a trip to face FC Zurich two nights later.

Postecoglou’s Celtic join the Champions League at the group stage, a consequence of Scotland’s

rise to ninth in UEFA’s coefficient table, on the back of the work of the two Glasgow clubs.

Rangers reached the final of last season’s Europa League, but Postecoglou admits the rest will only progress through a combination of repeat exposure to continental football built on continued improvement in the standard of the league competition.

He said: ‘In reality, we can control our own performances and try to help Scottish clubs.

‘Rangers and Hearts are still in it, so there’s still opportunities there for those clubs.

‘I watched the Dundee United game and I felt for them a little, but the one thing you know about Europe is that experience counts for a lot. If a club hasn’t been in Europe or that kind of situation often, it can be difficult and daunting.’

United’s capitulation was all the more surprising given their 1-0 home win over the same Alkmaar at Tannadice a week earlier.

Despite their comprehensive elimination, Postecoglou believes the introduction of a third-tier competition should give hope to clubs like United, Aberdeen and Hibs.

‘With the Conference League now, hopefully there will be more opportunities for Scottish clubs to participate at that level,’ he said.

‘The better we can do as a collective, the better for the game. I reckon that begins and ends with the level of competition in the domestic game.

‘It’s good to see quite a few clubs have strengthened this year and we need the Scottish Premiership to be competitive for all positions.

‘The more competitive clubs are, the more it pushes us top clubs to be better, the more the middle-ofthe-road clubs need to improve... and that way in these European competitions you can give a good account of yourselves.’

Postecoglou has spent the close season bolstering his title-winning squad. Although pleased with the business so far, he expects the final fortnight of the window to throw up possibilities for further additions.

He continued: ‘There’s one or two areas I would like to bring in but it has to be the right sort of players.

‘We are definitely still active and looking at what options may be available. There could be some opportunities there for us.’

Football

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2022-08-14T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-14T07:00:00.0000000Z

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