Ange Postecoglou delivered an emotional address as Celtic were presented with the Scottish Premiership trophy on Saturday.
The Hoops rounded off their season with a 6-0 win over Motherwell on the day they were finally able to celebrate a 10th title in 11 years.
They were officially crowned champions on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice – the same ground where they surrendered their title last season – though their recent point in the Old Firm was effectively what sealed their triumph.
Postecoglou fought back tears during his speech on the pitch. “Champions, that’s who we are,” he said.
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“I just want to thank everyone involved from the board, management, the best staff in the land, unbelievable effort. I’ve got a group of players who have been unbelievable – champions of Scotland and well deserved.
“And for you, the best [fans] on the planet, unbelievable. You’ve embraced me, you’ve embraced my family, you’ve embraced this jumper! And I want everyone to enjoy today, enjoy the summer and we’ll come back bigger, better and we never stop.
It caps a remarkable first season in charge for Postecoglou, who took over a side that finished 25 points behind Rangers knowing he had never been first choice and would not have been given the gig were it not for the stalling of Eddie Howe.
Those who had worked with Postecoglou in Australia knew of his pedigree, but while he may have been a surprise appointment in Glasgow he was given total control.
This was a squad transformed by the departures of 14 players who were surplus to requirements in Neil Lennon’s second spell and just four of Postecoglou’s new arrivals, Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi, Jota and Georgios Giakoumakis, scored 60 goals between them.
Awarded just a one-year rolling contract, his team were six points off the pace on Boxing Day but went on an eight-month unbeaten league run to reverse that deficit.
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