Things are going well in the Celtic country at the moment.

Ange Postecoglou’s team have won six games in a row, the football is the best Celtic has played in years and the same fans who beat up the appointment really turned their own script on.

But this week is emerging as the biggest of Postecogloou’s reign to date.

How does it look? The second leg of the Europa League qualification against AZ Alkmaar on Friday (AEST), before the big one: a showdown with Steven Gerrards Rangers on Sunday evening at Ibrox.

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The Postecoglou team celebrated their second 6-0 victory in a row in the league; Another statement in which new and old Celtic stars do exactly what their trainer wants them to do.

But some difficult days begin in the Netherlands on Friday when Celtic take a 2-0 lead against AZ Alkmaar while European football is on the other side of a positive result.

After the early failure of the Champions League qualification, the pressure fell on Postecoglou to secure the second best result – the Europa League – from a financial and reputation point of view for Celtic.

It won’t be an easy road trip; a challenge that requires Postecoglou’s best XI and perhaps a more pragmatic approach, with the knowledge that an even bigger test is waiting.

Rangers won the league last year; Celtic’s streak is ended. A victory on Sunday, and Postecogloou has the fans under their belt.

“This is a tester for Celtic,” said Neil McCann on Sportscene. “This is a barometer to see where Anges team is.”

Five trotting for Celtic | 00:27

Postecoglou has revived stars who were stale, like Tom Rogic from Australia, and found gold with signings like Liel Abada and Kyogo Furuhashi. The football that has worked so far is his trademark; fast-paced, extended play in a “no-fear” approach that is easy on the eyes and often on the score sheet.

Of course, the risk is always at the back. And while Celtic didn’t exactly score goals, they certainly didn’t look rock solid there either.

While Rangers is the test, it is a three-day football that could ultimately inform about how Postecogloous’ approach will soar at the highest level.

“Postecoglou didn’t take care of their background problems,” wrote Matthew Lindsay for the Glasgow Times.

“He estimates that the redesigned rearguard is still in the works. He also accepts that his tactics occasionally expose his men. He’s a coach who likes to concede a goal for his team as long as they score two goals.

“But how will they fare in front of a hostile 45,000-strong crowd when Gerrard puts Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe up in a 4-3-1-2, as he did in the 4-1 win at Ibrox in May ? Formation?

“Celtic could easily triumph against hosts who have been working hard lately and have to negotiate an exhausting continental game in Armenia on Thursday in Armenia. But it will be interesting to see how effective ‘Ange-Ball’ is in their biggest test yet. “

Postecoglou and Celtic have undoubtedly stumbled out of the blocks, but have found each other at a rate that makes some wonder what could have been had the former Socceroos mastermind been installed earlier.

Postecoglou was of course the replacement option after Eddie Howe didn’t work out in the end.

Ang Celtic rips out hearts | 01:40

“It’s a shame for Ange Postecoglou that the ghost of the evasive Eddie still haunts him to some extent in Celtic Park,” wrote Hugh Keevins for Daily Record.

“If the club hierarchy hadn’t been gullible enough to let Howe go for three months, Ange would be much further along the path to fully transforming a team that had less work to do than it is now.”

Despite the sluggish start, Postecoglou has won over the Celtic believers, as Keevins added: “In the eyes of Celtic fans, Ange has become less of a cult hero than a messianic figure.”

Have a good week and Postecoglou will be the most popular man in Glasgow.

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