Celtic: 'Big decisions' over Postecoglou's staff & squad - Bonner

"Big decisions" have to be made quickly over Ange Postecoglou's support staff and playing squad to give the new manager the best chance of success, says Celtic legend Pat Bonner.

Postecoglou's appointment ends Celtic's 106-day search for a boss, but they remain without a director of football.

The Australian's backroom team, and the future of interim manager John Kennedy, have also yet to be confirmed.

"He's in the job now and that's a real positive," said Bonner.

"I'm sure he's had discussions on what type of staff he'll need and whether he wants to bring his own people in.

"So big decisions have to be made in the next two weeks or so regarding staff and players. That is the next part of the equation.

"Will he able to motivate the players who are already there? Will he able to hold on to players who looked as if they were going out the door? And will he be able to bring in other players to complement them - does he know the European market? Those are all the questions facing Ange right away."

Bonner believes former Australia manager Postecoglou has the immediate respect of Celtic fans, but needs a positive start in the role vacated by Neil Lennon amid the collapse of the club's pursuit of a 10th successive title.

Postecoglou has been pitched into a club in transition on and off the pitch, with key players such as Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer likely to leave and a huge squad overhaul required.

"It's always a case for a Celtic manager that you have to hit the ground running," Bonner added. "You've got European qualifiers coming up in July and every point is a prisoner in the league.

"The challenge now is to make sure Celtic are up there in the league, not like last season where they were so far behind and didn't even give themselves a chance.

"He has to show he can quickly adapt to the British game."

Postecoglou was little known in Scotland before Celtic turned to the 55-year-old following the breakdown of their move for Eddie Howe.

Former Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh, though, is fully clued up on Postecoglou's accomplishments, which include back-to-back A-League championships with Brisbane Roar, Asian Cup success with Australia and most recently the J-League title with Yokohama F Marinos.

Roxburgh, currently a technical director with the Asian Football Confederation, says Postecoglou's adaptivity and bold philosophy will serve him well in Scotland.

"I've had quite a lot of contact with Ange over the last five or six years," said Roxburgh. "He is a very strong personality and clearly that will be advantageous in his role at Celtic.

"I would describe him as clever, progressive, very much a risk taker. He really wants to push forward and play in a very attractive way but at the same time trying to win.

"He's also proved to be very adaptable - shown by the fact he left Australia and went to Japan's J-League, which has been developing over the years and is really quite a tough contest now, and won the title with Yokohama.

"Everywhere he goes he's been successful. So he has proved his style and methods work in different contexts."

Former Scotland midfielder Gavin Rae, who is now based in Australia, suggests Postecoglou's "transformative" style will "suit Celtic".

"He changes everything towards what he wants and plays expansive football," Rae said. "But obviously with looking for success as well and that is what he has had.

"It is a huge club, it is a massive goldfish bowl in Glasgow as well and there is a lot of pressure that comes with it.

"What I would say is he is very experienced now. He has been coaching for a long time, he has had the national team job as well where there is a lot of scrutiny, so he has gone through that already.

"He is not scared to make big decisions - when he first went to one of the A-League clubs, he was getting rid of people who were favourites and senior players to start that transformation. So I think he will be well quipped."