When new Celtic signing Giorgos Giakoumakis hobbled out of the warm-up ahead of Celtic’s League Cup tie last week, Ange Postecoglou was absolutely seething.
The Australian has endured some rotten injury luck since being handed the role of Hoops manager and he has already been quite to make that point.
“I don’t know what it is mate, I have definitely walked under a ladder,” he said following their victory over Raith Rovers.
He will have been cursing his luck yet again this weekend as during their 1-1 draw with Dundee United, Josip Juranovic sustained his own injury problem.
What makes this even more typical is that the Croatian was playing out of position at left-back.
Fortunately, the issue doesn’t look quite as bad as first feared according to the manager.
Postecoglou is also hopeful for Giakoumakis. He sustained a calf strain last week after initially struggling for fitness upon his arrival in Glasgow.
However, he could be back for their clash with Aberdeen next weekend. The boss commented: “If Giakoumakis gets a full week of training we’re quite hopeful for next weekend.
“We’ve just got to get through to the next international break.”
With Kyogo Furuhashi still out, having Giakoumakis back next week will be a huge boost to their chances of reviving their season.
The Hoops started brightly under the new head coach but things have fallen apart in the last few weeks with Celtic enduring their worst start to a campaign for 23 years.
Kyogo’s injury hasn’t helped and neither has the form of Albian Ajeti.
He scored three times in two matches after the Japanese striker’s injury but has now put in a number of laboured performances, making just six passes against Dundee United on Sunday.
Thus, the return of the powerful Greek striker should do wonders for their attacking prowess.
After all, he found the net on 29 occasions in all competitions last term, finishing the season with a career-best tally.
If Giakoumakis can replicate that sort of form at Parkhead, he will become an instant fan favourite. Right now, however, it feels as though anyone would be better than Ajeti. Consequently, the manager should be buzzing with the medical team’s latest update.