Furuhashi is final doubt for Postecoglou
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Ange Postecoglou could go into his first final as manager of Celtic without several strikers including Japanese international Kyogo Furuhashi.
The Australian has steered the Bhoys into the Scottish league cup final against Hibernian on Sunday but faces injury concerns.
Jota and Albian Ajeti are definitely out, Giorgos Giakoumakis is unlikely to be fit, and both Furuhashi and James Forrest are doubts.
In addition Mikey Johnston will require a fitness test ahead of Wednesday’s league match at Ross County with Postecoglou hoping he does not pick up any more injuries at Dingwall.
Postecoglou said of Furuhashi’s chances of playing at Hampden: “Who knows, I am not sure. He is not far off, it’s a day-to-day thing. If he is ready to go then we will play him, if he’s not then we will look to the following game.”
The centre-forward has been “improving” but the Celtic manager is wary of setbacks.
“Him and the medical team are working hard and we will see what happens,” he added.
With Celtic four points adrift of Rangers in the Scottish Premiership Postecoglou cannot rest too many players at Dingwall even if Ross County are level bottom with three wins in their 16 matches.
Postecoglou praised his players’ resilience, saying: “The guys have been brilliant in terms of not making excuses or looking for excuses.
“Our performances in the last three months have been very, very consistent and, pleasingly, the results have followed as well.
“It’s not ideal, you want all your best players playing and we have been hit pretty hard in one part of our set-up, unfortunately most of our injuries have come in that forward area.
“It’s testing us, for sure, but our level of performance hasn’t dropped. This group of players don’t want excuses, they want to go out there and prove they can overcome every challenge. We have had plenty of them since I got here and we will keep tackling them in the same way
“We have just got on with it and the squad keeps getting on with it, which as a manager is brilliant to see because it means I have got a really resilient, tough group of players who want to be successful.”
