Ange Postecoglou revealed he had achieved a “dream” that had been his “lifelong obsession” after overseeing Celtic’s Scottish Premiership title triumph.
Celtic needed only a point on Wednesday to clinch top spot ahead of rivals and reigning champions Rangers, and they got exactly that thanks to a 1-1 draw at Dundee United.
It completes a stunning turnaround under Postecoglou, who arrived at the start of this season after Celtic had finished the last campaign 25 points off the pace.
The Bhoys recovered from early setbacks, though, and were deserving champions with a game to spare.
“It’s been a hell of a season,” Postecoglou told BBC Sport. “Our starting point was a fair way back, and the way this group of players and staff has risen to the challenge – I couldn’t be more proud.
“It’s fairly overwhelming. It’s taken every ounce of me to get us where we are, and when you get to the finish line, you just want to collapse.
“We’ve been focused all season, not getting distracted by anything. The players were really good at dealing with what was in front of them – and that’s not easy to do.
“The dream was always to manage a famous club and try to make an impact. When something is almost a lifelong obsession and you finally get there, it’s hard to put into words.
“It almost feels like two seasons in one. We’ve jammed in a rebuilding season and a season to win. We had a lot of work to do, and with the support of everyone at the club, we got there.”