"ALL lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."

It's a famous lyric from Simon & Garfunkel's classic song: "The Boxer."

It immediately sprung to mind as Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou addressed the media on Thursday.

In an astonishing press conference to preview the up-and-coming Scottish Premiership match against Hibernian at Celtic Park the Aussie, for want of a better expression, let rip.

He covered a myriad of topics - the January transfer window, Riley McGree, Jota, Leigh Griffiths, Stephen Welsh. You name it.

In fact, he was barely asked about the Hibs game at all.

Yet we all know how Ange loves to talk football.

READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou Celtic Q+A in full: Boss blasts January 'lies and fabrications' amid no more incomings message

The Celtic fans feel that they are on the march with Ange's army. To paraphrase Andy Cameron's 1978 classic hit.

"He's representing Celtic.

And he has to die or do.

He's our Muhammad Ali.

He's Ange Pos-te-cog-lou."

Ange took aim on Thursday and he didn't miss his targets. In football parlance, Ange totally smashed it out of the park.

Like a darts player coiled to throw his finest tungsten, Ange's verbal soundbites hit the bullseye.

A straight shooter. A straight talker. He takes no shit. He's the leader of Celtic and sets the tone always. When he speaks people listen and he does so with honour, integrity and humility. He is a fine orator.

I have said before via this column that Ange is fast approaching a statesmanlike status as a Celtic manager. His public utterances are worthy of the club and the Celtic supporters believe that he is holding the highest managerial office on planet football.

In years past that has been the domain reserve of special ones like the managerial Holy Trinity of Jock Stein, Martin O'Neill and Brendan Rodgers.

The Celtic supporters now love Ange much in the same way that they adored the three aforementioned bosses. The faithful believe that he has taken the club to heart. He most certainly has.

Thursday's press conference was the first time he had been in a combative mood since he challenged a BBC reporter who claimed that being knocked out of the Champions League to FC Midtjylland in July was a "catastrophe." Whatever was irking Ange on Thursday, he certainly got it off his chest. Take Riley McGree for example.

READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou refused to sell Celtic to Riley McGree, saying 'I only want players who want to be here'

If Ange was annoyed at missing out on a potential signing target, he didn't hide his feelings. However, perhaps he was more annoyed that some had claimed it was a done deal when it clearly wasn't.

He was at pains to reiterate that he only wanted players who were committed to the cause and desired to sign for Celtic. The narrative that Ange painted was vastly different to what was played out in certain parts of the media.

This is what Ange said on McGree: "It’s an indication for me that this isn’t the right place for him.

"I won’t try and convince any player to come and sign for this football club. I won’t.

“If they can’t see the opportunities that exist here then that’s part of the deal for me. The ones we have signed all wanted to come here.

“It’s an easy decision. Everyone has their own free will to decide what’s best for them.

“I’m not going to sell this club to anyone on its virtues.

“If they can’t understand that in the first place they’re probably not worth talking to from my perspective.

“With Riley McGree, there weren’t a lot of discussions.

"There was a bit of interest, but when it’s clear to me that they don’t want to come to us it’s fine.

“He’s one of a number I’d have spoken to in the last six months that didn’t end up coming for a variety of reasons.

“If it doesn’t work out then it doesn’t work out and it’s fine.

“He’s a player I know well and it came across my path that he may be available.

“I had a discussion with him and then he obviously decided he wanted to take an opportunity elsewhere.

“It wasn’t anything too drastic for us. It was a discussion with a player I know well and it was an interesting proposition.

“It didn’t work out. He moves on and we move on.

“I don’t know, mate. To be honest, I don’t care. I don’t dig that deeply into it.

“The first transfer I did 25 years ago taught me you don’t take these things personally.

“Ultimately, they are not rejecting me, they are not rejecting the football club. Everyone has their own free will to make decisions.

“It’s the same for both parties. It’s not just one party who decided not to go ahead.

“It’s no big issue for me. There are plenty of footballers who would love to come to this club.

“They are the ones I’m looking for.”

It is unequivocal. Those quotes are blunt to the point of brutality.

Footballers always say they love brutal honesty. Ange certainly gives them it. Football journalists also love and value honesty and transparency.

Celtic Way:

Since taking over the helm at Celtic Park Ange has delivered on both fronts.

However, there was something cold and calculating about the way Ange chose to use the words "lies and fabrications", with regards to potential signing targets in the January transfer window. He appeared to be genuinely miffed.

Let's not argue the toss here, this was a barb that seemed clearly aimed at how he feels some in my trade portray things.

He's perfectly entitled to air his views on this subject matter. We are critical of managers and players every week, so can hardly complain when the odd complaint gets fired back at us.

Here is what Ange said: “We kind of had a clear idea of what we wanted to do in January and that was mainly focused on the targets that I had identified early on which were the three lads we brought in.

"We've had some interesting others but to be fair a lot of it is quite crazy, to be honest with you.

"You can pretty much throw up any name now and pretty much lie and nobody says anything.

"Unless something extraordinary comes along or something happens within the existing squad that means we need to move but as we speak right now there is no other offers or people that I’ve spoken to.

READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou in 'lies or fabrications' blast as he reveals Celtic January transfer plans

"So the 20 names that come out tomorrow are all lies or fabrications or people bored at home just Googling names and throwing them up there or agents trying to get a little bit of value for their client.

"So I can’t be any clearer than that. The one thing that I won’t do is lie, there is no one else that we are talking to, there are no other offers, no one else that I’m showing interest in as we sit here today. If that changes then I’ll let you know.”

The references to Google, agents and unfounded speculation said a lot about Ange's mindset on this issue.

And you start to wonder if the boss might clearly prefer Celtic's transfer business was kept in-house, under wraps and behind closed doors until there is something for the club to announce.

It also opens up the possibility of a much wider and broader question - is Ange worried and concerned there are leaks that need to be plugged surrounding or inside the club?

After all, sports media and football journalists inhabit a world where we have access to and come across vital information all the time. That is our job and it is part and parcel of the game we are all involved in.

"All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and he disregards the rest."

The Boxer indeed. Seconds out.

Whatever his reasons Ange most certainly came out swinging on Thursday and pulled no punches.

The Celtic supporters love the big Aussie. In Ange They Trust.

In fact, he's is already a knockout in their eyes.