If Celtic fans needed the reassurance that Ange Postecoglou was the right man to take over the Paradise crown, then today’s result in his final game as Yokahama Marinos manager certainly won’t have instilled them with any belief; as the Australian lost his final game in charge of the Tricolors on penalties – to a fourth division side.
Taking charge of The Marinos for the 161st time, he bowed out of his tenure in the worst possible way as fourth-tier side Honda FC defeated them on penalties in the cup, despite being three tiers below. Having gone 1-0 down to the minnows – via a penalty from Honda FC keeper Yuki Kusumoto – Ange’s side scrappingly took the tie to extra time at the 72,000 capacity Nissan Stadium.
After going 2-1 up, you’d have thought the former Socceroos boss would have had the capability to see out the lead – but his Marinos side failed to do so, with a 106th minute equaliser ensuring that penalties would be deciding fate. And yet, for a side that won the league just one year ago, they couldn’t even beat the minnows from 12 yards, with the fourth tier Honda outfit beating Ange’s army 5-3 on penalties.
It represents complete embarrassment for the Australian, who having been tipped with such a huge job at Celtic as opposed to his less media-spotlight job at The Marinos, will perhaps now come under intense media scrutiny at Paradise as he bids to get the Bhoys’ back to winning ways in the Scottish Premier League.