So as the speculation surrounding Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou leaving for the glitz and glamour of the English Premier League continues to rumble on today, most With the odds at the bookies continuing to shorten on the prospect of the Australian joining Spurs, these are indeed worrying times for all us Celtic minded folk, and to be honest this is the absolute last thing Celtic needed in the build up to the Scottish Cup final tomorrow.
Photo Jeff Holmes
What triggered me today to write this article was one of those forwarded messages you get from a fellow Celtic fan on Watsapp claiming to be ‘In the know’ about the situation. This one was long and highly detailed. I always think to myself when receiving these that it’s a sad reflection on society that someone actually sits down and takes the time to write this nonsense just for it to go ‘viral’. The way of the world these days I suppose, but anyway I digress.
The thing that annoyed me, even know I’m 99.9% certain that it’s made up garbage is that it started by stating ‘if this is true Ange shouldn’t be allowed to lead the team out on Saturday’. Talk about overreaction. Anyway it got me thinking about what the reaction will be if Ange is to leave after hopefully securing a much deserved treble. There will obviously be a lot of sadness and perhaps even some anger from certain quarters but I certainly won’t feel like that. I can see why people will be upset but as one of my favourite sayings goes – no one is bigger than the club.
The anger when Brendan Rodgers left was palpable. The two situations however, if it does happen this summer, are totally different. Was I angry when Rodgers left? Yeah I was. I also however was able to look at how he had transformed a stale team and breath life back into the club over an unbelievably successful period. If he hadn’t left when he did, at a critical time mid-season with still so much to play for, I wouldn’t have felt that way. Had he stayed and seen out the season, thanked the club for everything and moved south I, and I imagine the majority of Celtic fans, would have wished him all the best.
Postecoglou’s situation however feels different to me. If he seals the Treble this week then comes out and says he is leaving for Spurs then I wish him all the best. Do I pray this doesn’t happen? Absolutely. I will hold no grudge if it does transpire however. In his two seasons at Celtic he has picked the club up from one of its worst seasons in decades and brought it back to the summit of Scottish football yet again, looking even stronger going forward than before. He has spent money wisely. He has brought a fantastic mentality to the club. He has brought in a lot of top players we have fallen in love with. He has been nothing but an absolute sensation since taking over the reins at Celtic.
Postecoglou is not getting any younger. His managerial career has taken a long time to blossom and if he feels he wants to take a crack at the most popular league in world football then that’s his prerogative. It will be huge news in Australia and Ange’s reputation and status there will explode. I’m still far from convinced that he will leave for Spurs however.
Daniel Levy, the Tottenham Hotspur chairman looks on during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Tottenham Hotspur at Carrow Road on May 22, 2022. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Something tells me Ange will have reservations about working under an authoritarian chairman such as Daniel Levy who is not known for his patience when managers underperform. Start at Spurs like he did at Celtic and he won’t last long. An early sacking in his first EPL role will be curtains for his managerial career in the ‘Big Leagues’. Personally I think there are a lot more suitable clubs than Spurs and I hope Ange sees it the same.
My big hope is that Celtic have learned from the Australian and, if the worst does happen, will look to replace him with someone similarly exciting. We should never again go down the road of appointing managers on the basis that they are good Celtic men. As a fan base we have got used to watching exciting, attacking football over the last few seasons and we must appoint someone who can continue under that philosophy. That however is for another day.
Hopefully I won’t have to write that article for another year or two.
Hailing from Cushendall in the North of Ireland my formative years were spent watching Celtic during our barren spell through the 90's which meant I have appreciated our recent trophy-laden spell even more. Favourite matches home and away I've attended has to be beating Man Utd 1-0 at Celtic Park and being with my 2 brothers watching us beat Lazio 2-1 in Rome. Best away day experience? Has to be Munich with friends from Coatbridge...what a few days!