Ange Postecoglou – Sowing the Seeds of Love

Sowing the Seeds of Love – “The sagacious Greek-Aussie is bringing a wave of optimism to a Club that was recently a sarcophagus of melancholic despair”…

In the aftermath of the fabled ten-in-a-row season and the failed snare of Eddie Howe, Celtic Football Club needed brought together in a way not seen since Fergus McCann’s phoenix rose from the ashes to lay the foundations of the O’Neill-era dominance that succeded his tenure.

In step Ange Postecoglou.

Photo: Jeff Holmes

The sagacious Greek-Aussie is bringing a wave of optimism to a Club that was recently a sarcophagus of melancholic despair. With fresh ideas and a style of football that sets the pulse racing a little faster, Postecoglou – in addition – has a candour that is most refreshing to boot.

Ange’s dealings with an often carnaptious and unforgiving press, solidify fan opinion on this tacit football man who has taken the road less travelled to arrive at Paradise. This unusual appointment as the new leader of the Celtic cause, is still very much aligned with the Celtic way. Ange, after all, is a child of immigrants; his family left Greece for Australia when he was just a child.

There is an uncanny fit which is illuminated in this facet to the story of our new leader. Ange, though having not grew up in the culture of Celtic, understands fully the values of our Club and the expectations that come with such values; highlighted in his excoriating of those who were caught being racially abusive towards our own little superstar, Kyogo.

Even as recent as this weekend, the boss defended the right to free speech when asked a deliberately provocative question regarding the Green Brigade’s displeasure with the Celtic hierarchy. His implication that not only was this justifiable, but rather a vital check and balance to our Club’s existence, invariably carries a nobility further than sport.

These values which we hold dear, have been sadly lacking of late within the walls of Celtic Park. Ange’s predecessor – although undeniably one of our own – lost sight of these along with a certain CEO and majority shareholder.

No danger of this happening under the watchful eye of the man in the cool black sweater.

Photo: Steve Welsh

Ange’s most endearing quality is his humility, and pehaps this is what Celtic fans feel reinvigorated by most after the Pontius Pilate-routine of the previous regime. Coupled with this humility is a perspicacity that extends the football pitch. During this pre-season, the manager subtly put pressure on those who hold the purse-strings to equip him with the tools needed to reimagine Celtic in his own image; a welcome change from the “committee” that dealt with transfers previously.

Not even away defeats to Hearts and our fierce Glasgow rivals’, could prevent the outpouring of love and optimism that Celtic fans feel for the Big Man from Down Under. He is setting about creating something special on the park, but more importantly, is aligning Celtic’s values to our founder, Brother Walfrid.

No more Tears or Fears, as Ange Postecoglou is Sowing the Seeds of Love.

Paul Gillespie

About Author

I'm a Garngad Bhoy through and through. My first ever Celtic game was a friendly against Italian side Parma at Celtic Park, in 2002. Currently a student of English Literature and Education at the University of Strathclyde for my sins. Favourite game would be a toss up between beating Manchester United with that Naka freekick, or the game against the Oldco when Hesselink scored in the dying seconds. I'm still convinced Cal Mac is wasted playing that far back.

3 Comments

  1. Well, let’s hope you are right, Paul! I recall the arrival of Wim Jansen, whom very few of us had heard of, and after a dodgy start, he won us the Scottish League and the Scottish League Cup. One hopes that history can repeat itself, but there certainly is some optimism in the air

  2. Great article. We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg too. Things can only get better. – Adam, Western Australia