Eddie Howe has no regrets about walking away from the opportunity to manage Celtic last year after being unable to bring his backroom staff with him for “a host of different reasons”, but the Newcastle United manager has been keeping an eye on how things have progressed at Celtic this season and admits that he has been impressed with the “incredible job” that Ange Postecoglou has done, Newcastle World reports.
Howe also revealed that he watched The Glasgow Derby at Ibrox on Sunday and found it fascinating viewing.
“I think he’s done an incredible job,” the 44 year old Newcastle United manager said when asked about Ange Postecoglou, who came on his own from the other side of the world rather than the other side of Britain, to take on the rebuild job at Celtic and in his first season has already won the League cup, can go nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership this Saturday before turning his attention to the Scottish Cup semi-final on Easter Sunday against theRangers at Hampden as the Australian chases down a Treble in his first season in charge at Celtic.
Howe continued: “I did actually watch the Old Firm (sic) game on Sunday. It was a very interesting game, the atmosphere is always electric and are very interesting games to watch from a coach’s point of view.
“Full credit to him, his staff and players for what he’s done this season because it was a team in slight transition and I think he’s been excellent in recruitment.”
If Howe has any personal regrets along the ‘what if or ‘if only’ lines then obviously he’s not going to say it while he’s manager of Newcastle United. So when asked if he had any regrets about rejecting Celtic’s offer Howe said: “From my perspective, no. I’m focused on the future for me and very much embracing everything Newcastle.”
Few if any Celtic supporters will think that Celtic missed out by Howe’s rejection of that offer that was on the table for around 100 days. None will believe that Howe – or just about anyone else could have done a better job that Ange Postecoglou – who has connected brilliantly with the Celtic support and also gets the club and what it stands for.
So no hard feelings either way, we’re glad you enjoyed watching Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic putting on a show at Ibrox on Sunday.
I sincerely don’t care what Howe says or thinks.
He was NEVER the right choice for us and we dodged a bullet when tgat deal fell through!
I am honestly still not sold on Ange either, but he is proving game by game that he has cojones that Howe didn’t, doesn’t, and never will have to be a successful manager along the lines of expectation in Paradise!
Howe falls into the same bracket as Kris Boyd, Barry Ferguson, Davie Provan, Charlie Nicholas and Andy Walker for me.
They have zero to bring to a sensible conversation so they are totally irrelevant to me.