“It’s not like Howe got a standing ovation at the end of his Bournemouth career when they were relegated,” Commons

Kris Commons has been surveying the wreckage left at Celtic by the Eddie Howe decision to turn down the job months after agreeing to be the next Celtic manager. Celtic told us last week that a new manager would be appointed very soon (days, not weeks) and that talks were at an advances stage. We also told you on Friday that Neil Lennon’s replacement would not be coming from the English Premier League and within a few hours of that the news broke that Ange Postecoglou was the preferred candidate, even if he himself knew that he was only in that position due to Howe’s shabby withdrawal from the process.

Photo: Clive Brunskill

What appears to be the case is that Celtic were telling the truth when they said that talks with an alternative candidate had been happening in the background and were at an advanced stage. Craig Moore confirms this morning that he’s talked to the former Australian manager about the Celtic job and Tom Rogic’s recent commitment to club over country also suggests he was in the know.

Which makes you wonder when Celtic were aware that Howe wasn’t going to take the job, especially with the club issuing a statement last week about a new managerial appointment being imminent. Whichever way you look at this it is not a good look for the Celtic Board.

That though should not cloud our judgement on Postecoglou who could well be a better fit for the Celtic job than Howe who perhaps in retrospect would not have had the constitution for football management in Glasgow.

READ THIS…“There has been a bit of ignorance about his potential appointment,” Moore on Postecoglou

“Celtic’s hunt for a new manager has descended into farce,” Kris Commons claims in his Daily Mail column. “The club will claim they didn’t put all their eggs in one basket with Eddie Howe — but that’s certainly how it looks.

“I don’t think anyone should be in a position to reject Celtic. Neil Lennon once told me that Dermot Desmond doesn’t take kindly to people turning the Parkhead job down or not being fully committed to it.

“But I feel like the Eddie Howe saga is a bit like when you’re a teenager, and someone you really admire asks you and your friends to go on a night out. But your pals say they can’t make it, so you have to say you will just give it a miss.

READ THIS…Brisbane Based Celtic Supporter Gives us the Lowdown on Ange Postecoglou

“What I mean is that Celtic must have known that Howe wanted to bring in his own backroom staff. And how on earth has Eddie not spoken to those colleagues and told them Celtic are on board and that there is the chance to win titles, trophies and become legends?

“It’s not like Howe got a standing ovation at the end of his Bournemouth career when they were relegated to the English Championship. Celtic was a chance to do what Rodgers did and send himself on the road to a job like Leicester City, where he could eventually get a club like Arsenal.

READ THIS…Postecoglou Deal Done: “Might “Might as well be White Smoke from the Vatican,” or “Green Smoke from Celtic Park”

Copyright: Peter Dovgan

But if his backroom staff have turned around and said they don’t want to go to Glasgow, then why not say that 12 weeks ago?

“Now Plan B is the Australian Ange Postecoglou. I’d never even heard of the guy. I had to Google him. He’s a complete unknown who has never done it at this level and who has never been in a dugout with the kind of pressure you face at Celtic.

“It’s very risky when the pressure is going to be so intense next season, knowing that (the)Rangers are in a very strong position with a settled backroom staff and a core group of young, hungry players.

(the)Rangers, as a group, have had a taste of winning the title and they have unfinished business in the cups and are looking forward to the Champions League.

“In contrast, Celtic are now dancing around for a manager who a lot of the supporters will be saying: ‘Who is this guy’? It’s a massive job the new man has in front of him. As well as not having a manager, long-time chief executive Peter Lawwell is retiring, so change is happening from top to bottom.

READ THIS…“I Believe in Miracles” Title Battle goes to the last Day as Goal Hungry Celtic score TEN

“Celtic need to plough in an incredible amount of money just to get to where they should have been last season. If theRangers hierarchy had said when Steven Gerrard arrived in the summer of 2018 that they were so far behind Celtic they would be looking at playing a long game and in three years’ time they would be in a good position, I think theRangers fans would have said: ‘No’. They would have wanted instant success.

“But it might be the case that, with all the changes at Celtic, they could be looking at a 24 to 36-month plan. I don’t think it’s unrealistic to say the title might not happen for Celtic this coming season but hopefully they could be close by the following campaign.

“On the other hand, it could even be a bit like the Ronny Deila situation. If the new man gets off to a good start and the fans are back in the stadium and enjoying their football again, it might be like a Deila story.

“Deila got players in the door like Jason Denayer and Stefan Johansen who made a big difference and suddenly he was close to winning a Treble. But there are so many things that need to fall into place for that to happen under the new manager.”

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About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

2 Comments

  1. Thomas grant Liddell on

    I think a lot of things are going to have to work in Postegoglou’s favour in the months ahead. Firstly the fans will have to be patient if we’re going to overtake TheRangers and honestly it would be a small miracle if we got instant success.Also I want to know what player knowledge does Ange have?. Could we end up with a few good finds from Australia and Japan and will they get the required documentation to play in Scotland .plus what does Ange know of the European and British Market and is he clever enough to take on Gerrard?.This whole appointment looks like a minefield but I will try and give the guy 24 months to get his idea’s across. I just hope my fellow supporters have the same level of patience that I have.

  2. Ray Bradshaw on

    AFC Bmouth supporter here . Sad situation for all involved , however in Eddie ‘ s defence may I ask .
    The guy from Man City , when did he come into the picture ? Having agreed to bring his own team , was
    this not a shot in the bows for EH ? He will never go public but I suspect , this was the reason he
    walked . Would anyone at Celtic , care to comment ?