“This is everything I’ve ever wanted in a football club,” Ange Postecoglou

The Postecoglous are currently enjoying a wee deserved family holiday in Greece but Ange took some time out this morning to speak to Australian radio station Sportsday Radio where he was on his usual top form and talked through his own position at Celtic – looks like he’s going nowhere anytime soon – the prospects of getting either Champions League winners Real Madrid or runners up Liverpool in next season’s competition and the very special atmosphere at Celtic Park on Champions League nights that he’s heard all about and can’t wait to sample for himself.

Celtic appears to be the perfect club for Ange “This is everything I’ve ever wanted in a football club,” he said.

Australian media, of course, is always going to ask Ange about Tom Rogic who this week pulled out of their national team for the World Cup play-offs citing personal reasons. On how much Rogic means to the Celtic family Ange was very clear.”Tom Rogic is a legend of Celtic, in Australia perhaps we haven’t realised how much of a legend he is.”

It’s just about a year on from Ange sitting alone with his thoughts in a hotel in London as he had to endure the Covid rules on entry into the UK after arriving on his way to Paradise from Japan. “This time last year I was stuck in isolation, when you think about at the starting point and then where we finished up…I’m so proud about what we were able to pull off,” Ange said.

And life managing the dominant force in Scottish football clearly agrees with the former Australia national manager who clearly loves the passion for football that is all around him in Glasgow, as he explained: “Glasgow is just that sort of city, there are only two clubs who have any interests and you can’t escape it, particularly if you become manager of one of the two clubs. I love it, people are so passionate.”

Ange isn’t concerned at all about signing contract extensions to keep him at the club for the longer term because he’s got no intention of leaving until he’s asked to! “Long term contracts in coaching really mean absolute jack as anyone will tell you. I’m really happy at Celtic and I’ve had an amazing year.

“As long as the club want me to stay, I’ll be sticking around,” Ange said, which will be music to your ears.

“Security is the last thing I’ve ever worried about in my coaching tenure. What drives me is the insecurity of it…in every role I’ve ever done, I’ve left because I’ve wanted another challenge. What drives me is the challenge of what is next, as long as that challenge is there, that’s what gets me up in the morning.

“There’s part of every manager or coach that loves that on a weekend, our future in on a knife’s edge.”

One of the many aspects that is abundantly clear about Ange Postecoglou is his excellent communication skills in handling the media, and more importantly the players. His travels before arriving in Glasgow helped hone those skills, Ange explains.”I’ve had to get creative, in Japan I used an interpreter which challenged my communication skills. At Celtic, we have players from all over the world. It’s not about communicating with them, it’s understanding them as people.”

On Tom Rogic’s emotional farewell on Trophy Day Ange had this to say: “It was a great way for Tom Rogic to end as he’s a legend of the football club. I’ve had a great relationship with him over the last few years, he kind of felt it was time for him to move on. I’ve not sure what his next step is.”

On the thorny issue of Australian football, which always seems to touch a few nerve when the Aussie media asks about it Ange said. “I have a million thoughts on Aus football, irrespective of what has happened they have two games to get to a World Cup. We shouldn’t taking World Cup’s for granted.”

While he can’t do anything personally about the Australian hopes of reaching Qatar this winter, he does know that the Champions League awaits for him and the troops in the autumn and Ange can’t wait. “I was watching Liverpool/Real Madrid the other day…knowing my luck of the draw we’ll get one of them. We’ll get the big guns and I cannot wait.”

“People tell me the most special atmosphere you’ll ever get is a Champions League night at Celtic Park. I am looking forward to it, this is the level this club deserves and needs to be. There’s no better place for me to challenge myself.”

Listen to Ange Postecoglou’s interview on Sportsday HERE or via the link below.

GET YOUR INVINCIBLE AND TWICE AS GOOD T-SHIRTS NOW FREE WITH MATT CORR’S BRILLIANT CELTIC BOOKS

You want one of these? It’s completely FREE when you purchase INVINCIBLE or TWICE AS GOOD* from Celtic Star Books website, just click on the relevant link below to order your copy and when you do select the BOOK you want then add the T-SHIRT SIZE you require from Small, large, XL or XXL, adding that after your name so we’ll know which size to send you…(please note that all medium Invincible t-shirts are now sold out).

*£1 from every copy of Twice as Good will be donated to Marie Curie in memory of Harry Hood and in line with the wishes of the Hood family.

Order Invincible here…

And order Harry Hood – Twice as Good here…

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

Comments are closed.