Background on Ange negotiations, Brendan, what’s needed

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Celtic were aware Ange was interested in the Tottenham job for at least two weeks.  The writing was on the wall before his agent travelled to Glasgow for the final league game of the season.  A rear-guard action continued to no avail.

What’s more, attempts to sign him up on a long-term contract were rebuffed for a year.  Ange was always ‘happy’ with the way things were.  With a manager rejects more pay on the basis that he is happy, it is a bit like your significant other telling you they are ‘fine’.  You might not know what’s coming your way, but when it does, it will not be a surprise.

Despite knowing he preferred to reject more money on the basis it would inhibit his exit options, Celtic hoped to resolve the situation.  This was on the basis on Ange’ age and profile.  At 57, he was on the circuit for a long time without troubling clubs with bigger budgets.

English clubs often have a snobbery for achievements in Scotland, especially when they are not replicated in Europe, where over two years, Ange bettered only Ferencvaros, Midtjylland, Alkmaar, Jablonec.  The negative column has Leverkusen, Real Betis, Real Madrid, Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk and most painfully, a preseason Bodo/Glimt.

Until he was able to move the dial in Europe, Celtic hoped Ange would sail below the radar of most in England, and definitely thought that a ‘big six’ club out his reach.  All that changed when Tottenham recruited Scott Munn as chief football officer.  Australian Munn goes way back with Ange and was his backstage pass to the top tier.

Despite that European record, I cherished our former manager.  He was personable, understood and shared our club’s values and played attractive, successful football. In London, he replaces a permanent manager who was on £15m a year, I expect he’ll be on a salary of around £10m – for half that, I’d knock out Tottenham Quick News.

This is the football business, we did not miss a beat when he left Yokohama midseason.  If you take umbridge at a manager who left one club to come here, then left us at a more appropriate moment, football is not a sport for you to follow.

The Third Season Problem

What do Jose Mourinho and Ange Postecoglou have in common?  All their successes come in the first two seasons in the job.  Neither has won a league title in a third or later season.  This glass ceiling is echoed in Ange’s four-year tenure as Australia manager, where he won the Asian Cup in his second year but did little to trouble his memoirs afterwards.

Ange and Jose are both impact managers.  Both will transform your club, but equally struggle to reinvent themselves in the Alex Ferguson manner.  A friend (And CQN’er) has long expressed a concern that this is because opponents eventually figure Ange out, and that he is unable or unwilling to pivot.

It is moot now.  No matter who follows, our expectations of another treble next season under Ange are forever fixed, but let’s be clear, we have lost Ange Postecoglou (57), not the reincarnation of Jock Stein.  He is replaceable and although there are huge risks with any appointment, there are reasons to be hopeful.

Brendan

Let’s say the obvious.  If he gets the job, we get behind the manager and move on, bigger picture, and all that.  For now, he’s not for me.  I am troubled by his recruitment record (Dembele was on the slate before he arrived and Sinclair had already played for him) and by his credentials as a team player (I have just deleted a lengthy explanation of this as it might make backing him near impossible).  The manner of his exit is of less consequence.

Who next?

Celtic thought they had the managerial recruitment game mastered when Brendan Rogers arrived in 2016.  When they returned to the market in 2019, the rules had changed, there were no candidates of Rogers’ quality, indeed, there were no new candidates who inspired confidence they could succeed in bossing Glasgow’s unique challenges, a scenario Neil Lennon coped with.

Ange Postecoglou was plucked from obscurity because Celtic were determined never again to be left without options they could get behind.  He was a Mark Lawwell nominee, even before Mark joined to become head of recruitment and scouting.  We will explore what’s needed in the position in more detail in the days to come, but for now, I am happy to find another manager with a low profile in the UK, on the ground experience in a value market and a desire for a crack at the Champions League.

We move on.

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269 Comments

  1. Glasgow ‘Erald journo David Irvine informs us this evening that our lords and masters have elected a new President. Irvine referes to the sporting body in question as “The Scottish FA”, a clear example of anglicisation and a re-branding operation to overcomevthe toxic nature of the SFA brand. And who is the lucky fellow to lead our game? None other than the world famous Alloa Chairman

  2. Moderator1888 on

    We got a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 30 days before we appoint a new manager

     

     

    It’s a sliding scale of hurt the longer it goes on

     

     

    Remember we are all tims on this site (mostly 99.8% lol)

     

     

    The longer it goes on the more we will disagree with each other

     

     

    Be cool

     

     

    Respect each other and their opinions

     

     

    We will be knee deep in the champions league soon enough and all of this will be in the past

     

     

    Keep the fecking faith peoples

  3. CONEYBHOY @ 8:51 PM,

     

     

    It is subjective for sure and you make a good point with Ronny…

     

     

    Ange gets high marks for taking over a basket case after a season we won no trophies and instantly made an impact, playing some great high tempo attacking football.

     

     

    Maybe once the dust settles we’ll think better of him – I used to watch most of our matches back on Celtic TV so that says something.

     

     

    From an objective perspective BR’s record…

     

     

    Invincible season

     

     

    The Double Treble

     

     

    Seven trophies won in a row, left a set up that would win the next Five

     

     

    Record squad value

     

     

    Record Turnover

     

     

    Record profits

     

     

    Celtic Park full again

     

     

    A Record against facsimile Rangers unlikely to be bettered.

     

     

    Let’s hope the next guy eclipses them all, plays football the Glasgow Celtic way and gives us pride in Europe

     

     

    OpTIMistic

     

     

    Hail Hail

  4. Moderator1888 on

    CHAIRBHOY

     

     

    Would Ange have been as succesful without Rodgers ploughing the field before him?

     

     

    After reading your post, I doubt it…….

  5. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    Ha!! I knew there was more to it than the lure of the EPL and £10m a year. It was Bain’s contract.

     

     

    All makes perfect sense now.

  6. Scottish FA ( stands for Far Out ) Part 2

     

     

    New ‘presi’ Mike Mullraney will not be alone in his quest to transform our society , with the help of the nice people in Holyrood ( 20 million pound deal agreed with the scottish givernment) and he has as his vice president the Lanarkshire legend himself, from world beaters Hamilton Accies, Mr Les Gray……certainly not “Dynamite” as the Mud song went.

     

     

    TontineTim

     

     

    My cousin was a West Ham fan and they were a great footballing team like Spurs who I always liked too. Spurs always tried to play good football, unlike Arsenal and Chelsea who would cheat you out of a game if they could . That great Spurs team with Hoddle, Ardiles, Perryman etc was always a joy to watch. So it is a good move for Postecoglou in principle and I don’t wish him any ill will.

  7. CONEYBHOY on 6TH JUNE 2023 7:03 PM

     

    It is hard to rank managers, but in terms of budget, opposition and achievement; i keep thinking it is Strachan this century

     

    ——

     

    Strachan was in the top five in England (tv last week) of best value for money managers. I think Sean Dyce came top). The bottom five had Souness and Keegan.

     

    Like most I’d also perhaps like a young progressive manager. I don’t think we should be gambling on a number 2 taking over (like the Man city boy). The funny thing is, I think ‘dinosaurs’ like Clarke and Moyes would definitely win our league and probably win more points in Europe.

  8. Ziggy

     

     

    I know, depends on the KPI. Smashing Beale feels like my target, CL next year?

  9. Ref any claims that Brendan won the 8th league It’s a really simple point that I am making.

     

     

    There were 2 games vs a strong rangers team and 12 other league games to play when Brendan and his team left.

     

     

    There were 3 cup games to negotiate to win the cup.

     

     

    That is far from the league being over.

  10. WGS performed miracles against a ‘right sizing’ background and a cheating main opponent.

     

     

    He came in post Larsson and had to deal with arrogant end of life Sutton and Thompson from a team which had self destructed on black Sunday. A team which had been left by MON and Walfrod / Robertson to run itself in the final months of 04/05. A team with zero discipline.

     

     

    He also had to contend with the most miserable unsupportive so called fans. He was not from a Celtic background and the treatment of his team who were booed off the park, on a few occasions, by the support was a disgrace.

     

     

    Against that he delivered our best European results in the past 43 years and won 3 out of 4 leagues.

     

     

    Maybe not the Celtic way. Maybe not kissing badges and talking of walking over broken glass to get there, maybe not patronizing fans with talk of Celtic in his family, maybe not badge kissing and talking of identifying with the fans.

     

     

    WGS did an incredible job. Despite the support from either fans. In beating an unsustainable rangers he drove them even faster toward their demise.

  11. MODERATOR1888 @ 9:17 PM,

     

     

    Well, folk were gushing about the set up when BR was here and JK was said to understand it, we may have went backwards in the interim seasons but I’m sure a lot of the infrastructure and processes were still in place.

     

     

    The fact that Ange could come in on his own and get all the support he wanted from the off tells us JK, Strachan Jr and others knew there stuff and had the systems ready.

     

     

    More so if the rumours are correct and Ange wants to take some staff with him.

     

     

    No doubts Ange had a eye for a player, he knew value markets, he had a relatively straightforward system to implement but if he had to rebuild the backroom infrastructure the turnaround would have been much slower and more challenging.

     

     

    Remember GVB’s facsimile Rangers got to the Europa Cup final so the idea we had no domestic competition was just wrong.

     

     

    So my feelings are Ange benefitted greatly from BR and teams legacy and would not have been as successful without that coaching/performance infrastructure in place

     

     

    Hail Hail

  12. Burnley78 – great post on WGS. I loved him. Still do. He did exactly the job he was brought in to do.

     

     

    He’s a proper football man and I would say a decent human being.

     

     

    Remember clearly the arguments I had with other Celts during his time. I just never understood those who didn’t appreciate him and appreciate what he was working with.

  13. Burnley78.

     

    Good post. Never understood the hatred some fans had towards Strachan.

     

    Did a great job and gave us some pride in Europe.

  14. DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY on

    WGS also knew how to handle the media. He had some great patter.

     

     

    My particular favourite:

     

     

    Reporter: “Gordon, about today’s game….. can we have a quick word”

     

     

    WGS: “velocity”

  15. Jinkyredstar on

    As soon as Peter Lawell ‘re-emerged’ some cynics on here predicted the end of the Ange era, oh how I laughed. I’m not laughing now – a dead hand.

  16. TheLurkinTim on

    Nah….the froth you bought it is on you

     

     

    He projected truth n honesty further than he nelieved it ;-))

  17. vinniethedog on

    So Bains contract was the problem?!!…ahh…all makes sense now 🙄

     

    My fav MANAGERS this century

     

    MON

     

    Ange

     

    BR

     

    WGS

     

    LENNY

     

    RONNY

     

    Tony

  18. vinniethedog on

    In other news ….ex celtic player Timothy Weah looks like an 8.5 million move to Juve!!..

     

    Chelsea going to spend 17 million on a 16 year old

     

    and Brighton are going to spend 40 million on a defender while telling suitors they can feck off with 70 that’s SEVENTY million for one of their midfielders …

  19. Timothy Weah, joined on Loan for 6 months as far as I remember, he certainly played for Celtic but was not a Celtic Player in as much as belonging to Celtic,

  20. Stephbhoy67 on 6th June 2023 8:53 pm

     

     

    But i have no doubt celtic are able to identify and secure another winner. People always point to lennon appointment but if anything that is an outlier.

     

     

     

     

    You talking about the first or second time we hired him ?…

  21. quadrophenian on

    BURNLEY78 on 6TH JUNE 2023 4:21 PM

     

    Quad

     

    I am with you re liking Muscat.

     

    He is a tough guy who has followed Ange and succeeded.

     

    Wouldn’t be a badge kisser but wouldn’t take any shit from media or anyone either.

     

     

    ————

     

     

    Yep: Muscat is the standout continuity pick for us at the moment.

     

    Followed Ange into Melb Victory and kept his style. Did the same at Yokohama. Has won leagues in AU and Japan. Knows Asian culture. And signed Kewell when he was at Victory (weird Ange not taking Harry K to Spurs with him eh??)

     

    One more thing; a Muscat-flavoured Celtic would not be bullied by the huns in our derby games.

     

    Only blot on his book was a short disaster spell in Belgium.

     

    HH

  22. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    I’m heading in the wrong direction on the news.

     

     

    When the story broke a few days back I was generally able to manage my disappointment.

     

     

    Feeling much worse about it tonight.

     

     

    BTW – I genuinely don’t mean to be unkind about prominent contributors to Celtic cyberspace.

     

     

    They put more effort and energy into it than I do … by a distance.

     

     

    But that e-tims offering on Ange’s departure?

     

     

    Reading it made a bad evening worse.

     

     

    Night all.

     

     

    Keep The Faith

     

    (and keep some for me)

  23. Moderator1888 on

    BTB

     

     

    And it was designed to do so mate

     

     

    For whatever reason most if it is or may be, or even none of it is bollocks

     

     

    Even worse, it’s all true

     

     

    BUT

     

     

    We got a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 30 days before we appoint a new manager

     

     

    It’s a sliding scale of hurt the longer it goes on

     

     

    Suck it up mate

     

     

    In 3 months we are knee deep in the champions league

     

     

    Ange may be sacked by then

     

     

    Either way mate

     

     

    Keep the F>cking faith x

  24. I took a Holiday for this day.

     

     

    If JK goes, that isnae good.

     

     

    I just witnessed the latest OG with Ange.

     

     

    Mr Potter would be my choice, However he may be too nice nice Baby and unable to handle the Scumbags with writing implements in Ecosse.

  25. Had we only the benefit of hindsight to sign Postecoglou on a four year deal from the outset. Them’s the Spurs.

     

    Going forward? Here we go again!

  26. quadrophenian on

    S

     

    The only folk we give generous 4-year deals to are injury prone ex-EPL types who may or may not be ill-suited to any incoming manager’s preferred style of play.

     

     

    IsHeEvenStillHere? CSC

  27. Good morning all from another fine sunny morn in the Garngad.

     

     

    So we knew for weeks Ange was leaving did we not go and look at Managers then….I see another Eddie Howe summer coming up.

     

    I will be surprised if we sign a manager in the next 2 weeks.

     

    Come on Celtic prove me wrong.

     

     

    D :)

  28. Melbourne Mick on

    Hello again all you young rebels.

     

     

    Well! The guessing games begin, who will lead us on

     

    another decade of hun humpin ?

     

    O.k going by recent appointments the next two seasons

     

    Shirley.

     

    Think no one amongst the Celtic support will be taken

     

    in again with the badge kissing gobshoits of late.

     

    Wonder if Broony will be in whoever’s appointed, back

     

    room staff ? Might be not a bad idea.

     

    H H. MICK