CLOCK IS TICKING ON ANGE, INSISTS EX-CELTIC FAVOURITE

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ANGE POSTECOGLOU will NOT be at Celtic for the long haul.

That’s the view of former Hoops striker Charlie Nicholas who reckons the Greek-Australian gaffer could be on his way in 18 months’ time.

The one-time Parkhead fans’ favourite insisted he doesn’t envisage the manager “being at any club for much longer than three years.”

But the 57-year-old former Australia World Cup chief will get lot better offers than the clubs reportedly interested in him in recent times.

CROWDPLEASER…Ange Postecoglou acknowledges the Celtic supporters.

Nicholas said: “When Ange Postecoglou leaves Celtic, he will be able to hand pick his next job.

“He will be in a position to go to a club that is absolutely right for him. I am in no doubt about that. Leeds United have been linked with the Aussie, while Southampton are also looking for a new manager.

“A lot of the teams who have been connected to Postecoglou are battling to stay in the Premier League. They would still have more financial pull than Celtic, but I don’t think any of them would be big enough to convince Postecoglou to even engage in a conversation.

“I’m sure there are approaches for him all the time. WIll there come a time when he gets frustrated with things in Glasgow? Possibly. But I don’t think Postecoglou has a huge ego.

“I also doubt if money has ever been the main motivating factor for him. He seems to be the type of manager who likes to come in and build things. He wants to forge relationships and work with people he feels are on the same wavelength as him.”

Nicholas, as reported in the , Daily Record, continued: “There will come a time when a project or an approach sufficiently floats his boat to tempt him away from Celtic.

JUST CHAMPION…Ange Postecoglou has proved to be a winner at Celtic.

“I said in this column last week that Liverpool could be an interesting one if Jurgen Klopp decides it’s time for a change. That job would be hard to turn down, especially as there is an emotional pull with Postecoglou having supported the Reds growing up.

“People are mentioning potential opportunities in England, but clubs in mainland Europe will have taken note of the job Postecoglou is doing. Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan need sorting out, while a few Bundesliga clubs must be looking at the Australian and admiring his work at Celtic.”

Nicholas, who had two stints at Celtic, added: “There will be chairmen thinking they could do something similar with their clubs over a three-year period. I don’t see Postecoglou being at any club for much longer than three years.

“Given the way his teams play, what he demands and turnover of players he wants, there’s always going to be a breakdown somewhere.

“It’s just the way he works. It is also the harsh reality that if he continues to do well then he will move on.

“Postecoglou is not going to stay at Celtic for the long term. Every Hoops supporter knows that.”

COLD COMFORT…Ange Postecoglou watches Celtic beat Livingston 3-0 in a chilly February evening in Glasgow.

In the meantime, the Hoops boss is focusing on adding three more points to the champions’ tally as they zero in on a second successive crown.

Aberdeen are the visitors on Saturday afternoon and the Pittodrie club, who sacked manager Jim Goodwin following the 6-0 drubbing from Hibs in the wake of the Scottish Cup exit to Darvel, have made life difficult for Postecoglou’s side in their previous two meetings this season.

The Dons provided the opposition on the opening day of the league crusade on July 31 where goals from Stephen Welsh and Filipe Jota gave the hosts a 2-0 triumph.

It took a late strike from comeback skipper Callum McGregor to gain the points in December.

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