NO-ONE will be surprised Ange Postecoglou is being linked with the Leeds United manager’s job following Jesse Marsch’s sacking yesterday.
According to varied reports during this campaign, the much-coveted Celtic boss has already been on the radar of Southampton, Brighton, Wolves and Everton.
Who knows? It could be Liverpool before the end of the season.
YOU’RE IN MY HEART…Ange Postecoglou’s victory salute after the 4-1 win over St Johnstone in Perth on Sunday.
It is a compliment, of course, to the 57-year-old Greek-Australian gaffer who has been something of a phenomenon since arriving on these shores in June 2021 to transform the fortunes of an ailing Parkhead club in such a spectacular, swashbuckling and successful manner.
However, former Hoops goal hero Chris Sutton is convinced Postecoglou will have no urge to quit the champions in the run-in to a crusade that sees the team nine points ahead at the Premiership pinnacle in the bid for a second successive title which will bring another crack at the Champions League.
There is also the Viaplay League Cup Final against Michael Beale’s Ibrox outfit at Hampden on February 26 to look forward to while St Mirren will visit the east end of Glasgow on Saturday evening in an effort to interrupt the Hoops’ quest for the Scottish Cup, the one piece of domestic silverware that eluded Postecoglou in his debut campaign.
ON THE BALL…Ange Postecoglou just doesn’t stop during a break in the play at McDiarmid Park.
The struggling Elland Road club want a quickfire replacement for the axed Marsch, who didn’t even last a full year in the job, and Mauricio Pochettino, out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in July last year, is also among the bookies’ favourites.
Sutton doesn’t think Postecoglou will abandon ship at the business end of the season in the way Brendan Rodgers did in February 2019 when he quit for Leicester City with Celtic chasing the treble treble.
The one-time England international striker said: “I have no doubt Postecoglou will manage in the Premier League.
“But I don’t think the time is now. Leeds are a big club and they have a lot of potential, even though they are in a difficult position right now.
“It might be a different proposition if the question came in the summer. But I just think Postecoglou will be mindful of what happened when Rodgers left.
“It left a bad taste in the mouths of supporters who had idolised him for two and a half years. There was a furious response.
FANFARE…Ange Postecoglou acknowledges the travelling support after the latest league success in Perth.
“There was a feeling he left them in the lurch and he still hasn’t been forgiven in the eyes of a lot of supporters. But from what I get from Postecoglou’s comments he would want to finish the job he started.
“There’s a title to be retained, the Viaplay Cup Final around the corner and the Scottish Cup on the line, as well. There’s also the Champions League again and that is something I think will be a big motivating factor for him.”
Sutton, speaking to the Daily Record, added: “There was a bit of a feeling things were going a bit stale at the end of Rodgers’ reign, but right now it’s like Celtic are still building something.
“Postecoglou has brought in a lot of players, some of them from the other side of the world, and I’d think he’d want to see it through.
“There will come a time when the Premier League comes calling – and I believe he will be a success at that level. But there is still work to be done at Celtic.”
It’s the second time Sutton has spoken about Postecoglou as a target for English clubs, as CQN reported last month.
The former Australian World Cup manager has never got involved in football’s perennial guessing game and, instead, has remained focus on fulfilling his ambitions at Celtic.
Long may that continue.
