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It is fair to say that Ange Postecoglou had a hard time during his 40-day stint at Nottingham Forest, but there is perhaps a more difficult test on the way. Being out of work means that his name is automatically going to be linked with available coaching jobs in Europe. It’s a nice problem to have, especially as the northern winter approaches and axes start to fall. There are few available coaches whose fingerprints are still on a major European trophy and who also have recent and major Premier League experience.
There have already been changes in England’s top tier with Forest being the main driver, firing Nuno Espírito Santo who then went on to replace Graham Potter at West Ham United, then bringing in Postecoglou and then replacing him with Sean Dyche. In the coming weeks and months, more will follow. There are lots of skill sets that a successful head coach must have, but one of the most important – and the least talked about – is knowing when to shake the head instead of hands when there is an approach.
In that sense, Celtic is the ultimate test. In the past five months, the Australian has experienced real highs and lows that must be dizzying. It’s been, at the very least, a chaotic time. Being fired twice from the league with the highest profile in the world has to hurt, and so it must be tempting to jump into a warm and familiar embrace. The two years in Glasgow from 2021 to 2023 were full of happy memories and glittering trophies – two league titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups. Postecoglou is a legend at Parkhead.
But going back would surely be a mistake. Celtic are a club in turmoil after the resignation of Brendan Rodgers, just two days after losing to Hearts to fall eight points behind the resurgent Edinburgh club. “What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual’s desire for self‑preservation at the expense of others,” said the club’s major shareholder Dermot Desmond, accusing Rodgers of being “divisive, misleading and self-serving”.
Those are strong words and while Desmond is no Evangelos Marinakis, the flamboyant and unpredictable owner of Nottingham Forest, it is an environment best avoided. In hindsight, and many said at the time, going to Forest was a huge gamble as it was a club that had overachieved with a hugely popular coach with his own playing style in Nuno. There was also a first European campaign for 30 years to deal with and little time available on the training pitch. Not only that but going to a new club without a pre-season just adds to the challenge. Even if Rodgers’ style is closer to Postecoglou’s than Nuno’s was, doing it again would be another mistake.
It would also be a no-win situation in the long-term. If the Australian does manage to turn things around, then there would be little credit given elsewhere. Celtic are expected to win titles. Fail to do so, however – and given the situation at the club, there is a real challenge – and the critics would be out in force.
There is a clamour and calls for him to return, including from former Celtic striker Chris Sutton. “I think Ange Postecoglou would be a really smart appointment. He was loved the first time round,” Sutton told Sky Sports. “His brand of football went down well in Glasgow. He’s out of work. I think that would be a pretty obvious choice, a good choice and bring a lot of positivity back to Celtic, which they need right now.”
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Celtic are a club that is not averse to going back. Rodgers has just finished his second spell and his caretaker replacement Martin O’Neill is another legend, coming back two decades after leaving. A quick look online shows that while Celtic fans may be united in their regard for Postecoglou, opinions are divided whether he is the right man going forward. The legacy in Scotland is there and best left untouched.
What the former Socceroos boss needs now is a period of reflection, not to take the first job that comes along for the second successive time. His reputation in the Premier League is a matter of debate and will be so for years to come. A move to the continent is surely the best move. Where and when remains to be seen, but the right job will become available at some point.
Postecoglou has had quite a career. From winning the A-League to the Asian Cup with Australia, to Japan – the best league in Asia – and to Scotland, then to the Premier League. It has been a continuous journey onwards and upwards. Going back to Celtic would be an easy step but a backwards one. Best to wait for a while.
