IT isn’t over, until it’s over, and Celtic captain Callum McGregor is desperately hoping that the passing of the Ange Postecoglou era at the club is not imminent despite rampant speculation linking him with the vacant managerial position at Tottenham Hotspur.
Postecoglou’s refusal to quash reports that he will leave Glasgow for North London after Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final win over Inverness seemed to indicate that he will indeed be moving on in the coming days.
McGregor admits the Celtic players are just as much in the dark over the immediate future of their manager as their worried fanbase, but he hasn’t given up on the prospect of linking up with Postecoglou once more when he reports back for pre-season training.
“Of course you want to keep good managers who are at the club,” McGregor said.
“He’s done such an amazing job. The turnaround since he walked in the door has been incredible, probably people didn’t envisage that happening so quickly.
“All those things were going on and he was a really strong leader right from the word go. He did his business early and he saw what work had to be done here and he built a togetherness which ensured the players loved the environment.
“The guys he brought in were so good in terms of coming into a new environment and learning quickly, while the guys who were still here made sure we all wanted to work, wanted to be here and give absolutely everything.
“That has been a building block that has led to this. It has been a progression every week really and as I say, I think this group deserves the success it has had and to be Treble winners.
“He’s a guy who’s super self-confident. He’s aware of what being at this football club means. It means bringing success and he’s managed to do it in such an amazing style.
“Of course, selfishly for us, we want to keep him. The club wants to keep him as much as we possibly can.
“You just never know how football works. One thing about football is that you have to be flexible.
“If it happens, then what a parting gift. If not, and we’re lucky to keep him, then we’ll be delighted to see him in pre-season.
“To be honest, we don’t know [what is going to happen]. In football there is always speculation and always people getting linked with other jobs when they are doing a good job. It shows that the players have done a good job for him, and he has done a great job for the club,
“It’s always nice to have that compliment, so we celebrated on Saturday after a brilliant season.
“We’ll see what happens and deal with whatever comes our way.
“We always speak about how well we can build the group.”
Such is the rude health of that group at present, that McGregor believes the club are well placed to continue on a successful path even if the next stage of their journey is under a different manager.
The foundations that Postecoglou has laid at Celtic are, in his view, just as vital a component in assessing his legacy at the club as the five trophies he has won from the six available to him since coming to Glasgow.
“It’s in a really good place,” he said. “The club’s in a really good place. We’re in the Champions League again next season so that’s attractive straight away.
“The players have had 24 months together now, really building something on the back of success.
“We will go and enjoy the summer and, like I said, in football you have to be flexible. You just take it as it comes.”
The Treble that Celtic sealed on Saturday after all was their eighth all-told in the club’s history, and McGregor is adamant that winning culture will remain after Postecoglou has left – whenever that may be – just as it existed long before he arrived.
And he is aware that no matter who is in the dugout next season, the demands on the players will remain constant.
“It’s nice,” he said.
“But I don’t think any of that happens if you’re not at a hugely successful football club where winning is the culture.
“We have managed to build that over the last few years. It’s amazing to be part of that.
“When you are a young kid and you play football, all you want to do is win. I’m so fortunate and lucky that I’ve managed to play at a club that wins and been part of that success.
“It’s something I’m hugely proud of. It’s been a successful career so far, but you just want more.
“I’ll enjoy the next few days, but very quickly my attention will turn towards Scotland and after that next season.
“We’ve got to go again.”
