Ange Postecoglou has left Celtic. But his legacy and stamp remains.
And the Aussie’s outstanding work over two years in Glasgow’s East End has left the door open for the club to look high on the managerial ladder in the hunt for his successor. When Postecoglou was appointed, he faced a massive team rebuild. Squad members such as Odsonne Edouard, Ryan Christie and Kristoffer Ajer were departing for England, loan players were going back to their clubs. An overhaul was necessary.
Fast forward two years and Postecoglou has left in place an exciting young side packed full of value. On long contracts offered by the club, there are triple-digit millions worth of assets residing within the dressing room. In addition, Postecoglou’s first competitive games were qualifiers for the Champions League. That’s not an issue now with the Aussie’s first title win putting Celtic straight into the groups this season and his second flag returning them back to the big stage for next term. On top of all that, Postecoglou’s move to one of England’s biggest clubs shows that pathway is there to top jobs in elite leagues.
In terms of a job opportunity, the nuts and bolts left behind surely make it a far-more appealing proposition to the one which he was offered, despite the unaltered vast stature of the club. With Champions League, a hugely-talented and vibrant playing squad, more than £50 million in the bank, Celtic are in a position to aim high.
Former keeper Pat Bonner has seen a host of bosses come and go during his time as a player and a pundit and believes it’s an attractive prospect. He explained: “Celtic are in a very good position when it comes to looking for a new manager.
“They have a very good squad and, importantly, they are in a position at the moment to add to that squad and enhance it. That’s because there is money in the bank and there is also Champions League group stage football to look forward to again.
“Ange has done a magnificent job with them and has left the club in a really good position. No-one can really criticise. It’s all about the future. That’s the end of the Ange era and now it’s time for the next step.
“Obviously, the replacement is the big issue now and who they get has to fit that model a little bit with the players Celtic have. But there is always someone new coming and it’ll be really interesting now.”
Postecoglou’s working of the Asian market was shrewd, yet going back to a familiar territory is nothing new for an incoming Celtic manager. Bonner says it’s important that a new appointment can branch into and tap his own areas of expertise.
He explained: “Look back. Wim Jansen brought in Henrik Larsson. Dr Jozef Venglos brought in Lubo Moravcik. That’s another thing to look forward to. Too see who and where they go.
“Ange exploited the Japanese and Asian market well because he knew it. It came as a surprise to all of us to a point. So the next person in will maybe have to exploit a different market, the homework is done when a manager comes in and he knows who he can bring.”
Naturally, the limitations of the Scottish Premiership may offer an issue to some individuals. It’s common perception that, if Celtic played in the English Premier League, Postecoglou would not have needed to go south and would still be in Glasgow.
However, that chance to make a proper splash in Europe with the Champions League opportunity should open some additional doors. Bonner, who travels across Europe working with UEFA, reasoned: “Obviously, the big leagues is what everyone talks about and also the Champions League. If Celtic are doing well in Europe, people talk about it.
“Everyone knows what Celtic is like when they come to play against them and the atmosphere and all of that. It probably stands on its own merits from that perspective rather than looking at the league.
“Every league has their big teams and lower teams. The smaller countries and the ones on a par with Scotland always have dominant teams in it.
“Now and then, you may get the odd team that will come to the fore and surprise, but if you look back into the history, there will always be one or two who will dominate those type of leagues. But, listen, even if you go to Spain, while they also have very good teams alongside them, it is dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona. Bayern Munich in Germany.
“The more you can play in the Champions League, the more dominant you can become. The league is very important because it gets you into the position in the first place and seeing the Champions League now, it is hugely difficult.
“But doing well and getting into the last 16 is a big thing. People are talking about Italian football again because they have teams in the European finals again, one back at the top in a Champions League Final. So success in the Champions League, at the relative levels, is always important and the target for Celtic must be to try and get out of the group stages.
“That’s where people felt Ange may have taken the team in the future, but he’s gone now and someone else is going to have to step up to the mark and take on the challenge. It’ll be interesting to see who comes and goes in the next couple of months.
"I’ve always thought they were maybe two or three real top, top quality players short for that. To attract those players, being in the Champions League helps. But it’s not easy.
“Of course, everyone would have loved Ange to stay, I would have loved him to stay to see what he could do in the Champions League next season. But the offer and everything was probably too good for him to knock back given his age from that perspective. It’s all about the future now and, as I said, Celtic are in a really good position.”
