Ange Postecoglou Moves To Spurs

Ange Postecoglou arrives at Spurs as a bit of an enigma to supporters of the top six club who expected a big name on the global stage, even though several of them (Pochettino, Mourinho, Conte) have already failed to achieve the desired results.

Indeed, Spurs, despite their place as a fixture in the top-half of the EPL in recent years, find themselves adrift, much like the Hoops were when Postecoglou arrived in Glasgow in the summer of 2021. Spurs talisman Harry Kane is reportedly out the door; veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is supposedly on his way as well.

Ange Ball

There are reports of a “toxic” environment in and around the club, and a first-team squad with no discernable style of play.

All of that will sound familiar to Celtic supporters, and Postecoglou made quick work of changing that in Glasgow’s East End. Under his watch, the Hoops “never stopped,” at least domestically.

Even in Europe, they continued to play “Ange-ball,” even when a more pragmatic approach may have been warranted.

Now begins another summer of questions. The Aussie may have won over supporters with his near-constant trumpeting of the “football club,” but he was never going to be a Glasgow lifer. At 57, his window for reaching great heights in Europe is closing; Spurs provide him with a more viable platform in the short term.

Successor?

But where does Celtic go from here? The usual names have been bandied about: David Moyes… Jesse Marsch… Scott Brown… even Brendan Rodgers (though given the rancor following his departure, outcast Neil Lennon seems more likely).

Any and all of them, though, would leave supporters with many more questions than answers. Can Moyes handle the pressure? Can Marsch win the respect of the squad? Does Brown have enough experience? Will Rodgers bolt at the first sniff of an offer from an EPL club?

The biggest fear, of course, is that Celtic have become a stepping-stone job, a place where managers with a point to prove can either sink and disappear (sadly, Lennon) or swim and prosper elsewhere (Martin O’Neill).

Suddenly, just days after securing a domestic treble, Celtic find themselves on the clock and under a microscope. Where will the club turn from here?

We know where Postecoglou has gone. The question is whether his choice serves as a glimpse of the future.