It is the worst nightmare for those engaged in crisis management that trouble begets trouble, that when things seem at their darkest they don’t start to steadily improve, as one would hope for, but instead start to accelerate down towards Hell.
In that scenario, you end up firefighting on multiple fronts and eventually simply plugging holes in the superstructure as they appear, until at some point there are too many of them to deal with.
Over at Ibrox, The Mooch was never going to get things easy this week. The media honeymoon is over, because there are two things the pro-Ibrox press dislikes intensely; a manager who fails and one who makes them look like a fool and the thing is, he’s done both of those things and now, for the first time, he’s coming under proper scrutiny.
Has he really improved them? Has he really closed the gap? These were questions our sites were asking in the run-up to the game. Now the mainstream media has finally gotten with the program and is asking the same ones. Because this guy has made them look stupid and that is one of the cardinal sins. They are now scared he might not have what it takes.
I listened, briefly, to Clyde last night as Roger Hannah tried to tell us that he never really had a honeymoon in the first place. What rot that is. The Mooch has had a smooth ride since the minute e walked in the door. He, like Charles Green and a host of other charlatans before him, knew just what buttons to push to get them eating out of his hand.
Well, it is certainly over now and finally attention is being paid to his stupid remarks, the myriad contradictions in his comments, his numerous reversals and also to his brand of football which allowed our defenders a relatively easy afternoon.
The long ball punt is not sexy stuff. It is turgid and awful to watch. There is “going direct” and there is this public park stuff which they seem to play. My old man nailed it when he described it recently as “brute force football”, and if our defenders had played in novelty slippers yesterday they would still have been able to handle much of what was thrown at them.
It’s at this moment, then, with their club mired in an orgy of self-recrimination and their fans now realising the full scale of their problems, that Ange Postecoglou decides to whip out from under them one of their most fervent hopes; that he will be looking to move to England in the summer, or at the earliest opportunity.
This is what has sustained them for months now. With our victory putting us on the brink of a double if not a Treble – giving Ange a return of four trophies from five and perhaps five from six – this is quite obviously the last news they wanted to hear.
It has been delivered emphatically too, leaving not the slightest room for doubt.
“When people say ‘he’s going to go down the road or somewhere else with the first offer he gets’, it’s not how I’m wired, it’s not how I think. For me, what it’s about is just trying to leave a mark wherever I am. I have done that with every football club I have been at. I want to do that at this football club and that is all that consumes me. I don’t think about the next step or I need to go somewhere else, or I need to do this or I need to consider other things.
“I am hoping that over the course of time, as long as I’m here – and I am still here even though people have been getting me out there door, and I think you will be surprised how long I am here – all that I do when I am here is just be consumed by what I do and try to make this football club the best it can be and enjoy every minute of it.
“Things change very quickly. How many managers last three years in their roles these days? You have either got to have extraordinary success or in rare circumstances a club sticks by you. Apart from that, everyone doesn’t last that long. I am going into my third year next year and I am going to keep doing what I am doing and not really worry about what other people see. Because I’ll tell you what the first thing that will be said – and one of you [in the media] will be the first ones to do it – is I am not ambitious enough because I am not moving on.”
And he’s right of course, that’s a charge that will be levelled at him and he knows it. He just doesn’t care about it. If he’s happy – and he is very happy, and you can tell – what else can the man want out of life? He will be well taken care of by this club, that’s for sure.
This is the worst possible news that the Ibrox club and its fans could have got, and there’s a little subtle turning up of the pressure on The Mooch as well … and to think there were people in our media who thought that he’d got under Ange’s skin.
But, but, but, Scud Book said that Ange would be for the off, gone and deserted us?
How could the Scud get it all so wrong?
Oh aye, I almost forgot, he’s a total tit.
For Ange to say all that is not a surprise. We have all already got the measure of the man looking after our team. He’s an absolute gem, a real man among men and we are in completely safe hands.
Ange putting the SMSM back in their box – after they had him packing his bags for Leeds!
Ange can be even more ambitious at CFC – and that includes Europe.
Nobody expects him to go and lift a trophy, but Ange could be the catalyst which – finally – makes the club progress in the European competitions.
And that might mean Ange forcing the Board to align their ambitions with his…?
The bit ah like especially is ‘and they’ll be surprised how long i’m here’ ! Absolutely NOT what the media would want tae hear. Definitely has the measure of these clowns. He’s been genuine from the start and the great admiration the Celtic support have for the guy is well deserved.
The ONLY reason we are where we are and headed into a future of better prospects on and off the park, both domestically and in Europe is Ange. Pay the man EPL manager money, give him within reason all he wants on the playing side, grow every year so he can fulfill his ambitions with us. The day he leaves will be like the day Jock left. He is a man we honor, cherish and look up to.
He is alway, at least, one step ahead of the media. And he is so good at making that known. That is partly thanks blogs like this one that do a great job in beeaking down the walls previously erected (PARP!) by the pro Sevco media. However Ange has also taken them head on and has them in his pocket.
He truly is the best thing that has happened to us since Martin O’Neill.
Totally agree Darren and there thousands more thinking the same , when you see him battering that badge on his chest it shows what our club means to him.
I just like all of your articles. Perfect illustration of the truth. The truth will out!! Peace ?
Lets face it these links with the EPL its because of what Brendan and Slippy did .. BUT they both had previous with the league there. They went basically because both boards would not give them the money that they wanted for transfers. Both went to mid to bottom placed teams .. happy to stay in the league and maybe get a cup … DOES THAT SOUND LIKE ANGE ?? He has NO previous link with the Las Vegas league .. IF he was interested in moving on then I would imagine it would be to a team that is challenging but also one that would fit his ideology … But for that to happen their manager would have to either move on or be sacked .. If they are sacked it is because the team is struggling .. Would a struggling team give Ange the time it would take to turn it around … Here he is basically in charge of everything and is not badly paid .. However I do think that maybe we do need to expect that maybe in 18 months he may move on .. hopefully the club would have prepared the way for his replacement in the same mould ..
Great service thanks good news all week get it right up them. Ange is here to stay as long as he wants and I’m really happy that the blue media don’t like it.
He should be offered an improved longer-term contract now.
I think Ange will be motivated by the thought of improving Celtic on the European stage. If the board can support him in this, I think he’ll stay with us for quite some time yet. The domestic success is great and we love it, but the goal of getting Celtic back to being fully respected in the Champions League will keep the big man at Paradise.
Re 2nd last paragraph James. Just hope Celtic do the right thing and offer the big man a proper deal
Celtic have just won the first trophy of the season against who better….the team we love to beat. After all the hype, Celtic beat Rangers without getting out of second gear and what makes it sweeter is that its all went quiet in Govan. Its a major statement by Celtic who have made roads no one expected so quickly. Ange Postecoglou will have Celtic ready for the Champions league this time around. We’ll be a wiser team for a few of this guy’s it was all a bit much. This time it’s gonna be different