Over the weekend, the media got a brief thrill out of Karren Brady’s article in The Sun pouring honey on our manager Ange Postecoglou. It was widely trailed as an “official” confirmation that West Ham would be considering him should they need a new manager.
But of course, they have a manager right now; David Moyes.
And both he, and Celtic, should be pretty pissed off by what looks like the open courting of the guy who currently inhabits the Parkhead hot-seat. In particular, as Moyes has a Europa Conference League semi-final coming up, and was in preparations for a massive game against Manchester United in the league – which Moyes’ team won, virtually assuring their EPL survival.
It’s obvious that Brady’s giant ego has gotten the better of her here. Ange is not leaving Celtic for the job at West Ham. It would be a fool’s errand. That club is never going to be more than an EPL survivor; it says a lot that Moyes is regarded as their most successful manager in the modern era when the best he’s done is finish sixth.
But it’s equally obvious that no manager in his right mind would move to a club where its deputy chairman has so publicly undermined the guy presently in the role, especially when he is in the midst of trying to steer them to Premiership survival.
What goes through the minds of some of these people?
It was beyond reckless. It was quite mad. Some of the sports press in England have said so, with The Telegraph calling her article bizarre. That, actually, is the kind way to put it.
Moyes is fully entitled to ask for an explanation. So are Celtic.
But we are pretty secure. Moyes is not. He is the one whose job is on the line, and here is one of the people who will hold his future in her hands talking up other candidates.
It is contemptible behaviour, and Ange has already watched the club across town allow it to be done to their former boss, and his distaste for the man who played the starring role in that does not need to be guessed at.
There is no way he would willingly take on that role himself, and that might be the most shocking part of Brady’s article … how tin-eared it is, how little knowledge of the man she lauds that it reveals.
In advertising her respect for him in this callow, shabby fashion, she’s probably guaranteed that it’s never going to be mutual.
No one, who may be courting Ange, knows how faithful he is to Celtic and the fans or they would not even bother to go there. Ange gets us and it’s obvious he loves the whole Celtic ethos and that he is going to be there for as long as he considers that his ambitions and his efforts are being rewarded by the hierarchy that constitutes the whole Celtic family. He is one of us and will remain so as long as that happy medium is present. I would actually expect him to be at Celtic Parke for many years to come, at the very least until 10-in-a-row is achieved.
You know you’re the best James!
Just keep up the good work sir!
Love everything you write! Which is why I constantly come here, reading everything, spending every waking minute of every day thinking about how to impress you enough to get a post published!
Maybe this blatant sucking up will do it!
Jesus, you’re proper desperate mate, honestly, seek help …
Nothing to add here. Great article and 100% correct.
Reading between the lines here, as first I’ve heard of this article.
It’s of no real surprise that someone who has a say within the purse strings of a club has spoken publicly about Ange as would say his name has been mentioned in many a boardroom.
The simple reason for that I believe is just how much value for money he has been able to generate on players at a fraction of a budget that is available within an EPL team.
Possibly is where a manager is judged upon mostly within the EPL, so with no idea of the answer,
Would the amount of money west ham spent this season be regarded as a successful season?
I would suspect not, and with a very strong chance Declan Rice will move on in the summer, will moyes be trusted with reinvesting with huge transfer money available?
I suspect not, even if they actually won the conference league and progressed into the europa league next season.
I also think with so many club’s within the EPL spending so little during January, except Chelsea that a big change within the EPL is occurring with the clubs no longer prepared to continue throwing so much money at getting such poor returns in value and the manager is going to be held responsible, hence the merry go round of managerial vacancies increases when panic sets in far quicker.
I still fail to see how such a working environment that exists within the EPL would really interest Ange, even moreso when you compare what he has on offer with ourselves.
So overall showing appreciation for the job Ange is and has done for ourselves is no harm even if there is a huge amount of envy attracted to it also.
There loss remains our gain and long may it continue
This year Chelsea have spent over £50m on manager alone.