Reports again fill the papers today over the future of the manager.
How joyous the mainstream press here must be to be able to run variations of this on cup final weekend when we should all be looking forward to securing the treble.
I am pretty pissed off as I sit here writing this.
I reckon most of us feel the same nagging sense of frustration that this is what so much of the focus is on.
Although I blame Spurs for this I am not absolving our manager of responsibility either.
He has not killed this and seems almost determined not to.
This will be the first question he’s asked the minute the whistle blows and whilst he’ll put the hacks off as much as he can, he has to start talking straight to us. I’m sure that his agents are in talks with Spurs whether he is familiar with the exact details or not. He says he hasn’t spoken to them, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t busy on his behalf.
But I get the nagging feeling that they are playing a dangerous game and so is everyone involved here. Because Daniel Levy is not a guy who cares much for how what he does affects other people or other clubs, and it’s not outside the realms of possibility that Ange and his people are not, as reports suggest, being courted at all.
It might be that they are, instead, being given a proper using here.
Levy cannot afford to be knocked back again, so I suspect he’s talking to the agents of multiple people behind the scenes even as the Ange “courtship” is happening in public.
Reports from down south suggest that Luis Enrique broke off talks with Napoli because he’s waiting for a call from England. That’s not the one from Leeds, or even West Ham where David Moyes said today, in relation to Celtic, what Ange failed to yesterday; “I’m happy at my current club.”
Enrique is being encouraged to hold off on signing talks in Italy. Spurs are the other club he’s talking to. There are reports that Marco Silva, of Fulham, in the last year of his deal and with a £6 million release clause because of that, is another name they are interested in. That feels like one tacked on there as a last resort; I think Enrique is the one he wants.
He’s held talks with Enrique. That’s in the public domain.
The Napoli chairman knows full well that Enrique has talked to Spurs, confirming to the media in Italy that he “prefers a move to the EPL.”
So those talks are at an advanced stage, regardless of what is happening elsewhere, and if Spurs want to appease their own fans here and have a choice of Ange Postecoglou with his Scottish, Japanese and Australian titles or a man with a Champions League winners gong, a European Super Cup, a FIFA World Club Championship, two La Liga titles, three Copa Del Rays and a FIFA Coach Of The Year award who do you think he’s going to go for?
He has to sell this decision to the fans. Which of those options is easiest to punt season tickets on the back of? Yes, Enrique will want big money and the license to do things his way … anyone who think Ange won’t have some pretty big demands doesn’t follow the guys career. So to Levy, the risks are broadly on the same level here.
Let’s not pretend that Ange isn’t a big risk as an appointment.
He has good ideas and the right philosophy, but the EPL is a different beast from other leagues with more pressure on managers than any other in Europe.
Life there is bloody and you have to hit the ground running.
In a dressing room full of players who are megastars and multi-millionaires ten times over a certain cachet is needed and I wonder what they’ll think of a manager who comes in and doesn’t even talk to the team before the match in the dressing room … culture shock? You better believe it, and if even just a handful of players are too egotistical to swallow this the party is over.
The Spurs dressing room helped get Conte sacked. Any manager would have to be aware of that going in, and you need to be able to command a certain amount of authority on the first day. We know the qualities this man brings to a club … but you have to be willing to look past your own prejudices to recognise it, and a lot of folk at their level can’t.
Levy has to think of all this, and he’s just ruthless enough to have made the strategic leaks about Ange in order to force Enrique to the table on the club’s own terms. If that’s the case then our manager does himself no favours in dancing around this stuff, and when the final whistle blows on Saturday he’s run out of room to dance around it.
Because if he interviews at Spurs and then doesn’t get it – if the whole purpose of getting him down there is to force Enrique’s hand – then he comes back to Celtic Park a diminished figure and one some inside the club will view in a very different light than right now.
At that point, if you sit that guy down and make one last attempt to get him to sign a long term deal and he says no, the club itself might have a grim and ghastly choice on its hands.
Everyone involved in this is playing Russian Roulette and the craziest part of that is that much of it depends on the whims of a guy who sacked Jose Mourinho on the eve of a cup final.
And there’s an even worse example than that about Daniel Levy and the dangers of putting your career in his hands.
More on that later on.
Exactly that. Ange has not killed it off and it would be so easy to say. ‘I’m staying here at Celtic not going anywhere’ but he’s not saying that so that is not too honest or respectful to us fans and the club either. HH
Mr Levy was previously (through ENIC) a director at iBrox…… he won’t lose a wink of sleep over collateral damage in the East End of Glasgow to fuel the never-ending soap opera that is Tottenham Hotspur.
Funny how the recent reintroduction of Peter Lawwell into the club has lead to more manager speculation a la Brendan Rodgers. Is it connected in some way to Lawwell? I wouldn’t be surprised.
All so true James, the SMSM have had a perfect week with barely a mention of the Scottish Cup Final or a potential world record 8th Treble being up for grabs. However this pans out and I’m with you on this I think it very likely that Levy is playing games here. I think Celtic better have succession planning in place because even if Ange does not get this job we’re now getting told Marseille are also after him – again could be more game playing by agent to big-up Ange’s profile to Spurs. Whatever happens we now know that Ange is available and open to offers (presumably that is why he prefers 12 month rolling contract?) we best dial down on our erstwhile beliefs he may be here for the longer term.
Calm your jets folks….Ange is going nowhere.
James
Spot on and I am not absolving Ange either, like one of your other posters said
he could have nipped this in the bud before
Saturday but he hasn’t… he was backed to the hilt from our board and would have been given more funds if he remains….
A little bit of respect for our fans would not have gone amiss before a cup final…..
On the very off chance that Caley win would Levy still want him
HH
James, you have summed it up perfectly, A P is entitled to talk to other clubs n leave if he so wishes but as you say if he is in talks n doesnt get the job I believe his position becomes untenable, as you would have ti assume he will b off soon anyway.We also dont know how this will effect the players tomorrow, hopefully it wont, it has now developed into a farcial situation n lead up to the cup final n possible treble ha been ruined, I agree win or lose tomorrow he has to address ir after the gme n no more ducking n diving
Daniel Levy is a notoriously hard task master.. and a real wheeler dealer, he will have a few things up his sleeve. Ange has a great job here with a say on a lot of things including transfers etc, and the love of the fans , he won’t have that at Spurs. Levy is the Captain of the ship at Spurs and he makes the decisions, and I’m not sure a guy like Ange will fancy that. I don’t completely blame spurs as they have not said a thing to be honest, it was the same with us a couple of years back when Ange’s previous club were in the same predicament as we are now.. it was not Celtics fault then either as we did not say a thing. It’s a media frenzy, and it’s journalists a suppose doing their jobs. I just hope Ange says after we win the cup tomorrow.. I’m going nowhere guys. I can’t bloody believe that we have not got him on a longer contract though,to protect ourselves that’s terrible decision making that.
Ange is the perfect fit for Spurs as he is not a “big name” Manager like their previous Managers. Spurs not that long ago had the biggest debt of any club in Europe ( probably still have) at something like £1.1 Billion due to the cost of the new stadium.
Levy is also someone who is a business man first and foremost also being a Spurs fan, he runs the club as a sustainable business and a few years ago the club recorded a £113 million profit also a European record, so he doesn’t throw money around especially with that level of debt and that’s why Ange may be seen as a perfect fit.
Big Managers want big players and budgets to splash on them, that’s why some of their more “famous” managers haven’t worked out, Levy won’t give anyone a huge transfer budget to complete with your City, Utd, Chelsea and now Newcastle, and that’s why I see the Ange rumours as real, Ange could have shut them down like the Feyenoord boss weeks ago but he hasn’t., that’s why I fear he’s hoping to leave. He’d be the 1st Australian to manage in the EPL so historic and compared to beating the same dross over and over again in Scotland there’s a real challenge down there, what’s the challenge here, Beale and his Championship freebie’s?
Think you might be letting the guessing games over the Ange/Spurs situation get the better of you James currently, and overshadowing the great occasion that awaits tomorrow.
You of course aren’t alone as way to many within our support are fixated upon the current situation also.
The focus has to always remain upon our own club, and a busy summer awaits weather Ange is going to be making them decisions or not remains to be seen.
Can’t and won’t let a situation where we have no control over, take anything away from the brilliant and fantastic occasion that awaits tomorrow.
Like Ange says “we never stop” even if he should decide to choose so.
I think it is clear he wants to talk to them and it is clear he wants to focus first on the final, so what was he expected to say?
He handled it in the only way he could.
Next week he will talk to them and find out for himself that Levy is not a jolly man and is not going to promise Ange the kind of control he has at Celtic. Ange will know what Conte has said, with dark hints about the ‘culture’. He is not completely in it for the limelight, he wants things set up in a certain way. If he smells a rat he won’t take it. Several managers have knocked them back and Ange might be next.
This is no foregone conclusion, but guys, spare us the stuff about things never being the same again if he talks to them and stays, as if he was a cheating wife. This is the modern world of football. If he declines Spurs – one of the biggest clubs in the biggest league in the world – to stay with us, that is a massive compliment to us. He should be welcomed back with open arms. I do think though if he stays, he should unambigiously commit to another full year.
You are 100% correct here. Big disappointment is that Ange doesn’t see it and kill the story dead.
The fact Ange hasn’t killed it makes me think he might be off. Davie Moyes didn’t waste any time in saying he’s not interested in leaving West Ham.
Ange …. ?
How many teams has Ange been linked to. He has never came out and discussed any of them. That is how he deals with it. If he goes he should go with the blessing of every Celtic supporter. If he stays we should all rejoice and the rags can go and start more fantasy.
Frankly, I think Ange Postecoglou will continue to be successful, by and large, for years to come. Imagine where Celtic would be now on a budget like Spurs’. As it stands, there’s a Cup Final coming up that is being undermined by speculation and rumours.
F them all . We Are Celtic and we are bigger than any manager and a whole lot better than any team in this world. What will be will be and to hell with any IDIOT who thinks we will roll over and get our belly,s tickled . We will definitely BITE back.
Ange could stamp this is out. He hasn’t. Think that tells you more than all the what iffery on this site in the last three days.
Rogers would be a backward step -and not sure he could handle beale’s eleven.
That is a pretty astute summation of where we are. This has to be resolved one way or the other next week.
Even on a rolling contract he still has a 12 months` commitment to Celtic and vice-versa. You are right in everything you say though.
Celtic are ideal for Postecoglou. He can sign above average players at decent prices who are willing to jump through hoops (pardon the pun) to get on in their football life. Willing to go at 100mph for a couple of years to get a lucrative move down south but when it comes to prima-donnas who have made the grade through their own way of performing, like Kane, he will find they are not too desperate to conform. If Conte couldn`t get a tune out of the Spurs players with his Stradivarius, what chance has Ange with his tin whistle?
If Ange`s agents wish him to get the job, they better keep Levy ignorant of the fact that not only did he fail to get a win
in the CL he also failed in all the pre-season friendlies, and also in his own welcome home party to Australia, to get one single win. If my memory serves me well, he also didn`t win the league in his last season in Japan.
I was confident that he was happy at Celtic, as he should be, £40,000 a week should be enough for any man, but i feel
his lack of denial means he is for the off, although he needs to be asked first. He could have saved himself a lot of explaining and angered those who were trying to upset him by stating bluntly that he is going nowhere: that wouldn`t have upset training in any way.
If he doesn`t get offered the job, Celtic should be prepared to set in motion the termination of his rolling contract.
If a rolling contract was good enough for Alex Ferguson then it`s good enough for him.
I also agree if he doesnt get that job we should move him out!! Its anout time we showed no bigger than our club maybe not to others but to us if he interviews he is finished in my book as he not commited sbow him the door. As i stated earlier Aussies are ” epl” sychophants so if not spurs it be another in few months, he coulf have killed this story weeks ago! Tho ss i said weeks ago he go with any offer from there so no suprise to me at all
Too much panic on this blog for my liking. I would have thought after two years Celtic fans should know Ange deals in the here and now and right now the cup final is priority. Not shutting down this Spurs link means nothing. It’s just not his way. So let’s all enjoy the final and hopefully a treble. Can’t imagine working with someone as arrogant as Levy would be Ange’s preference.
As i stated here weeks ago anyone thats lived in Australia knows he hets an offer he is gone! They are total ” epl” (yeah no one call it that but they do!) Sychophants and ange is no different and he be lauded a million times more for managing any club there no matter whst he win with us! IAnd believe me thats important to aussies that tge far away they need that recognition more thst any other rationality i ever came across, you need to live there to really get it. But on a wider point i hate we cant keep players or managers to clubs in that league we way bigger miles and miles so anf funnily you see thst more even in places like sydney as we love our club like no other ! In the cheers bar on george st (tho now its scruffys for games)we blew away all these so called big club everyone one of them! We really need out of brigadoon scotland thats the real issue