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Those At Spurs Should Spare Celtic And Our Fans This Fake “Respect” Garbage.

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If Spurs really are confident of appointing Ange Postecoglou manager shortly after the cup final, then they could have done that quietly and under the radar. They could have made their decision, and then sat on it a while.

Instead, they leaked it. They made sure it’s all everyone is talking about this weekend.

I find all of this a little bit distasteful, and that’s putting it mildly.

What makes me laugh is the spin coming out of London, they are waiting until after the cup final “out of respect” and “so as not to disrupt our preparations.”

But if this is as far along as some people seem to think then the preparations have already been compromised and their “respect” is actually the opposite and their so-called “public silence”, whilst leaking to the press what their intentions are, is an insult to our collective intelligence.

Look, there’s no nice way to put this, but Spurs have acted in a predatory fashion and have no scruples whatsoever. All the attempts to dress this up as the result of a thoughtful process are not to be taken seriously by any except the most gullible Scottish hack.

Their own fans are not convinced in the slightest.

They’ve gone from courting some of the biggest names in Europe to moving for a guy coaching in the SPFL.

I think that perspective is slightly colour blind and arrogant, but I understand what it looks like because we’ve been there. Our excuse was that we had been let down by a guy who we thought was in the bag. They’ve been rejected by half the top coaches in Europe, and just saw their city rivals take the guy the fans really wanted.

Spurs have already suffered epic humiliation several times in this process.

It makes me wonder if talks haven’t been had already at some level or other? Ange flatly denied that yesterday. The only other explanation is that they are every bit as shambolic a mess as they look from the outside, run by people without a clue.

Which do you find most likely?

Let’s try that again; which of those scenarios is there ample evidence for?

Spurs have acted in a completely unprofessional manner here. I cannot stomach being told blatant lies by people about how this has all been respectful of Celtic and how this was done in such a way that it didn’t cast a shadow over our big day. If they had an iota of respect they would have handled this in a much better fashion.

Spurs can spare us the fake piety.

Whether they make a move here or not they have made sure their media contacts are well briefed, and I don’t care whether they make a serious offer or if this is kite-flying to gauge the reaction of their own fans.

Either way, it’s pretty reprehensible.

It’s typical of the way Daniel Levy behaves, but in more general terms it’s a symptom of a malaise that affects all of football.

Do not let it be forgotten, no matter what happens, that Celtic gave Ange Postecoglou his crack at Europe, his place in the big spotlight, and backed him to an extent no other manager in our history has been supported.

Whatever the outcome here, our club has acted with the utmost professionalism and respect … not everyone involved can say the same, and I include our media in that, because they spent yesterday gleeful at the prospect of casting a shadow over our weekend. There cannot be a cup final manager ever who got so few questions about the cup final his team are about to play.

So I don’t want to hear any more phony bullshit from anyone involved in this.

After the final we’ll see how the land lies.

In spite of this torrent of nonsense, our club deserves that day and we’re damned sure going to have it.

Some clubs – like Spurs – don’t get to celebrate trebles (or trophies, for that matter) and so I can sort of understand where their attitude towards this one comes from … and you know what? They shouldn’t count on finding out in the foreseeable future, no matter who they get to pose with Daniel Levy’s hand up his arse.

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  • Paddybhoy67 says:

    Ange is on record saying to players that at the end of your career you don’t reflect on your salary, but on your medals. I honestly can’t see him being tempted by Spurs, a club so far removed from ours in terms of philosophy and ethos. There’s always a but, though, and if he does go, let’s hope there’s been some succession planning in place.

  • Michael McCartney says:

    Well said James, Spurs are a club who have shown no respect to Celtic. If Ange goes he will be joining a club badly run with little patience shown to Managers and with supporters in uproar.
    If he does decide to leave a well run club in a smaller league to join the money rich circus down south, then good luck to him, he will always be welcomed back at Celtic park.
    As for our Scottish Media, well what can you say, they only get worse as the years go by, they disrespect Celtic and their supporters day in and day out, but lets face it most of them don’t even respect their own country of Scotland.

  • S Thomas says:

    James I think Ange also has a lot to answer here.. I think you’re letting him off on a freebie here. You have said over the last couple of seasons how much of a great guy he is.. and all that other stuff. The fact of the matter is.. if any top Epl club comes calling they will all go, and you can’t blame them. I hope Ange knocks them back, but I’m starting to have doubts about that now. The fact is yes they don’t win a lot of trophies but they play in a far superior league, with far superior players. I’d imagine working with the likes of Harry Kane would be a dream for a manager. If Ange does go, I won’t be holding it against him, as he has been brilliant. A mean Anotonio Conte was on 15 million a year, although Ange won’t get that I’d imagine he would be well set up for life. Every manager who comes to Celtic will want to test themselves in the EPL. Once one of they big hitters , like Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Spurs come calling there isn’t really much that can be done. Kieran Tierney was a massive Celtic fan and he went right away.

  • Big Al. says:

    Bang on with your comment on the ink slingers gleefully anticipating our manager leaving.
    These driven drones are as far from impartiality as you will find in the world of sports reporting anywhere any country. Like so many of my fellow supporters I contribute not one thin dime to any rags or online click bait.

  • Captain Swing says:

    While I’m no lover of Tottenham Hotspur (I lean towards a certain other north london side), their situation is directly analogous to ours two years ago…

    Problematic manager is finally let go after major aggro?
    Lennon / Conte

    Results actually get worse not better under a caretaker you had high hopes for, so you identify a top candidate and make it public to appease the unhappy fanbase?
    Howe / Pochettino

    The saga drags on and eventually your favoured candidate won’t commit so you are left looking a fud?
    Yep, both. And Pochettino made it even worse by joining the loathed Chelsea. It’s like Howe leading us a merry dance then washing up at iBrox.

    You are left scratching around, into June, with several public knock-backs and looking totally incompetent. You need a safe pair of hands, someone who will do OK no matter what even if he doesn’t set the pulse racing, just not another Tony Mowbray or Dr Jo Venglos / Christian Gross or Jacques Santini (their list of car-crash appointments is longer than ours). So, to get the fans and the press off your back, you brief certain friendly journos to put into the public domain the names of the candidates you’re considering. This has the dual utility function of satisfying some and also allows you to gauge public opinion of the candidates.

    Basically, Daniel Levy is doing exactly as Peter Lawwell did in 2021, except this time round, we’re in the role of Yokohama F. Marinos.

    I still think Levy is trying to smoke-out Luis Enrique, BTW. We know Ange’s strengths (now, we didn’t in 2021) but they are spectacularly ignorant and dismissive of scottish fitba’ in England generally and London in particular and will ALWAYS want the ‘bling’ Gucci jerkin instead of the more practical, durable ‘Drizabone’ wax jacket….

  • Andrew Lamb says:

    Good article James, our club and Ange himself has behaved the way you would expect. It’s no surprise to me that Spurs have behaved in a less-than-professional manner. I hope this registers with Ange as well and he realises that the job is cursed whilst Levy is there. I do expect Ange to move on at some point though and will never hold it against him if it’s done correctly with the proper respect shown to Celtic. I would also hope that we are looking at potential replacements right now if Ange has told us he wants to talk to them. The money on offer would be something very hard for him to turn down so I think on the balance of probabilities he might be off.

  • John Copeland says:

    The Rangers fan boy wannabe scoop Mark Pirie has typed up that Levy of Spurs will ‘ take a punt ‘ on big Ange as their next boss ! Now , that is highly respectful isn’t it , taking a chance on a world class human being and manager ? Another snide , cheap , shabby outlet has reported that talks have already taken place between Ange and Tottenham when Ange said no one , but no one,would dare doing dirty work of that nature in advance pre cup final ! I would not be the least bit surprised if Ange has already signed contract extension to remain Celtic FC manager with DD last week and is extracting the yellow water out of the MSM …..

  • Peter Cassidy says:

    Ange could just come out and say he is not going but I think the deal has been done.Money talks now and football is such corrupt and has been for years as soon as the yanks came in it was only about money nothing else and now gas and oil money from the Arabs billions are being spent in football we can’t match EPL money” so if we get a good manager again same thing will happen once again our board to blame Ange should have been offered a great contract at the end of last season .

  • Johnny Green says:

    I don’t expect Ange to leave at this stage of his life. Any ambitions he may have had to be a manger in the EPL can be put on the back burner for now as he will still be getting courted for the next few years by EPL teams. Until then he still has targets to be achieved at Celtic Park, it’s a place he loves along with the fans that he has taken to his heart. I have no real worries that he may be tempted by Spurs other than he could have dismissed the rumours completely. However that is not his style as he plays his cards close to his chest at all times. Whatever happens Celtic will just get on with it, we never stop.

  • Martin.H says:

    Ange would not get the same respect from the spurs players and fans he gets at Celtic, the players at spurs heads are so far up their arses.

  • SSMPM says:

    The public accounts provided by Ange and Celtic are what you’re commenting on but you/we don’t what’s been said in private and meetings with owners and agents. Only very recently Ange was talking about his planning with Celtic for next season so if he moves where does that leave all that nonsense talk about integrity. Managers and players generally speaking look after themselves. We’ll see in the next week I guess but I’m already prepared to move on. HH Make mine a treble

  • BG says:

    Hi James. I think Ange should have been less ambiguous. If he is committed to us and he is planning for future, he should then say as David Moyes said.
    As for the Scottish hacks, we know how they operate. They predominantly hate our club and our success is a dagger to their hearts. They have taken an opportunity to undermine our club.
    As I said, Ange could have stopped all of this.

  • Johnno says:

    Spurs always stood to be the biggest news story during the summer within the EPL.
    So it’s no real surprise that the Ange link has been leeked, still surprised at how much noise it has gathered over the last few days.
    I’ve actually come to terms with tomorrow been the last time we see Ange in charge, just way too much smoke before the fire is actually lit imo.
    I can see and understand the comparison of what and how Ange turned around our situation at the time, so quickly, especially when spurs find themselves in the same situation.
    Eddy and Kane? Just for starters along with many more.
    So the question will be as to weather lightening can strike twice for Ange?
    Disappointed that our historic treble achievement can be overshadowed by such news, and even moreso of just how much joy it gives to the hideous Scottish media.
    Yet saying that, we still remain Celtic supporters and will still show the world in how we celebrate our brilliant achievements and respect those who represent our jersey.
    Our history has never allowed ourselves to be kept down, and if the departure of Ange is confirmed, that news won’t knock us down either.
    The occasion tomorrow is far bigger than guessing the future of one man, and hope we see that in full flow tomorrow with players and supporters alike

  • John S says:

    The manager has stated that all his efforts are geared towards the cup final. What team would want to sign a manager that wasn’t committed to that end ?

  • Eldraco says:

    It’s pretty simple, this Season has not ended so Ange will not cannot comment on the next until this one ends.

    He is not going anywhere.

    Why go work for a man and a club that behaves in this manner.

  • Gazza says:

    If big ange goes he’s just as 2 faced maybe more than that slimy weasel rodgers and all the talk about integrity and loyalty was bullshit. Going to they bastards in London will be his downfall n he’ll be back in Australia this time next year. Spurs only ambition is to be a mid table club who win against the big 5 every couple of years. So ange if your reading this and you have these advisors talking up spurs they are talking out there arse it’s all about money. Champions league football???? Not with spurs. If you hang on at celtic one of the big 5 will come knocking. If you opt for spurs you’ll be back in Australia next year. Don’t ruin the progress you’ve made for money when there’s a bigger pot of gold further down the line.

    • Jorge says:

      Your comment perfectly sums up the situation. Ange will leave at some point, almost inevitable. When he does it is likely to be an EPL club. He could go now mid-way through a project to Spurs, a club in a mess but with potential – a gamble. Or he could stay at Celtic for another year with a very good chance to make it back to back trebles and an opportunity to make a statement in Europe, thus improving his reputation for a move to a big club in any of the top European leagues. I back him to stay.

  • Effarr says:

    I may be mistaken but did Ange not state that he would be at Celtic as long as he was wanted? I also thought that he said that he treated every job as if he was going to be there forever but knew the reality was different. Maybe it was all in my imagination.
    He told Tom Rogic he would need to leave Celtic to get more caps, maybe he’s going to take his own advice now, although this time for more money.

  • Frazer Smith says:

    Ange is a one tricky pony, useless in Europe. bye bye.

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