67 Hail Hail - Celtic FC News

It has been a number of years since Ange Postecoglou headed for the Celtic exit door to join Tottenham Hotspur.

After joining a Celtic side that had just lost the Premiership title and the chance to win 10IAR to Steven Gerrard’s Rangers, there was a lot of mess to pick up from Postecoglou in 2021 and he did it very well.

Not only did he win the title during that campaign, but his final season in Celtic colours was winning the Treble and leaving on a high.

Whilst life at Tottenham started like a house on fire, including sitting top of the table after ten matches, things are now starting to turn pretty sour for Postecoglou.

With the London club suffering its 15th defeat of the Premier League season before the international and sitting in the bottom half of the table, there is now a lot of pressure on his head and a lot rests on the Europa League.

You wonder why when Tottenham haven’t won a trophy in 2008, but sometimes, that’s the life of a team in the Premier League and how everything is overhyped

But, in order for Postecoglou to get that much-needed help, could it come in the form of a Celtic player this summer?

Celtic told it’s ‘worrying’ that Daizen Maeda might end up joining Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham

Another reason why the Celtic Park faithful are grateful towards Postecoglou is because of the Japanese superstars he brought to the club.

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One of them was the currently high-flying Daizen Maeda and he is now scoring goals for fun, including four strikes in this season’s Champions League.

But Celtic mad and one-cap wonder, Paul Slane, is ‘worried’ that Maeda could be Premier League bound in the summer and joining Postecoglou at Spurs, as he told Open Goal.

“He is amazing,” said Slane. “I worry Celtic, I said last week that he could go in the summer, just because of how good he is. He has been amazing in the Champions League.

“Spurs. Ange. Down there. Do they need to win all this Europa League to get into the Champions League? I have never seen anyone who presses like him.

“The way modern teams want to play, and especially the way Ange wants to play, do you not think Maeda is perfect for that and the way he wants to press?!

“His finishing and the quality of his finishing as well, which is very high and Spurs haven’t had that this season.”

Maeda’s numbers in Europe compared to Dominic Solanke

The summer Postecoglou joined Spurs, they sold star man and one of their greatest ever players, Harry Kane, to Bayern Munich and never replaced him.

That’s the Daniel Levy way at Spurs, but 12 months later, they knocked on Bournemouth’s door and signed Dominic Solanke.

It has been doom and gloom for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham this season.

The former Celtic manager joined Spurs in 2023 and steadied their ship in his first campaign. But since then it has gone from bad to worse with his side sitting 13th in the Premier League.

Celtic were namechecked to show how much Ange has fallen short in North London with his honours in Glasgow earning him the shot at the job in the first place.

However with a plethora of injuries to contend with, the Australian and his club have suffered.

Tottenham board ‘deeply concerned’ by AZ Alkmaar loss

The Europa League has been the boss’s saving grace with his side making the last-16 where they faced AZ Alkmaar in their first-leg earlier this week.

But that’s where Postecoglou was told by the boardroom that they were “deeply concerned” as the Dutch outfit won 1-0 on the night.

Failure to improve will likely see Ange in big trouble although pundit Gary Neville said he was glad Postecoglou hasn’t been sacked. That could change if they struggle again in the second-leg and continue failing in domestic action.

TBR Football report that the hierarchy at Tottenham let their manager know the performance and result was unacceptable and that they would not stand for similar outings.

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Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic style has been missing at Spurs

The manager has been backed publicly by Spurs at times this season but it’s likely that he could be facing the axe if things don’t improve, and fast.

One particular worry must have been the lack of attempts and attacking football from his squad that has been so synonymous with the big man across his time at Celtic Park and even before then.

Just one shot on target from his side came at the AFAS Stadion which is simply not what Postecoglou has become known for.

That must have set alarm bells ringing and the switched-on gaffer will know it has to change.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was responsible for some excellent recruitment during his spell at Celtic.

The former Celtic manager bought the likes of Matt O’Riley, Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi as he looked to rebuild the club after a disastrous COVID season.

The Australian won five trophies out of six in his two years at Celtic and after securing a record-breaking eighth treble, Postecoglou left the Bhoys for Spurs.

Since Ange has been at Tottenham he has been linked with Celtic’s Reo Hatate as well as former Hoops striker, Kyogo Furuhashi.

But it’s neither of those players former Scotland striker, Kevin Gallacher, admits that he’s surprised Postecoglou has not tried to sign.

Celtic hero Daizen Maeda is an ‘obvious signing target’ for Spurs

Spurs are struggling in the English Premier League right now and have also been knocked out of both domestic cup competitions.

Whilst the pressure is building on Postecoglou, Gallacher admits he’s surprised that Daizen Maeda is still at Celtic and that the Tottenham boss has missed a trick by not trying to sign the Japanese winger.

Gallacher wrote in The Sunday Post [print edition page 64], “I must admit, I am a little surprised he is still at the club to do so.

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“Nothing against Kyogo Furuhashi at all. He is a hugely gifted footballer who should go on to do well at Rennes following his move to France.

“It is just that I thought Maeda would have been the obvious signing target for would-be buyers. It is a list I would have expected to have seen headed by his former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.”

Celtic’s Daizen Maeda could set an example to the Spurs squad

Maeda’s work rate at Celtic has become legendary amongst the fans and it is exactly that which Gallacher believes that if the Japan international went to Spurs, would see the 27-year-old instantly lift the team.

“Yet while Kyogo’s goals got the headlines,” continued Gallacher, “It was significant that Maeda was the one who kept getting picked by Japan. Coaches love him and there is no secret to that, he puts more energy into his football than anyone else out there.

“He is like the Duracell bunny; he just never stops. In particular, he is a magnificent example of the pressing game that Ange champions.

“People wonder why Ange did not try to bring him down to Spurs to be an example to his squad, someone to point to and say to the rest that is how it is done!”

With four Champions League goals to his name for Celtic this season, Maeda has proven that he can mix it with the big boys in Europe’s elite competition.

Ange Postecoglou was a very popular man during his time in Celtic colours.

But that same feeling isn’t being met as Postecoglou comes under serious pressure at Tottenham Hotspur.

On Sunday, Spurs suffered a 3-2 defeat at Everton – the first win for David Moyes following his return to Goodison Park – and it could have been worse.

Postecoglou is used to so much success, as he proved during his days at Celtic Park, but things aren’t going to plan in the Premier League.

Many Celtic fans were gutted when the 59-year-old left Parkhead for Tottenham during the summer of 2023.

But that move was understandable and deserved because Ange was going to test himself in the best league in the world.

Ange Postecoglou facing Tottenham sack after Celtic exit

Tottenham are sitting 15th in the Premier League table and there are calls for the Bhoys Treble winner to get booted out of his job.

The London Club – who haven’t won a trophy since 2008 – are in the League Cup semi-final and they hold a 1-0 lead over Liverpool ahead of the second leg next month.

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That’s where Mark Bosnich feels Postecoglou’s time at Spurs could come to an end because, in the same week, they face Aston Villa in the FA Cup.

The former Australia keeper stated ‘that first week of February will decide his fate’, as he told Sky Sports News (20/01/25 at 8:35 am).

“As we have seen with Ange in the last 18 months, that’s turned into a nightmare, thus far,” said Bosnich.

“I don’t think he can say publicly whether he has got doubts. I think everybody has got doubts, there is no doubt about that, in terms of your own personal self. I just think, not only Ange, but his team, more importantly, have really got the look that they have basically had enough.

“I believe, come the first week of February, the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Liverpool, followed by the Aston Villa tie in the FA Cup, will decide his fate. I can understand exactly what they said about injuries and so forth. A lot of those injuries are muscular injuries, as far as I am concerned, people should start doing a little bit of investigating work, in terms of what are they doing in training. A lot of them look shot to pieces. It’s a high-energy game that he plays. That’s all well and good when you are playing well. But, when you are playing every three days, things aren’t going well, and people are suspended or injured. We have said it a million times, you need alternative ways of playing. They have a chance of redemption. That first week of February will decide his fate.”

Postecoglou’s record at Celtic compared to Tottenham

When Ange arrived in Glasgow, Celtic were in a mess and they needed picking up after that nightmare Neil Lennon spell.

Remember, Postecoglou got disrespected because many were questioning who he was, before he proved them wrong and won trophy after trophy.

From Ange’s 113 games in charge of Celtic, he won an incredible 83 – and it needs to be taken into account that the Bhoys are far more dominant than Spurs, who haven’t won their league title in over 50 years.

Former Celtic manager, Ange Postecoglou, is under severe pressure at Tottenham as his winless run continues.

The Australian left Celtic for Spurs back in 2023 and after having a decent first season at the club, has failed to kick on and improve the London club’s fortunes in the English Premier League.

The former Celtic manager suffered another defeat in the North London Derby after Arsenal beat Tottenham to leave Postecoglou just eight points above the relegation zone.

And whilst the criticism reigns down on Ange, Peter Grant delivered a dose of reality to the Premier League after he commented off-air on people using Postecoglou’s Celtic success as a stick to beat him with.

Former Rangers player, Richard Foster was speaking about Postecoglou’s situation at Spurs when he revealed what Celtic hero Grant said off-air about the Australian’s critics.

Foster told The Go Radio Football Show, “Do I like watching Spurs play? I absolutely think it’s fantastic, because, at the end of the day, we are in a sport that is entertainment.

“And no one can say they’re not entertained watching a Spurs game unless you’re a Spurs fan. But from the neutral, watching that, and I love the fact that he’s just gone, ‘You know what, I’m not going to adhere to the norms, I’m not going to stick to the principles that you guys have got, and play a boring game of chess’.

He says, ‘I’m going to go after the game, I’m going to try and win with whatever I’ve got’. And I think it’s really, really refreshing.

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Peter Grant puts English media straight for using Celtic to criticise Ange Postecoglou

“Now, where that takes him,” Foster continued, “I’m not sure, but I do think it’s been a bit disrespectful, the amount of attention he’s got, because I think, Peter, you spoke about it as well in the break, when was the last time Spurs won something?

“It’s not like he’s on the back of a manager who’s won 10 trophies. They haven’t won for years, but I just think because he’s the unknown because he’s come through Scotland, they’re a bit disrespectful because ‘Oh it’s easy up there being the manager of Celtic’.”

Postecoglou has a run of fixtures that could make or break the ex-Celtic boss’ future at Spurs.

If Ange can successfully negotiate these ties with at least four wins, which is not unreasonable then his Tottenham career could be salvageable.

However, any further set backs, especially in the Premier League then Postecoglou will look back on his Celtic memories and wonder just how it all went wrong.

Paul Tisdale has been working hard behind the scenes for Celtic in identifying January transfer targets.

Celtic’s head of football operations is collaborating with Brendan Rodgers to find wingers as well as look towards signing a striker before the window slams shut at the end of the month.

Numerous names have been chucked into the mix so far including Mathias Kvistgaarden who has been scouted as recently as November in person.

Others including Louie Barry have also been watched and with a personal touch with the club having sent staff to watch the Aston Villa attacker in person.

David Pleat has been handed a 12-month Celtic scout role

That might be considered an old school process with data and statistics now driving a lot of football scouting, but one man Tisdale has now appointed to his staff is an experienced pro who prefers to watch players with his own eyes.

Former Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and Luton boss David Pleat has, according to the Daily Mail, been drafted in by Tisdale to help identify potential signings from down south.

Pleat has reportedly been given a 12-month contract to represent Celtic in looking for players primarily in England.

Spurs recently opted to get rid of Pleat despite his decades of experience but their loss could well be Celtic’s gain as he has been credited with unearthing the likes of Dele Alli and Ben Davies at Spurs among others.

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On the club’s decision to let him go, Pleat recently told the Telegraph that he found it a “nonsense” that scouts watching games in person has seemingly become a thing of the past.

And after owner Daniel Levy informed him of his decision to axe his role, Pleat was honest in his assessment of how the role of a scout has changed.

David Pleat says scout role has descended into a ‘nonsense’

“Daniel Levy called me in (July) and said, you know it’s all data driven now, we don’t need eyes and ears,” he said.

“What a nonsense.

“I didn’t argue. He’s in charge. Actually, I have huge respect for him.

“The legacy of the new stadium and training ground will always be there.

“That is all down to him and his drive. Although they’ve won nothing for years.”

Ange Postecoglou has been coming under increasing pressure at Tottenham Hotspur as the former Celtic boss struggles to get any sort of consistency in the English Premier League.

Postecoglou’s time at Spurs has been a bit of a rollercoaster. After a brilliant start, the former Celtic boss is coming under increasing pressure as he drops silly points in the league with inconsistent results.

However, Ange negotiated a tricky Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool last night as he beat the Premier League leaders 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last night to give himself a chance of winning his first piece of silverware at the club.

And speaking about the win, former Liverpool and Rangers midfielder, Charlie Adam, has shared how he was impressed with the win and says

Charlie Adam says Ange Postecoglou is building a Celtic ‘mentality’ at Spurs

Adam told Football Daily [8m 30s], “For me, I like the sound of that. It’s the mentality, isn’t it that Ange [is bringing].

“Wherever Ange has gone, he’s won, right? He’s won trophies at Celtic, a big club and that mentality. That’s what he’s driving into the staff.

“Even though it’s Liverpool coming to town and they’re the best team in the league at the moment, ‘Why can’t we not win even though we’ve got injuries? We don’t make an excuse’.

“I don’t think Ange has made an excuse with his injuries. There’s injuries there, we know that, but the mentality is, ‘No, we can win, we can win at home. We’ve got good players’ and I was impressed.”

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It makes a nice change to see Celtic being used in a positive context when it comes to Postecoglou as many use his time at the Hoops to try and belittle his coaching achievements. Even if the positivity is coming from a former Rangers man.

Ange Postecoglou’s next five Premier League fixtures could determine ex-Celtic boss’ Spurs future

Postecoglou will now be under pressure to deliver more positive results after beating Liverpool last night and his next five fixtures are not easy, barring one:

Assuming Postecoglou wins four out of five of those games, you would have to imagine that the pressure would lift off the Spurs boss for a bit.

But anything less than that could put the former Hoops hero’s future as the Tottenham manager under serious threat as with his hope to return the glory days to this once big club.

Celtic are blessed with a number of talented players and with the January transfer window well and truly opened, the chances of interest being garnered in a few of them are probably quite high.

So far, there have been no substantial rumours surrounding any of Brendan Rodgers’ players as yet but the Celtic boss has been told that Ange Postecoglou is ‘screaming out’ for one of his players at Tottenham.

Postecoglou’s recruitment at Celtic was sublime as the Australian brought in the likes of Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley, Daizen Maeda and Alistair Johnston.

However, former Celtic striker Tony Watt says the Tottenham boss is crying out for one of Rodgers’ players and he believes the Premier League club could get him for under £20m.

Ange Postecoglou needs ‘frightening’ Celtic hero Kyogo Furuhashi at Spurs

Kyogo Furuhashi has been a brilliant signing for Celtic but under Postecoglou, he was phenomenal. The Japanese striker’s numbers haven’t been as prolific as previous seasons but Watt reckons that the Hoops hero is a player Ange really needs.

Watt told Open Goal [1h 5m], “Rodgers loves to rotate and that’s why they’re so good. I think that’s why Kyogo’s numbers aren’t as good because everything was played through Kyogo, get it to Kyogo. You could see that.

“Under Ange, everything was, ‘Get it to Kyogo’. I know that for a fact. They used to do meetings, and it was like, ‘Look at his runs. Look at his runs. You’re not finding him. You need to start finding him’.

“Which for me, Kyogo is unbelievable. Kyogo is frightening. I can’t believe Tottenham haven’t taken him and people might think that’s mad.

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“I think Ange is screaming out for a Kyogo. I think you could get Kyogo for less than £20m.”

Kyogo Furuhashi’s goal-scoring record at Celtic under Ange Postecoglou vs Brendan Rodgers

The Japanese striker is deadly at Celtic and the number of goals he has scored since his move to the club in 2021 has been brilliant.

But how has he fared under Brendan Rodgers compared to Ange Postecoglou? 67 Hail Hail takes a look:

The drop-off in goals under Rodgers is quite stark compared to Kyogo’s record under Ange but what the current Celtic manager has done is ensure that goals are spread throughout the team.

The positive is that Celtic still have a dangerous striker in their ranks and should Ange ever come calling, they can command a hefty fee as the Japan international is under contract until 2027.

Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou is having an interesting time of it over at Tottenham.

It wasn’t so long ago that Postecoglou was back in Glasgow when Spurs and Rangers shared the spoils in the Europa League, before Celtic downed them in the League Cup final days later.

That 3-3 thriller at Hampden is a flavour of what Tottenham fans have been used to ever since Postecoglou joined the London club from Celtic during the summer of 2023.

It has sparked some interesting debates in England because the Treble-winner at Parkhead simply isn’t backing down.

That’s one of the things Celtic fans loved about Ange. It’s his way or the highway, and he also says it like he is when he is presenting himself to the media.

But, in recent weeks, as injuries mount up, the games have become crazier and crazier, from a 4-0 win at Manchester City to losing 6-3 at home to Liverpool.

All in all, it has resulted in some even questioning the Greek-born Australian’s job.

Sam Matterface says it would be ‘utter madness’ for Tottenham to sack Ange Postecoglou

It’s pretty simple. Postecoglou has gone from a club used to and expected to win trophies, to one that isn’t or expected to do so.

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Spurs haven’t won a trophy since 2008 and were last champions of England in 1960. Ange wasn’t even born yet!

Either way, Sam Matterface, amid hearing noises around the 59-year-old’s future, told talkSPORT that it would be ‘utter madness’ to boot him out now.

“It is his style and he says ‘I am going to play this, no matter’ and over time, he thinks that style will breed success,” said Matterface.

“There is a lot of talk and a bit of speculation that if he loses this game ‘what happens next’. Or, if he loses this cup tie, what happens next? Are they thinking about making a change?

“It would be madness. It would be utter madness to get rid of Ange Postecoglou. What you have to do if you are Daniel Levy is, not sack the manager, you have just got to convince the manager that actually maybe you do have to sacrifice one or two of your principles everyone now again. Tweak your philosophy rather than abandon your philosophy. If you throw him out, you are throwing the baby out with the bath water. You have just embarked on a new project. You have just signed a load of new players. You don’t spend that much money, anyway, if you are Tottenham, so what’s the point in abandoning the whole project midway through the second season? That would be utter madness.”

Postecoglou’s record at Celtic compared to Tottenham

It’s understandable that there is more noise around Postecoglou because he is in the Premier League, which is worth billions and deemed the best in the world.

But he has already felt the toughest of pressures when he took the Celtic gig following the farce of the Neil Lennon spell.

To get the club back up and running again, and that in serious style, was a credit to the man, as he left with five trophies to his name and only 18 defeats in 113 matches.

Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou is coming under fire at Tottenham.

When Ange left Celtic during the summer of 2023, it was disappointing, but understandable because he was taking up the challenge of managing in the Premier League.

It started with a bang at Tottenham, who after ten matches, were sitting at the top of the Premier League table, all whilst playing a brand of football that was exciting of the highest order.

Celtic fans got to witness that week in and week out, all whilst Postecoglou delivered trophy after trophy and played some of the best football the Scottish giants had ever seen.

Postecoglou’s style of play has been a prime talking point this season as Spurs produce inconsistent performances in the Premier League, but are in the semi-final of the League Cup.

There are manners of analysing and critiquing the 59-year-old’s work, but then there is pure and utter disrespect.

Spurs are sitting 11th in the Premier League table and they have had some crazy results in the month of December alone.

From beating Southampton 5-0, losing 6-3 to Liverpool, beating Manchester United 4-3 and being 2-0 up only to lose 4-3 to Chelsea.

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It’s been entertaining of the highest order, but it has resulted in Postecoglou getting highly criticised, including by talkSPORT duo, Gabby Agbonlahor and Andy Goldstein.

The former Aston Villa striker stated that he can’t fathom why Postecoglou doesn’t change, whilst Goldstein claimed that he ‘doesn’t understand’ football and how he can ‘get away’ with it in Scotland.

“When I watch top managers, they change things slightly each game,” said Agbonlahor. “Even Andy Robertson said that Slot would change tactics slightly for each game to each player. You can’t go out to games and say ‘it’s the way we are, mate. It’s the way we play. Are you having a good time? Are you not entertained?’

“If I am the owner of Spurs, I am like ‘okay, we want you to play attractive football, but we want to win games. Get into the top four. Get into the Champions League. We want to win trophies’. It’s not 100% entertaining football – for him to be stubborn and not do that (change), he will lose his job eventually.”

Goldstein added: “My theory is that he just doesn’t understand football. No disrespect, but in Scotland, when you are managing one of the two big heads, you can sort of get away with it because you aren’t going to be pressured.

“But when you come down south and you have to change your tactics for every single opposition. Even as you say it’s just a little tweak. If you don’t, I think he doesn’t know how to.”

Postecoglou has already faced the most difficult of pressures at Celtic

The English media can disrespect Postecoglou and Celtic, but the man in the dugout isn’t changing and good on him.

Many fail to mention that last summer he lost Harry Kane and had no instant replacement, whilst his entire backline has been decimated this season.

Postecoglou already faced the biggest of pressures when he took the Celtic gig, the Tottenham job can’t provide that, other than the league he is in and how it’s seen as the best in the world.

But for the man himself, he made it clear that he won’t change.

“I think I have been really, really patient in the last 18 months, sitting here answering the same questions over and over again,” said Postecoglou.

“If people want me to change my approach, it’s not going to change. We are doing it for a reason. We are doing it because we think it will help us be successful. If people don’t under the circumstances we are in, at the moment, and the challenges we have from a team and squad, perspective, which is as obvious as you want to make them.

“I get the idea people think that I should flick the switch and change. Somehow that would miraculously make us a different team. It is what it is. I am going to continue to stay focused on trying to build this team to be the team we want.”