Ange Postecoglou to Celtic ‘could still happen’, it will depend on one thing
Celtic are still searching for their next permanent manager after Brendan Rodgers walked away from his position in a major twist last week.
Rodgers sensationally quit Celtic amid a backdrop of frustrations with the board and recent poor performances on the pitch, following months of speculation.
Martin O’Neill has taken interim charge of the role and led Celtic to a 4-0 win over Falkirk in his first game, and he is now preparing to face Rangers on 2 November.
In the meantime, the search for a new boss is well underway, with the likes of Ange Postecoglou, Kieran McKenna and Craig Bellamy heavily linked with the role.
However, Postecoglou has been tipped to turn down Celtic shortly after his departure from Nottingham Forest, with other options now considered more likely.
Ange Postecoglou’s stance on Celtic return revealed
Football Insider revealed on 31 October that Postecoglou is unlikely to take over at Celtic and is currently planning to take a break from football after leaving Nottingham Forest.
However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 60-year-old could be tempted to make a sensational return to Parkhead should the job come up at the end of the season rather than in the next few weeks.
As a result, a return to Celtic has not been completely ruled out, although it remains unlikely with other more immediate candidates on their radar.
Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, I explained: “Obviously I think Postecoglou would be popular among fans if the club were able to lure him back.
“But it seems right now that Postecoglou is not going to rush into anything.
“So Postecoglou himself maybe is ready for a break and maybe not ready to step back into the goldfish bowl that is managing Celtic in Scotland.
“The timing, probably, is not right for Postecoglou right now. If it had come at the end of the season, then maybe that could be the right opportunity, and that could still happen.
“But I think right now he’s more focused on a reset and a rest after that difficult time in Forest.”
While the club are currently planning to appoint a new boss as soon as possible, there remains a possibility that a decision could be delayed until next summer.
Martin O’Neill could open the door for Postecoglou
Football Insider exclusively revealed on 31 October that O’Neill would be prepared to take on the Celtic job until the end of the season if his initial run is successful.
The 73-year-old’s last full-time managerial role was with Nottingham Forest in 2019, but sources say he is excited by his return and has changed his mind on just being interim.
However, any decision will depend on whether he can oversee strong performances when they face Rangers, Midtjylland and Kilmarnock before the international break.
Should O’Neill’s tenure at Parkhead be extended until the end of the season, it would open the door for Postecoglou to land the full-time role next summer.
Whether that could be a possibility for Celtic as things stand is uncertain, with their search for a new boss making progress, but they will not rule it out.
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