Why Celtic should forget about Ange Postecoglou and look towards the future

Ange Postecoglou is the current favourite to return to Celtic after Brendan Rodgers sensationally quit the club on Monday evening.

Martin O’Neill has taken temporary charge of the club, returning 20 years after leaving the dugout at Celtic Park.

The Irishman has emphasised that his appointment is solely temporary, with the club now in the process of appointing a permanent boss to take the reins.

Whether that’s in a week, a month or at the end of the season, that remains unclear for now.

What is evident is that Postecoglou is likely to be one of the names to be seriously considered by the Celtic hierarchy after his hugely successful two-year spell ended in 2023.

He is currently evens to take the position with bookmakers, with Kieran McKenna also in the mix.

Why Celtic should not consider Ange Postecoglou

Postecoglou may have delivered a brilliant brand of football during his tenure at Celtic, but it’s time for the club to look towards the future.

There’s a strong argument for appointing the Greek-born boss, and that revolves around his success at Celtic Park.

During his two years in charge, he returned a hugely impressive 73% win record, which included 83 victories over 113 games.

They cruised to two league titles, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup twice, while qualifying for the Champions League in the 2022/23 campaign for the first time in five years.

They met their match against Real Madrid, and while the 3-0 scoreline flattered the Spanish giants, Celtic made an impression against the world’s best.

However, times have moved on.

His recent record

Postecoglou’s managerial reputation has taken a severe bruising over his last two positions.

Although his Europa League success with Tottenham will go down in history, their 17th-place finish in the Premier League was abysmal – and the lowest in 48 years.

They lost 22 league matches, which is the most ever in their top-flight history and conceded 65 goals in the process.

His disastrous spell at Nottingham Forest continued, lasting just 39 days. He went eight games without a win and now holds the record as the shortest-serving permanent Premier League manager.

Postecoglou’s confidence and ego have undoubtedly been dented, and he may need a mental break to regroup and regain motivation before stepping into another high-profile position.

❌ Ange Postecoglou had just 39 days in charge of Nottingham Forest. It is the shortest permanent managerial reign in Premier League history. (@bbcsport) pic.twitter.com/jfjYyCdyPS

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) October 19, 2025

The current squad

There are big question marks as to whether the current Celtic squad are suited to his style of play.

His first regime was one of the most distinctive and admired tactical blueprints in Scottish football. It combined relentless attacking intent, fluid positional play, and a clear tactical philosophy.

They played on the front foot with a high-tempo game, which also included inverted full-backs.

Rodgers preferred a more controlled approach, particularly in midfield with little fluidity. The build-up was slower, the risks were more calculated, and there was more emphasis on structure and containment.

Celtic need fresh ideas and to build a future

Another reason why Celtic shouldn’t return with Postecoglou is that it will come across as a lazy appointment by the board.

Having already appointed Rodgers on two occasions and making a return for O’Neill, a move for Postecoglou comes across as not only desperate but the easy option.

At the age of 60, it’s time for Celtic to appoint a young, hungry and successful manager with fresh ideas and inject a new lease of life into the club.

O’Neill’s quotes were quite telling on talkSPORT on Tuesday morning when he basically revealed the requirements to become the next permanent Celtic manager.

He said: “I can’t emphasise this enough, this is a short-term fit until a permanent man is appointed.

“I think that Celtic will be searching around for that young manager with a proven ability who has got a bit of a track record.”

Their fierce rivals Rangers have just rolled the dice on 36-year-old Danny Rohl; it’s time for Celtic to also look towards the future and not turn back.