The appointment of Ange Postecoglou as Celtic manager has been labelled “massive” for Australian football.
Postecoglou has yet to be given a job in a top-flight league in European football. This is partly due to a stigma attached to coaches in Oz. There is a dearth of successful Australian managers in European football. You could even go as far as to say there’s never really been any.
That’s what makes Celtic’s potential move for Postecoglou all the more forward-thinking. Or perhaps dangerous. It depends what type of person you are. But what we can all agree on is that it would be a club first. If Postecoglou came to Parkhead and turned our fortunes around, he would be breaking new ground for Australian coaches in more ways than one.
And John Aloisi, who managed Postecoglou’s former club Brisbane Roar between 2015 and 2018, believes the appointment will be colossal as he compared the imminent Celtic boss to Brendan Rodgers.
“Brendan Rodgers was very similar”
As quoted by The World Game, Aloisi said: “It’s massive for Australian football in general. Not only Australian coaches but Australian players. I remember when I first went over to Europe, there wasn’t that respect factor there and then we had to gain it and earn it and then we went through that really good period. It’s a bit like that at the moment that they’re not trusting Australian players.
“But if Ange does go to Celtic, which I’m hoping and praying he does, he will open the doors because people will have to trust in Australian football again. Because I’m sure if he does go there, he’ll do well, there’s no doubt about it. Ange, wherever he goes he does well and it’s exciting.
“I think Ange will enjoy that as well because he likes his teams to play quick football and attacking football, so it’s exciting. Brendan Rodgers (was) very similar in the way he got his teams to play when he was at Celtic. So I don’t see that they can’t do it or they won’t be comfortable doing it. I think that they’ll relish it and really enjoy that style as well.”
Ange Postecoglou success at Celtic would open up doors for Australian football
There’s no denying there’s a lack of trust in Australian coaches and even players when it comes to European scouts. Likely because they’ve grown up attached to a game that is nowhere near football’s elite. Therefore, it’s widely believed that Aussie-born tacticians aren’t qualified enough to manage at the top level.
But it’s the lack of opportunities that’s frustrating. No matter how successful Australian managers may be, and this is something you can extend to Asian bosses too, there’s a surreal lack of faith in bringing their methods to this continent.
That’s why Celtic deserve some praise for this. They’re openly looking to bring a new style of football and coaching method to Celtic Park. Prepared to throw their weight behind an Australian manager who has had success everywhere he’s gone.
If Postecoglou manages to win the league title back next season, that will open doors for many others. It will be an even greater boost for Australian football if he can make a splash in European football too.
All of a sudden, there will be a newfound respect and appreciation for what Australia is capable of producing. Whether that leads to more opportunities for other Aussie coaches remains to be seen. But it would certainly prove the theory wrong that they’re not at the right level to coach in Europe.
If Postecoglou needed any more motivation to be a success at Celtic, his homeland’s reliance on his performances should do the trick.
In other news, a reported Celtic 2020 target has been released by Manchester United.
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