Chris Sutton has hit out at the doubters of new Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, believing they aren’t showing him enough respect.
Postecoglou has already had to deal with pessimistic nonsense from pundits who appear to already want him to fail. Former Rangers flop Cammy Bell, for example, stated that the league could be over within a month [Daily Record].
It’s already become a tiresome narrative with not enough credit or positivity being thrown Postecoglou’s way
Sutton, however, has thankfully bucked the trend. He’s effectively become the first pundit to talk up the new man properly, claiming that he deserves time regardless of what happens against Midtjylland in the Champions League qualifiers.
Speaking to the Record’s Celtic podcast, Sutton said: “Look, from the outside, in my opinion, he needs a year. He needs a year of grace to come in and implement his own style and plans – and bring in his own players.
“What he’s been dealt at this moment in time, frankly, most managers would turn their back on. I think it’s impossible. If Celtic get beaten by Midtjylland, I wouldn’t blame the manager at all. I’d blame the club’s hierarchy for dawdling and being strung along, however you want to word it, by Eddie Howe.
“He needs time to develop, nurture and implement his own plans. There’s a lot been said about how he’s managed in Australia and Japan and his supposed lack of credentials – this is a guy who’s managed in a World Cup. He’s managed his national team, he’s won titles. He needs to be given a bit more respect than that.”
Chris Sutton offers some refreshing backing for Ange Postecoglou
This is great to hear from Sutton. Finally a pundit willing to put some positivity towards the appointment.
For some reason, certain members of the media don’t want to know that he’s been a World Cup manager. That he won the J-League title with Yokohama F.Marinos and effectively became a hero in Japan. These things don’t seem to matter simply because people can’t be bothered to research it.
The truth is that Postecoglou has been a success everywhere he’s gone. He comes to Celtic with a track record of titles and an ability to turn his teams into attack-minded winning machines.
That combination of success and attractive football should be enough for Ange to merit a bit of leeway. Yet the pitchforks appear to be out already from some outside the football club.
The important point is that Postecoglou will be given time by the people who matter. The Celtic fans will ensure he has their backing for as long as he deserves to have it. As for the club itself, we know he’ll be given time from Dom McKay.
Hopefully he gets off to the quickest start possible. The sooner he starts shutting certain people up, the more satisfying it’ll be.
In other news, one of Ronny Deila’s poorest Celtic signings could be returning to Scotland.
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