Celtic have had some seriously great coaches don the club’s dugout.
But in recent times, two of the best have stood on the touchline at Celtic Park – the current boss, Brendan Rodgers, and previously, Ange Postecoglou.
This is Rodgers’ second spell as Celtic manager, and he has won the Premiership title in each of his four seasons, including winning the double last term.
Postecoglou was equally as dominant, including sharing one thing in common with his successor, and that’s the fact that they won the Treble at Celtic.
But what are the differences between the two legendary coaches? The best people to answer such a question are those whom they trained on a weekly basis, as Liam Scales was one of them.
- READ MORE: Tottenham boss Thomas Frank shares how he really feels about Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou

Liam Scales on the difference between Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers at Celtic
Scales played 13 games under Postecoglou before his breakthrough campaign came when Rodgers returned to Celtic during the summer of 2023.
The Republic of Ireland star shared that Postecoglou was ‘more strict’ with the way he set up the team, including famously allowing the fullbacks to come in and play like number 10s.
Speaking to Jack’s Tee Time Talks, Scales explained how Rodgers’ flexibility in formations suited him better, as well as how he would set up the fullbacks differently.
“It is similar, but there are differences,” said Scales. “Ange (Postecoglou) was a bit more strict.
“With Brendan, we morph into different shapes, depending on the opposition. Sometimes, we swing into a back three. Our fullbacks still come inside, but on one side than both sides. It’s technical stuff.
“Being left-footed helps because it gives the team balance, and in those possession-based teams, having a left footer to be able to play passes down the left side helps. That is an advantage I have.
“At UCD (University College Dublin), we played good football. At Shamrock Rovers, we played good football. It’s great to be in a team that does.”
Rodgers and Postecoglou’s records at Celtic compared
It’s interesting. On paper, Rodgers has won more and started this Treble-crazy period for Celtic, but whose teams would you prefer to watch?
There is no doubt that if Postecoglou had spent the number of seasons in Glasgow as Rodgers, then he would have continued to eat up the trophies.
| Ange’s matches | W | D | L | Goals | Points | PPM | Wins in finals | Wins v Rangers | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | 83 | 12 | 18 | 284:108 | 261 | 2.31 | 3 out of 3 | 6 out of 12 | 5 |
| Rodgers’ matches | W | D | L | Goals | Points | PPM | Wins in finals | Wins v Rangers | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 276 | 193 | 41 | 42 | 665:251 | 620 | 2.25 | 7 out of 8 | 16 out of 23 | 11 |
Whoever you prefer or would deem as the better manager/coach, one thing is for sure: everyone associated with Celtic is blessed to have watched their teams in action.
Rodgers is still adding more chapters to his legendary book, and hopefully, he will sign a new contract because it expires during the summer of 2026.
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