Ange Postecoglou has delivered a reassuring message to Celtic supporters regarding his future as talk of a new contract continues to float around.
It was reported by the Daily Record last week that the Hoops boss was set for a bumper deal. This was said to be in response to a highly-successful debut campaign in which we wrestled the title back from Rangers and secured UCL football for next season.
Celtic currently have Postecoglou on a one-year rolling contract. The last time they gave a manager a bumper deal came when Brendan Rodgers signed a 4-year agreement back in 2017.
But Ange has dismissed the importance of a new deal as he stated it’s not something that really motivates him.
As quoted by the Glasgow Times, he said: “People shouldn’t fret about that stuff. That’s not what drives me. It’s not what I am kind of seeking.
“I have always been driven by trying to create things that are special and being part of something that lasts. I am at a big football club, with 60,000 people here each week.
“It’s one of the most famous clubs in the world, we will be playing Champions League next year and I can win trophies. I couldn’t be happier.”
Celtic boss not putting any focus on new contract talk
You can understand the pros to tying down Postecoglou for the long-term. It would be a show of intent from the manager whilst it sends out a message about the project we’re trying to build at Celtic Park. Not to mention it would be a fitting acknowledgment of the manager’s achievements to date.
However, there’s also no guarantee that a new deal keeps your manager in place for its entirety. Just look at how quickly Brendan Rodgers left after signing his 4-year extension. He didn’t even reach the halfway point of it before he stunned the club and left for Leicester.
We would all like to think that wouldn’t be the case with Ange, but it doesn’t change the point that a new long-term deal hardly offers much protection. All it would allow Celtic to do is put in a satisfactory compensation clause for anyone looking to speak with him.
The key part here is that Ange is loving life in Scotland and at Celtic. He’s in a place he’s wanted to be for a long time and it’s clear he isn’t willing to give it up anytime soon.
So much so that he isn’t overly interested in new contract talks. Undoubtedly it’s something he would appreciate and get into should he be approached. But for now, his sole motivation remains the building of this squad for European football next season.
That’s as reassuring a message to supporters as we could possibly hope for.
In other news, Ange’s perfect response to who he wants Celtic to face in the UEFA Champions League
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