Giorgos Giakoumakis, the former Celtic striker, recently opened up about the turbulent end to his tenure at the club. Despite a decent scoring record with 26 goals in 57 appearances, Giakoumakis felt marginalised as he struggled to become the first-choice striker over Kyogo Furuhashi under former manager Ange Postecoglou’s regime.
The 28-year-old Greek forward, who has since made a splash in Major League Soccer, spoke candidly about the lack of trust from his former coach, which precipitated his move. His outstanding performance in the MLS, where he outshone even the legendary Leo Messi to become the newcomer of the year, underscored the talent that felt underappreciated at Celtic.
Giakoumakis expressed a heartfelt connection with Celtic fans, who revered him during his time at the club. “I was living a life there. I was like a god for the fans,” he told Football Scotland, highlighting the difficult emotional aspect of his departure.
The discord with Postecoglou, as Giakoumakis described, was not due to any direct confrontation but rather a growing sense of distrust. “We never had a specific fight, but he didn’t trust me as much as I wanted to feel trusted,” Giakoumakis revealed, indicating that the relationship—or lack thereof—played a significant role in his decision to leave.
His final days at the club were marred by disrespect, as he put it, “I was suffering because of some people at the club. I didn’t receive the respect from the people or from the club.” This sentiment ultimately led him to feel that his departure was not entirely of his own volition but rather a situation he was compelled into.
Giakoumakis is someone who certainly helped Ange win his first title. The second half of Ange’s first season saw the big Greek step up when it mattered. While many fans still wish the player was still at the club, you won’t find many who believe he should be starting over Kyogo.
