Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou took part in an in-depth interview with former Premier League goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for Optus Sport this week and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Ange spoke about a whole range of things; from family life in Glasgow to his lack of recognition in Australia. The manager was an open book for his former international goalkeeper.

Ange started out as an unknown to the majority of Celtic fans this summer but quickly won over so many in such a short space of time.

Everything was geared towards Eddie Howe becoming the Celtic manager. It’s our understanding Dermot Desmond was already helping Eddie plan his charge at Celtic when the wheels came off the bus.

The Hoops had courted Howe for so long and thought they had their man – they put their eggs in the one basket and were left scrambling.

However, our outgoing chief executive Peter Lawwell was on the ball. When the name Ange Postecoglou was floated in the media sheer hours after the Howe move fell apart, the fans weren’t happy and it looked like the club was plucking a manager out of nowhere as a last minute replacement.

Little did we know, Peter and others had been keeping tabs on Ange for over two years. When Eddie took his ball and went home – Peter sprung into action and helped make the deal happen.

Ange confirmed the behind the scenes stuff and exactly why he was on Celtic’s radar.

“It’s a long story, but like all these things there are little threads that sort of join along the way that you don’t realise.” Ange told Optus Sport.

“When I was working in Japan I was part of the City [Football] Group, working with Manchester City. And within that group there was an association with the ex-CEO of the club here, Peter Lawwell.

“I think they’d been tracking me for a while and because of my success in Japan. They were probably one of the ones who were paying attention to what I was doing because I was part of the group.

“I think the seed was planted, they’d been following me for a while and things didn’t work out with Eddie Howe coming to Celtic and I got contacted.

“He kept pushing it with Peter Lawwell and they finally got me an opportunity to speak with the people who make the decisions and the rest is history.”

At the time of Ange’s appointment, now EX chief executive Dom McKay claimed he had a lot to do with the deal happening. In reality – he was the welcoming party for the Australian and the man who was tasked with helping to facilitate Ange and what he needed for the season.

Dom didn’t last long for reasons nobody quite knows for sure. We have our theories but that’s for a different day.

Ange would appear to be Peter Lawwell’s parting gift to Celtic before stepping down. That’s if you subscribe to the notion Peter has completely finished with the club at this point.

With his former right hand man Michael Nicholson in charge – I wouldn’t be surprised if Peter is still having a say at the club.

3 COMMENTS

    • Show us the evidence you have for Lawwell being responsible for the failure to do what no one before him has ever done,
      Did he refuse to sign any new players to bolster the squad that won the 9 ?
      the answer to that is yes.
      tell us why would a man that is constantly accused of being only interested in money , purposely throw away the biggest money making opportunity since 1967 ?
      The merchandising ,like @67 would be a 50 year gold mine, and people actually think the club through Peter Lawwell deliberately sabotaged that and instead choose to hand people like you the opportunity to keep talking crap.
      tell us, please, what Lawwell did and don’t forget to back it up with evidence.

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