ANGE POSTECOGLOU has already carved his own bit of Celtic history by taking a team on its knees after a shambolic season where fans were locked out into utter euphoria the following season.
It was never supposed to happen, and Ange wasn’t even the first person on the list to succeed Neil Lennon, but every single Celtic fan is delighted with the way things shook out.
The Australian came in from Japan, and in his first season won Celtic a famous double with a team made up mostly of his new signings and a couple of bhoys already at the club that he put his arm around.
But how did the manager get the job in the first place? Who did he speak to, and how long did it take?
Speaking to Mark Howard, the Celtic manager detailed how exactly things went down from his perspective and chatted about the moment he got off the phone to Celtic’s majority shareholder, Dermot Desmond.
‘I shut the computer and said – what the hell is going on mate?’ – Inside Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic Dermot Desmond talks.
Postecoglou told The Howie Games Podcast: “I’ve logged on the call and spoken with Dermot Desmond.
“We had a great discussion, he’s a great man, he kind of knew all about me which gave me some reassurance. I got comfortable really quickly.
“They had done their research, not just about me as a manager, but the way I played my football, which was really important to me.
“But we hit it off really well. We had about a 30-40 minute conversation and he signs off by saying: ‘Brilliant, love it, hang-up I’m going to set up a call with our CEO and our chairman in ten minutes time. We’ll send you the link and you chat to them. If they’re happy, I’m happy.’
“Now I’ve gone off the call, right? Georgia’s come in, she’s trying to grab Max and Alexi they’re running around, she’s trying to get dinner organised.
“She comes in and asks ‘what happened?’ and I go: ‘look I might have this totally wrong, but I think we have a chance here.’
“She says ‘really?’ and I go: ‘Unless I’m totally out of the loop here I think there’s something going on.’
“In the meantime Frank Trimboli (Postecoglou’s agent) called me to ask what’s going on and I went: ‘Mate I think it went well, he wants me to talk to the CEO.’
“As soon as I said CEO he hung-up on me, because he’s then making his calls to see what’s going on.
“Within ten minutes I had the hook-up with the CEO and the chairman. Again, I had a really good discussion with them, even less time, probably about 20 minutes.
“They kind of again signed off with: ‘I can see why Dermot really likes you and we think you’re the right man. We’ll speak to Frank and we’ll get this going.
“And again I’ve just closed the computer and I’ve gone: ‘What the hell is going on mate?’
“This is Celtic, this is one of the biggest, most famous, football clubs in the world. A club that I’d known as a kid that people would talk to me about.
“I know what nights at Celtic Park are all about, they sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone.’
“It’s like one of the most famous football clubs in the world and here I am potentially being the manager.
“Again Georgia’s come in, her head is rattling asking what’s going on, and I go: ‘I think they’re going to offer me the job! I don’t understand it but I think that’s what’s going to happen.’
“Frank rings me about half-an-hour later and tells me it’s happening and that they’re going to make an offer. Away we go.”
It’s incredible to think of Ange sitting in his home with his kids running around, taking calls that would ultimately see Celtic fans watch their team lift the league title less than 12 months later.
CeltsAreHere were told by sources at the club it was Peter Lawwell’s son, Mark Lawwell [who now officially works for Celtic] that put Celtic onto Ange and what he was doing with Yokohama. After Eddie Howe pulled out of joining Celtic late on in the summer, Desmon and Lawwell quickly went about looking at their options and landed on Ange quickly.
Desmond didn’t know much about Ange before his chat with Peter but was well briefed on the manager before their video call.
As we all know, Ange is an outstanding communicator who you can’t help but feel impressed by. When he talks, you listen and Dermot Desmond would’ve likely thought the same.
