Australia’s first-ever Premier League winner Robbie Slater believes that Ange Postecoglou ‘deserves’ to be in contention for managerial vacancies at heavyweight Premier League clubs, but believes that he’ll stay at Celtic for another season due to one key reason.
After hoisting two trophies last season, Postecoglou is on now the verge of claiming a treble of domestic titles in his second campaign.
The Australian mastermind led the team to a league cup triumph, beating bitter rivals Rangers in the final. Another victory over Rangers in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup last week booked Celtic’s place in another final, where they will face second-tier Inverness next month. And with just one league loss in 33 games so far, the Hoops sit 13 points ahead of Rangers in the league – a dominant lead with five games to play.
Speaking on the Fox Football Podcast, Socceroos great Slater said the treble is a near certainty.
He said Celtic has been “completely dominant this season, from day one”, adding that he is certain the league “is done”.
Slater said of the Scottish Cup final against second tier Inverness Caledonian Thistle: “They’re gonna win it. You think they’re gonna lose? Come on, give me a break!
“It’d be the biggest boilover in world football history, that’s how much of an upset it would be. Could it happen? Yes. Is it going to happen? No.”
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In a season that has seen 15 Premier League managers sacked, it’s no surprise that Postecoglou has been regularly linked to head coaching roles in the world’s biggest league.
That included the likes of Brighton, Wolves, Everton, Leeds United and Leicester City, the latter currently home to Socceroo Harry Souttar.
Currently, Postecoglou is rumoured to be in contention to take over either Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season – two giants of the English game.
Slater says the links to ‘Big Six’ clubs are well earned.
“I think (it’s) deserved. I think he’s grown a great reputation … it’s not just his success, it’s the way it’s happening. It’s the style of football.
“It’s certainly rarely been seen (in Scotland), this style of football that Ange has brought. And he’s done it with every club he’s been to, to be fair to him.”
However, Postecoglou has struggled to make his mark on one competition so far at Celtic: the Champions League.
In his first year in Europe’s top continental tournament, Celtic showed flashes of brilliance and earned plaudits for their attacking mindset against the likes of Real Madrid, but finished bottom of their group after failing to win any of their six games.
Slater says that ‘unfinished business’ in the competition is the main reason he believes Postecoglou will turn down the lure of the Premier League this year.
Slater said: “The only question mark over Celtic this season is the Champions League.
“That’s one of the reasons I think he’ll stay. I think the Champions League carrot of going again.
“(He’s) experienced it with this group of players, there’s some new ones but this group of players largely have experienced that one (campaign), which might make them do even better in the next one.
“I think that makes him stay.”
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Ange’s Celtic reach Scottish Cup Final | 00:58
He added later: “I’ve got a feeling he might stay at Celtic. He’s the king. They love him. And he’s got another crack at the Champions League.
“I think that’s the thing that grabs him. If you go to Chelsea he’s got no European football. If you go to the (other mid-table) teams we’re talking about there’s no European football. Even Spurs doesn’t look like (playing) European football. Do you give away the Champions League?
“If there’s a safe seat in football in the world, Ange is in one of them.”
Postecoglou’s high-intensity style of play is demanding on his players and typically takes time to implement effectively.
When he began at Celtic, he lost three of his first four games, then suffered another poor run of four losses in five games soon afterwards (across all competitions). But he quickly turned the team into a formidable force and surged to league-cup trophy double in his first campaign in Scotland.
But in the Premier League – and particularly the biggest clubs – results are always king, and time is at a premium.
“What we’ve talked about in the unstable environment of the Premier League where basically it looks like if you take over and you don’t hit the ground running, you get sacked. That’s where Ange could (be concerned).
“If he does turn around and goes to, say, Chelsea, he knows that you’ve got to hit the ground running. You don’t get time. That’s not a question, just a fact.
“Can he deal with that? He did at Celtic. He had to hit the ground running. The first few weeks they were talking: ‘he’s not the right [man].’ Then he turned it around very quickly and obviously won the title and everything was sweet.”
Leeds appoint Allardyce as manager | 00:36
One other important factor would be the control – or lack thereof – entrusted to Postecoglou over transfers. The Australian has an incredible record of signings delivering on the pitch, headlined by Celtic’s attacking whiz Kyogo Furuhashi.
But Chelsea in particular has had a shambolic approach to transfers in the last 12 months under new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who have spent a record 600-million pounds – but often signed players that didn’t fit in with the managers’ plans.
Slater warned that joining a club without control over signings would be a mistake for Postecoglou.
“They (Celtic) trusted Ange in what he’s been doing.
“Knowing Ange – I don’t know him (that well), I’m not his best mate – he’s always wanted that (control) wherever he’s gone. I would think that he’s in a position that if they want him bad enough, he goes on his own terms.
“I think he’d be silly to go to Chelsea and not have the power of picking and choosing your own players. If you’re going to get sacked, go down with your own ideas!”