Ange Postecoglou has been officially confirmed as the new manager of Celtic, a role he has described as one of the greatest honours in world football.
The former Socceroos boss was first linked with the position two weeks ago and on Thursday was finally unveiled via Zoom from Japan, where he will leave in the coming days for his new home in Glasgow.
It is easily the highest-profile coaching move ever made by an Australian and throws Postecoglou into the middle of one of sport’s greatest rivalries – the Old Firm derby against Rangers.
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Postecoglou has signed a 12-month rolling contract with the 51-time Scottish Premiership winners, and was hailed by the club in a statement as a “modern, progressive coach with exciting, attacking football as his philosophy.”
“He is someone I believe has the coaching and managerial credentials to be a real success at Celtic and we are already working closely together on our plans for the season and seasons ahead,” incoming Celtic Chief Executive, Dominic McKay, said in a media release.
For his part, Postecoglou vowed in a statement to return Celtic to the top of Scottish football.
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“The opportunity that has been given to me is one of the greatest honours in football and the responsibility to lead our magnificent football club into the future is one that I will cherish dearly,” Postecoglou said.
“Celtic is one of THE names in world football, of that there is no doubt – a giant of a club, a proper footballing institution and so much more – real history, real substance, real authenticity and real soul.
“I will be doing everything I can to get our great club back on top and, at the same time, deliver the kind of football which our fans appreciate. We want to entertain our fans and we want to win, these are the objectives which I always set myself and which I now begin work on.”
Postecoglou is easily Australia’s most decorated football coach, having won two titles in the old National Soccer League with South Melbourne, two in the A-League with Brisbane Roar – including a record 36-match unbeaten streak – another crown in Japan’s J.League with Yokohama F. Marinos, and famously guided Australia to the 2015 Asian Cup.
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