Ange Postecoglou's shock stance on return to Celtic revealed after Brendan Rodgers sensationally quits club

According to The Scottish Sun, Postecoglou has ruled himself out of contention for the Celtic job. The 60-year-old is said to be taking a break from football altogether, determined to recharge after his bruising spell at the City Ground. It has been reported that the Australian wants to step away from the noise and carefully consider his next chapter, rather than rushing into another emotionally demanding job.

Nonetheless, he remains an adored figure among Celtic fans. His brand of attacking “Angeball” football delivered two league titles, two League Cups, and a Scottish Cup during his 2021–2023 reign. However, the Australian’s recent career turmoil complicates matters. After his sacking from Tottenham Hotspur in May, despite guiding them to the Europa League trophy, Postecoglou made a surprise return to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest. It proved a disastrous move as an ill-fated 39-day tenure yielded no wins in eight matches and ultimately ended in his dismissal.

Celtic have reinstalled Martin O’Neill as an interim manager. The 73-year-old, who guided the Bhoys to an era of dominance in the early 2000s, collecting seven major trophies, including three Premiership crowns, is back in the dugout. Whereas, former Celtic midfielder Shaun Maloney, once seen as one of the club’s brightest homegrown stars, has been brought in as part of the caretaker setup. While O’Neill steadies the ship, Celtic’s hierarchy are busy plotting the club’s long-term future.

According to The Telegraph,Celtic have drawn up a three-man shortlist featuring some popular names like Postecoglou, Robbie Keane, and Kieran McKenna. Now, while it is being said that Postecoglou has no interest in the job, the fight should be between Keane and McKenna. Now 45, Keane’s coaching journey has been impressive. After a successful stint in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv, he took over at Hungarian giants Ferencvaros. And under his guidance, the club stormed to a league title, which has helped his growing reputation as a manager with tactical nous and man-management skills.

At just 39, McKenna has already carved out a remarkable managerial resume. Since taking charge of Ipswich Town in 2021, he has masterminded back-to-back promotions, catapulting the Tractor Boys from League One obscurity to the Premier League. His reputation soared even higher when reports surfaced that Manchester United, Brighton, and even Chelsea had given thought to handing him a contract. However, Ipswich’s hierarchy are reportedly unwilling to entertain any approach, demanding over £5 million in compensation. Despite Ipswich’s relegation back to the Championship this season, McKenna remains under contract until 2028. The Suffolk club remain adamant that he is the man to lead them straight back up, and they have no intention of letting him go without a fight.

Former Celtic striker and outspoken pundit Chris Sutton weighed in on the speculation, telling BBC Radio 5 Live that fans would welcome a Postecoglou return, even if it now seems unlikely.

"It could happen, I mean, would I like to see him back? Yeah, eventually, why not? I really enjoyed Angeball," he said. "Well, I think Brendan will leave at the end of the season – if [Postecoglou] just slots in next season, I would love to see Big Ange back. He’s respected at Celtic, the job he did. Brilliant, Angeball, what a brand of football."

He also posted on X: "So in the end it was all Brendan’s fault… good luck to Martin O Neill and Shaun Maloney in the short term… bring back big Ange🍀"

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