Ange Postecoglou eyeing sensational Celtic comeback after Nottingham Forest nightmare as ‘egos’ derail Brendan Rodgers negotiations
As Brendan Rodgers approaches the end of his contract with Celtic, speculation is mounting about who might take his place at the helm. Ange Postecoglou, currently leading Nottingham Forest, has emerged as a potential candidate, according to former player Pat Nevin. Despite a rocky start at his new club, Postecoglou’s name is reportedly on Celtic’s shortlist, especially if his tenure at Forest proves short-lived.
Postecoglou’s managerial journey has been eventful. After leaving Celtic for Tottenham Hotspur in 2023, he led Spurs to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League and captured the Europa League the following season. However, that European triumph didn’t guarantee job security. Following a disappointing 17th-place league finish, Postecoglou was dismissed from Tottenham.
He quickly returned to the English top flight, replacing Nuno Espirito Santo at Forest earlier this month. However, his first matches have not gone as hoped, with a heavy defeat to Arsenal and a surprise Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Swansea City. Last weekend’s draw with Burnley has done little to ease the mounting pressure, as Forest prepares for a crucial Europa League tie against Real Betis.
Nevin believes that if Postecoglou is let go by Forest, he could find himself in contention for the top Celtic job once more, alongside other candidates like Damien Duff. Nevin commented, “Celtic fans would love Damien Duff. I can remember once a lot of people said that Henrik Larsson would be a great manager for Celtic. And then people started watching his managerial career and they went, maybe not. Celtic see themselves as as big a club as any Premier League side in England. They just go for the best man. Back to that one again. You never know, Ange Postocoglou might be available again by that time – by the end of the season. It looks like Brendan will last until the end of this season, and you wouldn’t be surprised if he left then. Celtic will scour the planet again, and they might not go as far as Australia this time, but Damien will be a name, but he’ll be a name on a pretty long list.”
While Rodgers’ contract runs down, the atmosphere at Celtic Park has grown tense, with fans protesting against the board and Rodgers himself openly critiquing club decision-makers. Despite the boardroom uncertainty, Celtic have maintained strong form on the pitch, currently sharing the top spot in the Premiership and recently advancing to the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals after defeating Partick Thistle.
Former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew believes that personal dynamics may be hindering productive discussions between Rodgers and the club hierarchy. Offering his perspective, Mulgrew told Go Radio: “I got the impression (against Patrick Thistle) he was now just thinking, ‘let’s get on with it.’ I’m concentrating on the football department. I’m giving it my all. You could see that with the team. They were well drilled in what they were doing, and they’d worked on forward passing. He’s all in for the team, trying to get the best. Whatever happens with his contract situation, the board will organically sort itself out. It can be sorted. Everything can be sorted. It’s just about swallowing egos and having the conversation between a few members and discussing what the script is with Brendan Rodgers going forward. And I’m sure that, in the meantime, while that’s happening, he’ll be trying to win games for Celtic.”
As the season progresses, the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers’ future and the club’s next managerial appointment is set to continue, with both supporters and pundits closely watching developments at Celtic Park.
