Celtic have finally appointed a successor to Neil Lennon after confirming Ange Postecoglou is their new manager. After 107 days without a permanent boss, the Australian is now on his way to Glasgow after leaving Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos.
The club confirmed the news of Postecoglou’s appointment in a statement to the Stock Exchange shortly before 9 am BST. “Celtic is pleased to announce the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as the club’s first-team manager with Ange commencing employment with immediate effect. The board is pleased to welcome Ange to the club and looks forward to working with him in the future.”
A 10-day quarantine stint means Postecoglou is unlikely to be at the club’s Lennoxtown training base on 17 June when the first-team squad report back for the start of their pre-season preparations. Celtic are also waiting to hear from Uefa after applying for an exemption on rules requiring managers to possess a Pro-Licence – which Postecoglou does not hold – if they wish to manage in European competition.
After Lennon resigned on 23 February, Celtic spent weeks chasing Eddie Howe but talks with the former Bournemouth manager broke down at the last minute.
The former Australia manager has won league titles in his homeland and in Japan, while he also led the Socceroos at the 2014 World Cup but resigned before the 2018 finals in Russia. But the 55-year-old has limited experience of managing in Europe, a nine-month spell in charge of Panachaiki in the Greek third tier.
“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,” he 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 know Celtic is a true way of life for so many people and I know the demands which come with this position – I am ready to do all I can to meet those demands.”
