Originally published at: Celtic boss Postecoglou on what drives his footballing passion
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou celebrates his 56th birthday today, so you can forgive him for feeling a little reflective. The Bhoys’ manager got the perfect present, in the form of Europa League qualification last night. Not only that, he’s won over the sternest of Celtic’s in-house critics, including Chris Sutton and John Hartson. Ange’s mission…
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Happy birthday to our man Ange from Down Under. The big fella is doing us proud and we love him!
Ange and Celtic are getting a fair amount of press coverage here in Oz. Which is difficult for football during the lead-in to the Aussie Rules and Rugby League finals series. Press coverage of the A-League during the football off season is near non-existent.
A driving force behind Ange is his desire to see football grow in Australia. Ten to fifteen years ago Australia was exporting quality players to Europe (Viduka, Kewell, Aloisi, Emerton, Bresciano, Popovic, Neill etc). That production line has slowed up. However we’re now seeing the emergence of a group of Aussie managers having success in Asia and Europe - with Ange at the forefront.
Having witnessed first hand Ange’s time at Brisbane Roar, and with the national team, I can see stark similarities with the way his tenure at Celtic is unfolding - some heebee jeebee moments when playing out of the back under pressure, and players not quite certain what their roles are. When the team get used to his tactics and style, that’s when the party starts! And what a party it will be!
In Ange We Trust
Cheers from Wagga Wagga, Australia
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Welcome to the forum Fletch, hail hail!
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Happy Birthday to Ange.
Slight disappointment is how some media refer to Ange as Greek Australian. Fair enough in the first instance but he has learned his craft in Australia. He is Australian. Some media still refer to him as Greek Australian. It’s as if Greece had something to do with his football, because Australia is considered a backwater and can’t play football. Is that why we have qualified for the last 4 world cups? Is that why our Women are rated 11th in the world?
Please refer to Ange as Australian. We’d like to be proud of our own too.
G’day stathenon,
I have no issue with Ange being referred to as ‘Greek-Australian’. Ange considers himself to be so.
The game of football in Australia is built upon the hard working shoulders of migrants. From coal miners of the north of England and Scotland seeking a better life in the 1880s, to those fleeing the post-war ravages of Europe after 1945.
Former Socceroos and Rangers captain Craig Moore, born in Queensland, has every right to consider himself to be a proud Scots-Australian. Ditto Mark Viduka, an Australian-Croatian; Tim Cahill is a proud Australian-Samoan.
Current Socceroos Awer Mabil (FC Midtjylland) and Milos Degenek (Red Star Belgrade) are both Australian and of South Sudanese and Serbian origin respectively. Their families having fled war and persecution to find safety and opportunity in our fair shores. Ange Postecoglou’s family was no different.
Multiculturalism is the fabric that weaves us together as a nation.
I’m sixth generation Australian but also proud of my Irish/British ancestry.
Ange after all came to Australia as a five year-old, worked his way through the ranks of South Melbourne Football Club (founded in 1958 as South Melbourne Hellas by Greek migrants) to become manager of a world famous institution at Celtic.
I’m super proud of our man Ange; a Greek-Australian success story like so many other migrant success stories.
Regards from sunny, multicultural Wagga Wagga
In Ange We Trust
HH
(edit. Australia rightfully claims Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC as ours. They were also proud Scots: working class migrants seeking a better life (and sunshine) Down Under. Ange is a partial repayment to Scotland for giving us the immensely talented Young brothers!).
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You are correct on all counts Fletch. We have come a long way. In Ange we do trust.
Of course we are all proud of our heritage. However if multiculturalism is what weaves us together, then why hasn’t the Union Jack been removed from our flag long ago? Canada has done it. I absolutely love GB and what it stands for and been there several times. However the Union jack in itself can be construed as divisive. It means nothing to me or people in my circles. The only reason I respect our flag is because of the people who died defending it and provided a haven for my immigrant parents. Why can’t we just keep the stars? My point is it would be nice to mention Australia a lot more on the world stage as one Nation.
Anyway we’re digressing. This is not a forum for politics. As for ACDC well I grew up with them regularly watching them at the Espy, in St. Kilda Melbourne. They were and still are the best in my book.
Agree wholeheartedly on the flag issue. Furthermore we need to divorce ourselves from the dysfunctional English royal family and become a republic. Post haste.
Standing in the way is SloMo, Barnyard and the dysfunctional conservative Coalition federal government.
Royal family issue is correct. But our Pollies still want hang onto their knight hoods, MBE’s etc. Loved when our Prime Minister man handled the Queen. Did they do their nut!
Look forward to Sunday night/Monday morning. Go the Celts! I reckon after Holland yesterday we’ll be a much wiser and stronger team.
Happy birthday boss 
Happy birthday Ange 
