IT WAS a storm in an egg cup, or perhaps a whisky glass, but Celtic’s probable fifth treble in seven seasons has the other half of Glasgow itching with frustration.
And there can be few scratchers north of the border more aggravated than Rangers manager Michael Beale, 42, who has already been rendered title-less as another Hoops monopoly of big trophies plays out.
His counterpart five-and-a-half miles away, Ange Postecoglou, brushed off Beale’s comment that the Greco-Australian was a lucky man to have had handy transfer cash.
“Not luck but know-how” was an Aussie reaction the late Shane Warne, God bless him, would have been proud of. I am sure the Greeks had a phrase for it, too.
Under-estimating Ange has been a common reaction throughout his 25 years of management.
But get this for a CV: Two titles in the old National Soccer League with South Melbourne; two in the A-League with Brisbane Roar, yet another in Japan’s J League with Yokohama F Marinos.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
And then, a badge really to boast about, guiding Australia to 2015 Asian Cup glory.
With the Roar, he once went an impressive 36 games undefeated. Eat your heart out, Pep.
There isn’t a name Aussies can’t transform into a single syllable so Angelos soon became Ange to his mates in Melbourne.
He was five when his family, penniless and jobless settled there in 1965. A defender with the features of a warrior, he was to become a one-club player and Aussie international.
Most read in Football
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
Postecoglou, 57, has led Celtic to the title and won the league cup twice in his first two seasons with the club, dominating Scottish football as Manchester City threaten to do in England.
But where Celtic are set to be champions for the 53rd time, no English club has the satisfaction of nearing an equivalent domination — Manchester United leading on 20 from Liverpool’s 19.
Now whether being emperor of a small kingdom is more satisfying than being president of a big one, the fact is that Celtic are minor players in modern football.
The national team are only beginning to shrug off the air of useless braggadocio that settled over it in the past two decades.
In Glasgow pubs, they still tease Sassenachs about the 3-2 win against England, 1966 World Cup winners a year earlier.
And the triumphs of Robert the Bruce, seven centuries ago.
All bar Celtic and Rangers struggle to attract attendances of more than 20,000.
Billionaire owners are not to be found and television contracts are tiny compared with those in England.
Sky recently signed to pay Scottish football £150million-a-year from 2025, while the company’s current contract with the EFL is £119m-a-season, but is likely to be increased because there is a probable new rival.
Chicken feed compared with the Premier League champions, who will earn £176m from TV money this season alone.
There are still advocates of the admission of the two Old Firm clubs to the English structure, although these tend to fall foul of arguments about the level of entry.
The Ibrox capacity is just over 50,000 and Celtic Park is around 60,000 so the possibility will always be attractive to some — the SNP Government probably not.
Read More on The Sun
And so with the odd exception — Rangers under Steven Gerrard in 2021 — Celtic have a recent record of domestic dominance that looks set to continue.
Postecoglou’s feats around the world suggest he would make an impact this side of Hadrian’s Wall and, no, this is not a new defensive strategy.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
