logo
Celtic hero makes key prediction about Postecoglou's future

Celtic hero makes key prediction about Postecoglou's future

The National8 hours ago

The Australian was sacked by the North London club on Friday afternoon, despite leading them to Europa League glory just over a fortnight prior.
Read more:
Recently speaking to Sky Sports, Grant outlined his stance on Postecoglou, making a key prediction about his future.
"I think it is [harsh]," he said.
"I get really excited watching Tottenham because I don't know what I'm going to get.
"I think he's been terrific. I'm delighted for him that he got the European trophy, for one reason, because, for Scottish football, people might say, 'He was only managing Celtic up in Scotland'.
"He's proven what a top-quality manager he is, there is absolutely no doubt of that.
"I'm sure he'll get a top-quality job yet again.
"I'm delighted for him, and I'm sure he'll go on to bigger and better things."
Spurs captain Son Heung-Min made his feelings on Postecoglou's sacking clear: "You've changed the trajectory of this club," he said on Instagram.
"You believed in yourself, and us, since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did.
"You knew what we were capable of all along. You did it your way. And your way brought this club the best night it's had in decades. We will have those memories for life.
"You trusted me with the captaincy. One of the highest honours of my career. It's been an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close, I am a better player and a better person because of you.
"Ange Postecoglou, you are a Tottenham Hotspur legend forever. Thank you, mate."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Crystal Palace line up £40m-rated AC Milan star Strahinja Pavlovic in Marc Guehi replacement transfer
Crystal Palace line up £40m-rated AC Milan star Strahinja Pavlovic in Marc Guehi replacement transfer

Scottish Sun

time35 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

Crystal Palace line up £40m-rated AC Milan star Strahinja Pavlovic in Marc Guehi replacement transfer

OLIVER GLASNER will make a new move to sign AC Milan's Strahinja Pavlovic with the Italian club wanting £40million. The Crystal Palace boss thinks the powerful Serb would be an ideal addition with Europe on the agenda next term. Advertisement 1 Crystal Palace are preparing a move for AC Milan star Strahinja Pavlovic Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Centre-back Pavlovic, 24, only moved from RB Salzburg for £15m a year ago but Palace have been tracking him for months. Boss Glasner wants extra competition at the back but the Eagles will not pay over the top and could start the bidding at just £25m. Glasner is a huge fan of Pavlovic's — who was a regular in Milan's Serie A and Champions League campaigns — so it is an ambitious target. He scored two goals and provided just as many assists in 35 appearances from centre-back this term. Advertisement READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS TO BE FRANK Spurs to hijack Man Utd's £60m Mbeumo as Brentford identify Frank replacement Meanwhile, Pavlovic started six of Milan's ten Champions League games, and 21 Serie A matches. Palace qualified for next seasons Europa League after beating Manchester City in a shock 1-0 win in the FA Cup final. But the club's European status is under threat from Uefa because owner John Textor also owns shares in Lyon. Juventus' Tiago Djalo, 25, is an alternative. Advertisement CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Palace are possibly in the market for two defenders, especially if Marc Guehi leaves. Burnley's Maxime Esteve, 23, is also admired. Crystal Palace could be KICKED OUT of Europa League before a ball is even kicked Meanwhile, Palace are in talks with striker Jean-Philippe Mateta over signing a new contract. Advertisement The 27-year-old was a standout performer in Glasner's side last season, scoring 17 goals in all competitions as Palace won the FA Cup - their first major trophy.

Why Scotland debutant must start vs Liechtenstein as Iceland star reveals what surprised him most at Hampden
Why Scotland debutant must start vs Liechtenstein as Iceland star reveals what surprised him most at Hampden

Scotsman

time35 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

Why Scotland debutant must start vs Liechtenstein as Iceland star reveals what surprised him most at Hampden

Scotland debutant Cieran Slicker had a night to forget at Hampden on Friday. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Goalkeeper Cieran Slicker needs to start for Scotland against Liechtenstein on Monday after his nightmare debut in the 3-1 friendly defeat to Iceland at Hampden on Friday night, according to to his opposite number Elias Rafn Olafsson. The 22-year-old debutant was thrown into the action after just six minutes at the national stadium when goalkeeper Angus Gunn appeared to injure his ankle when he came to collect a cross, while fellow stopper Robby McCrorie suffered a thigh injury in the warm-up. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, in the opposite goal, Olafsson was hailed as one of Iceland's top performers after making a series of excellent saves to deny George Hirst and, latterly John McGinn, as Scotland pushed to get back into the game, leading the FC Midtjylland man to admit the line between hero and villain is marginal when it comes to being a 'lonely' goalkeeper. Cieran Slicker had a nightmare debut for Scotland and was at fault for all three of Iceland's goals in the 3-1 defeat at Hampden. | Getty Images 'Of course, it's always tough,' said the Icelandic goalkeeper. 'Especially when you come into the game cold off the bench. Then when you come in and make some mistakes, it's hard to get back into the game. I feel empathy for him. It's not the preparation you want for your debut, to not know you're coming in this early in the game as well. It's difficult. It's not going to be the most fun of nights, but it's about keeping your head up. It's just about now going to the hotel, forget about this and move on.' Asked if he'd ever had a similar experience himself, the 25-year-old was quick to recall his own error in the Europa League clash against FCSB last November, where he gifted the Romanian outfit a goal just three seconds into the second-half of the game when his clearance was charged down by Daniel Bîrligea. Explaining what he did to get over the mistake that saw his side fall to a 2-0 defeat, Olafsson believes Slicker must simply get back on the horse as quickly as possible, and backed him to start for Steve Clarke's side against Liechtenstein on Monday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It probably is [the best thing for him to play again on Monday] to be honest,' said the Iceland international. 'To come into the game and know you're going to play. That's 100% the best thing, in my opinion. I had one in the Europa League game. I don't know if you've seen it. It's a pretty big mistake from kick-off, but that's how it is. Elias Rafn Olafsson in action for FC Midtjylland in the Europa League. | Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima 'People see the mistakes. You have to be strong mentally for that. You just have to be honest. It's a mistake by you. You just have to be honest and forget about it. It's a part of the game. When we make mistakes, it's very obvious — it leads to a goal. It's a bit of a different position to the outfield players. You hope you make them in training, not in the games. But you can't always. It was not his day today. It was a hard game to come into. I feel it's hard making any debut, coming in when you don't expect to come in as a goalkeeper off the bench.' His country's first ever victory on Scottish soil, the imposing 6ft 7in goalkeeper admits the win was vitally important to Iceland as he reflected on his own performance in Mount Florida and explained what surprised him most about Scotland's display. 'It's a really big one, especially with the new things we're trying to build,' said Olafsson. 'It worked out pretty well. Apart from the last 20 minutes where we fell back a little bit trying to keep the ball a little bit, it went well. It was really nice to play in front of the Scottish fans as well. It was a nice experience. It was definitely one of the most fun ones. It really was. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad

Neil Lennon challenges Rangers, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen to raise standards after 'drop off' in quality
Neil Lennon challenges Rangers, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen to raise standards after 'drop off' in quality

Daily Record

time42 minutes ago

  • Daily Record

Neil Lennon challenges Rangers, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen to raise standards after 'drop off' in quality

Lennon reckons the football - outwith his old club Celtic - is not as exciting as it used to be and hopes to see an improvement in the coming season Neil Lennon says it's time the chasing pack in the Scottish Premiership raised their game. The Dunfermline boss reckons there's been a marked drop in quality outwith Celtic in recent seasons - and the football isn't as exciting as it once was. ‌ Rangers and Hearts have been boosted with fresh investment and new management ahead of the new campaign as they look to mount a challenge for silverware. ‌ Scottish Cup winners Aberdeen can also look forward to another Euro windfall after clinching guaranteed group stage football while Hibs have welcomed the input of Bill Foley's Black Knights for the past year. Now Lennon, whose Pars side have also benefited from a cash injection from new owners, hopes the positive vibes in boardrooms at our top clubs can be reflected on the park too. Russell Martin and Derek McInnes are set to bring in new eras at Rangers and Hearts and Lennon reckons the challenge is there for them and others to lift their levels. Asked if the fresh investment in the game is exciting, he said: 'I hope so. I've not been overly impressed with the levels in the last couple of years. 'So I'm hoping there's going to be an improvement in the consistency of performance and quality from the teams. 'Not just domestically, but in Europe as well. I think there's been a drop-off. I don't know if it's over-coaching or over-analysis. It's not just in Scottish football. ‌ 'It's just a view I have of the game overall. I don't think it's as good as it was maybe a decade ago. Not as exciting or teams aren't as consistent as they used to be. 'I'll give an example. My first year back in the Premiership at Hibs we got 67 points and finished fourth. I don't know what fourth place got you this year, 53. ‌ 'Take Celtic out the equation and for the rest of the teams, the big clubs, I'm thinking there has to be more consistency there to give the other teams a bloody nose. 'Is outside investment what's been needed? I don't know. We've had outside investment before.' Analytics is the buzzword across Scottish football these days with Hearts benefiting from Brighton owner Tony Bloom's Jamestown tool and Hibs well down the road using Foley's Black Knights model. ‌ It's coming into play at Dunfermline too under new owners James Bord and Evan Sofer. Bord is a former poker champion who founded the sports data company Short Circuit Science. The US-based businessman even spent time working for Hearts' new investor Bloom earlier in his career. ‌ Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Connor Young and Tashan Oakley-Boothe have already been signed with the help of analytics. And Lennon admits it's about who does data best. He said: 'Yeah, probably. Brighton are the classic example, Brentford as well. The improvement in those two clubs has been fantastic and their recruitment is fantastic. 'It's all about that, it is 80 percent of my job, that will help me bring success to the football club. It's not set in stone, if I like a player and say I think we should go for him then he (Bord) would have no qualms about doing that. ‌ 'But he does bring a different variation on how you recruit a player, what to look at. You need the evidence and already with Mullen, with Young and with Oakley-Boothe we are seeing evidence that can be successful. 'Management is a really different now. A lot of clubs have a structure where if the appointment of a head coach doesn't work out they take him out and put someone else in but the structure remains. 'That was not the case when I started managing 15 years ago. A lot of clubs have that template. We don't as yet but I think it is something James wants to bring to the club.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store