Now that Ange Postecoglou has flown the nest to the land of milk and honey, we are left to brace ourselves for the aftershocks of a second Spurs raid.
If there is one thing the last five days has taught us, it’s that Ange won’t consider the impact on Celtic if he feels we have members of staff or players who will improve his team down in London.
Ange previously warned Celtic fans not to get too attached to our heroes. He also expected us to lose “one or two” stars in the summer, but we didn’t expect to be losing them to Postecoglou himself.
We have all read the reports linking members of what was his Celtic backroom team – John Kennedy, Gavin Strachan, and Greg Wallace – but he may also come in for some of the talismanic figures who were at the heart of his two successful years on the pitch in Glasgow.
HANDS OFF OUR HEROES
Kyogo Furuhashi has been outstanding since arriving at Celtic Park, netting 54 times in 83 games, and summer interest in the striker would come as no surprise. Ange was aware of Furuhashi from his time in Japan and wasted no time bringing him to Glasgow when he arrived as manager of Celtic. He is a big game player, domestically at least, with five cup final goals in the hoops already to his name. His star has not shone as brightly in Europe, however, leading some to doubt whether Kyogo could cut it in the EPL.
Kyogo’s international team-mate, Reo Hatate, may also be on the radars of several English clubs. A standout performer for Celtic over the last two campaigns, Hatate was recently moved to respond to speculation linking him with a move to Brighton. These rumours were frenzied after Hatate was missing from the title celebrations at Tynecastle, leading the midfielder to insist, “People are reading too much into it. I had my personal things so I had to be away from the team. But that’s all, nothing else. I wasn’t at the Brighton game – I watched it on the television in my house. The main thing is that I play for Celtic.”
Jota is another player who, I feel, could comfortably transition to English football. Let’s just hope that our double-denimed superstar from Portugal fancies another crack at the Champions League, having opened his scoring account in the competition last season against Real Madrid.
BACKROOM TEAM IN DEMAND
When Ange arrived at Celtic, he did so alone, going as far to explain that he enjoys working with new coaching staff.
However, as he was heading off to Spurs, it was his intention to take Kennedy, Strachan and Wallace with him. Celtic are said to be keen on retaining the three, but Kennedy has apparently made the club aware that he would like to follow Ange down to Tottenham.
Ange seems keen to retain these three, and there is no guarantee that the new Celtic gaffer will want to keep any of them, so there is an inevitability about their imminent departures.
Talking about John Kennedy on Wednesday’s ACSOM Bulletin, Paul John Dykes had this to say: “I think there comes a time when, on a personal level, that guy (Kennedy) is going to take an opportunity, and I know that he got massive kudos for turning down Brendan Rodgers when everybody else went down there for all the riches and all that kind of stuff.
“He’s still here, and this is me being the emotional fan, I like the fact that there is a link there through the decades, I spoke about this before, whereby you look at that old picture of him signing, and it’s Willie McStay standing behind him.
“You look at Willie McStay signing and it’s Sean Fallon; Sean Fallon was signed by Jimmy McGrory and McGrory was signed by (Willie) Maley and I like that bloodline.
“But there sometimes comes a point where, you know what? Let’s refresh, let’s look at it as an opportunity to refresh.”
However, this is all speculation just now with a Tottenham statement saying: “We shall confirm Ange’s coaching staff in due course.”
We have no idea who will make their way down to Spurs this summer, but whether it be players or staff, I have no doubt that Ange won’t give Celtic a second thought if he gets the bodies he wants.
BOBBY GORDON
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