Celtic seem in danger of repeating their Eddie Howe horrors as they attempt to appoint Ange Postecoglou as manager.
Eleven days Post Howe the club seems to be sending out the same media messages that their new manager is on his way.
After Howe was reported to have held face-to-face with Dermot Desmond and Dom McKay the word from the club was that they were relaxed about the appointment as fans fretted about the delay and time lost rebuilding the playing squad.
This morning, Michael Gannon tells Daily Record readers:
But Record Sport understands compensation has been thrashed out with the Japanese outfit and personal terms have also been verbally agreed.
Celtic are hoping to get the new gaffer on a plane to conclude the deal as soon as possible – but the 55-year-old will run into quarantine problems.
Postecoglou will need to do 10 days in isolation – leaving current coaches John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan to welcome back the players on June 17.
#Celtic in advanced talks with Ange Postecoglou and are tonight close to appointing him as manager. Postecoglou, 55, has been working in Japan with Yokohoma F. Marinos
— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) May 28, 2021
The biggest irony in all this is the position of Dom McKay. Realising the enormity of the task that he was inheriting on July 1 he negotiated his early departure from the SRU to walk into Celtic Park on April 19. Since then McKay hasn’t said a word in public.
Back on Day 71 (May 6) of the search for Neil Lennon’s replacement, Keith Jackson explained in the Daily Record:
The anger of the fans may have subsided. But the feelings of resentment on the streets outside continue to soar. Lawwell and McKay are too smart not to realise it. Desmond is too invested in this club’s fortunes not to care.
So it seems reasonable to assume then that, inside the building, another calculated gamble has been made behind its closed doors.
That those closest to these confidential conversations appear to be entirely relaxed about what happens next, also suggests not only that some sort of action plan has been thrashed out and agreed but that it is already being put into practice well out of public view.
The smart money remains heavily stacked on Eddie Howe’s eventual appointment as Lennon’s permanent replacement. The informed word is, it’s only a matter of when Desmond lands his top target as opposed to if.
Postecoglou won’t be at Lennoxtown for training on June 17, with Yokohama having a match on Wednesday June 9 and no sign of an announcement time is slipping away for the Australian just as Celtic allowed it to as they put up their ‘relaxed’ notice when asked in private about Howe’s appointment.
Keith Jackson was the only newspaper reporter to get an interview with Peter Lawwell in 2020.