Celts Are Here

Daizen Maeda is attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Fenerbahce, but the Japanese forward appears focused on continuing his journey with Celtic into next season. [Sozcu]

The 27-year-old, who has scored 33 goals for the club this season, has been a key figure under both Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers. His relentless work rate and eye for goal have made him a fan favourite, and his recent comments suggest he’s far from finished in Glasgow.

Speaking recently, Maeda said: “I was in great form this season, both personally and so were the team. So I’d like to keep it going next season. I am who I am because of my team, Celtic. I’d like to thank my teammates and, above all, my family for supporting me so far. I’d be happy if I could score more goals next season. I hope the number of goals will continue to increase.”

Despite his clear commitment, speculation around his future continues to grow. Reports from Turkey claim Fenerbahce, managed by Jose Mourinho, are preparing a bid in excess of €10 million (£8.5 million). However, that falls well short of Celtic’s valuation, believed to be in the region of £25 million. [Sozcu]

The reliability of Turkish media reports has been questioned in the past, and any report of a move from Fenerbahce should be taken cautiously at this stage, as should his price tag.

Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs have also been credited with an interest. The Australian knows Maeda well, having signed him twice already. First at Yokohama and then again at Celtic. Should Postecoglou remain in charge at Spurs, it’s not unthinkable that he could look to make it a hat-trick.

Unless a club meets the Hoops’ valuation, there’s little suggestion that a move is imminent. Still, with suitors circling and the transfer window edging closer, Celtic may have a decision to make before the summer is out.

Tottenham Hotspur would have to shell out around £4 million if they decide to part ways with Ange Postecoglou, according to a report in The Telegraph.

Despite guiding Spurs to their first European trophy in over 40 years with a dramatic Europa League win over Manchester United, Postecoglou’s future remains in limbo following a dire domestic season that saw the North London club finish 17th in the Premier League.

The Australian is still waiting to learn his fate, with club chiefs, including chairman Daniel Levy, yet to hold post-season talks.

Postecoglou has spoken recently about the shift in mindset that winning a trophy brings, something he believes will be pivotal in helping Spurs push on next season, particularly with Champions League football now back on the agenda.

However, should Levy decide to make a change, it won’t come cheap. The Telegraph claims sacking Postecoglou would cost around £4 million in compensation. That figure is before factoring in a £2 million bonus due for delivering European silverware.

For a club trying to rebuild and move forward, the financial and footballing gamble of sacking the former Celtic boss who delivered success in the form of a trophy in his second season – after finishing fifth in his first.

Ally McCoist has leapt to the defence of Ange Postecoglou amid mounting speculation that the former Celtic boss could be sacked by Tottenham Hotspur—despite delivering European silverware.

Postecoglou’s second season in North London brought a mixed bag. Spurs slumped to a dismal 17th-place finish in the Premier League, but crucially, they lifted the Europa League title—ending a 17-year wait for a major trophy and sealing a return to the Champions League.

Reports in England have suggested that might not be enough to spare Postecoglou, with Daniel Levy said to be weighing up the Australian’s future. But McCoist, never shy about his Rangers loyalties, set those aside as he launched a scathing defence of the man who dominated Scottish football during his two-year spell at Celtic.

He said: (talkSPORT),”It’s probably the only profession on the planet where we sit and talk about someone new coming into a job, when the current person is still in a job, and has been incredibly successful in that job over the past three or four weeks.

“The irony isn’t lost on me. I think it would be remarkably harsh. You’re talking about someone who’s got the club Champions League football and their first trophy in 17-odd years.

“Yes, we all know the league position was shocking, but you could almost see him throw all his eggs in one basket towards the end of the season.

“I don’t care what anyone says; if someone had said ‘We’ll give you the Europa League and Champions League football’ to any Spurs fan at the start of the season, they are biting your hand off. And that’s it.

“So for me, if he loses the job – and by the way, knowing that club, and knowing the way it’s run, that’s absolutely possible – then that’s just the world we live in. It’s just the world Tottenham live in, to tell you the truth.”

Postecoglou is still held in high regard by Celtic fans after winning five trophies in two seasons, including a treble.

McCoist famously joked he’d carry Ange down south himself if it meant him leaving Celtic. But now, with Postecoglou under pressure, the Ibrox icon has shown genuine respect for his former rival.

Fabrizio Romano has provided a major update on the future of Ange Postecoglou, directly contradicting claims made by Football Insider that the Tottenham hierarchy has already decided to cut ties with the Australian.

Taking to X, Romano reports that the former Celtic boss’s future will be decided in the coming days and that the situation remains open.

He adds that Thomas Frank and Marco Silva are both appreciated by the Spurs board and have been discussed internally as potential options should the club decide to sack Postecoglou.

This update pours cold water on earlier claims that the decision had already been made to move on from Postecoglou, with only the timing of the announcement to be confirmed. Romano’s insight suggests the process is still active, and no final call has been made.

Postecoglou, who led Celtic to a domestic treble before departing for North London, delivered Tottenham their first European trophy in over four decades this season.

However, league form fell short of expectations, sparking debate over his long-term future at the club.

Just over a week after delivering Tottenham’s first major trophy in 17 years, Ange Postecoglou is reportedly on the brink of being sacked.

Despite lifting the Europa League and booking Champions League football for next season, the former Celtic manager is said to be on his way out at Spurs.

Football Insider reports that the Tottenham hierarchy has already decided to cut ties with Postecoglou, having waited for the emotions of their triumph in Bilbao to cool and for the fanbase’s reaction to surface. The move, if true, would represent a staggering dismissal of a manager who’s overcome massive adversity this season.

Spurs’ league campaign was a disaster. A chronic injury crisis left Ange working with a patched-up squad for most of the year, and the club stumbled to a finish just above the relegation zone. Even so, he masterminded a European run that ended with silverware — their first since 2008 — and the added bonus of Champions League qualification.

Celtic fans will be watching this unfold with disbelief, but not surprise. Ange was a transformative figure in Glasgow’s East End, winning five out of six domestic trophies across two seasons and restoring a winning mentality at the club. He built a new-look side that re-established Celtic’s dominance in Scotland and played football that matched the fans’ expectations.

What Postecoglou achieved in his short time at Celtic made his move to England inevitable. But Tottenham, true to form, appear incapable of recognising what they’ve got. Even now, in the face of clear progress, they look set to bin a manager who’s just won them a European trophy and brought Champions League football back to the club.

Celtic have reportedly earned more money from European football this season than Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur.

The Hoops are said to have earned around €46.2 million (£39.5m) in UEFA prize money from their run in the Champions League. That total is higher than the €45.4 million (£38.9m) picked up by Spurs, even though they won a European trophy.

Celtic finished 21st out of 36 in the new Champions League league phase and lost to Bayern Munich in the knockout playoff round. But their early exit still brought in big money. The prize pot included a €15.64 million fee just for taking part, bonus payments for results in the group stage, €10.23 million based on their club ranking, and around €7 million from the TV market pool.

Tottenham, on the other hand, went all the way in the Europa League, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final in Bilbao. But even that success wasn’t enough to match Celtic’s earnings. Despite lifting the trophy, Spurs earned less overall from UEFA’s distribution.

This puts Celtic 25th in the list of top earners from European football this season, just ahead of Tottenham in 26th. It shows how valuable the Champions League is financially, even if a team doesn’t get far in the competition. Just getting into the group stage is worth millions to the club.

Looking ahead, next season brings a big challenge for Brendan Rodgers’ team. Even though they reached the knockout playoffs this year, they are not guaranteed a Champions League place next time.

They’ll have to get through a two-legged qualifying tie in late August. If they don’t, they could end up in the Europa League—or out of Europe altogether.

That would mean missing out on a huge payday, with over €40 million on the line. Winning that qualifier could be one of the most important matches of their season.

Fraser Forster will leave Tottenham Hotspur at the end of June. The goalkeeper is out of contract and will not be getting a new deal. That means the former Celtic star will be a free agent this summer.

Forster joined Spurs in 2022 after leaving Southampton. He made 34 appearances for the London side in three seasons. Most of his time was spent as a back-up keeper, first under Antonio Conte and then under Ange Postecoglou.

With Tottenham now looking ahead to Champions League football, they are making changes to the squad. Forster, along with Alfie Whiteman and Sergio Reguilon, will move on.

While his time at Spurs was quiet, Forster is still very well remembered in Glasgow. He had two spells at Celtic – first on loan from Newcastle United in 2010, then signing permanently in 2012. He later returned for the 2019-20 season. In total, he played 236 games for Celtic and kept 118 clean sheets.

Forster helped Celtic win seven trophies, including four league titles. But fans remember him most for his amazing saves on big nights. His best performance came against Barcelona in 2012. Celtic won 2-1 at Parkhead on their 125th anniversary. Forster made several stunning saves and was called ‘The Great Wall’ by Spanish media. Only a late Lionel Messi goal beat him.

He also stood out in big matches against Rangers and Lazio. His size, calmness, and strong hands made him a fan favourite.

Ange Postecoglou’s future as Tottenham Hotspur head coach remains uncertain following a bizarre season that ended in both glory and gloom.

The former Celtic boss led Spurs to their first European trophy in over four decades, beating Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao. It was a landmark moment for the club – and a personal triumph for Postecoglou – just two years after leaving Parkhead.

However, that success has been overshadowed by a disastrous domestic campaign. Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League, narrowly avoiding relegation and suffering a club-record 22 defeats. The contrast between their European run and league form has left major question marks over Postecoglou’s future in North London.

According to football.london, a decision from chairman Daniel Levy is not expected this week, with Postecoglou and other key staff having gone on holiday.

Despite speculation, there remains a genuine possibility that the 59-year-old could stay on. The Europa League win has strengthened his standing with large sections of the fanbase, many of whom believe he’s earned the right to lead the club into next season.

Ange Postecoglou capped his second season at Tottenham Hotspur in sensational style by delivering a long-awaited European trophy, but fans hoping for a dramatic mic drop moment were left disappointed – the former Celtic boss is staying put.

Despite leading Spurs to their first piece of silverware in 17 years with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final, Postecoglou continues to face scrutiny from a section of the fanbase and media. Even on the night of their triumph, calls for his dismissal echoed online.

But the Australian remains focused on the bigger picture. Far from walking away, Postecoglou has signalled his intent to remain and build a team capable of sustained success.

“I’ve had such a laser focus on winning this,” he said, as quoted by the Daily Mail. “Whatever happens, happens. We are still building this team, it is still very young, we need to add experience.

“My thought process has been trying to build a team that can be successful for a long time. I am the manager – it is not in my hands – but it doesn’t affect me. If it did, you would have seen it.

“I want to stay. I haven’t completed the job yet. The moment I accepted the role, I had one thing in my head and that was to win something. I want to build on it.”

Given the time and resources, Ange Postecoglou will build Spurs back up to being a top-six side. It’s been a rocky season, and he’ll be the first to admit that, but he’ll also talk up his plans and assert his confidence heading into next season.

Had he not won on Wednesday night, he would probably be waking up on Thursday morning without a job.

The Greek-Aussie is now preparing for an open bus tour of London on Friday, parading the Europa League.

Ange Postecoglou has hit back strongly at a journalist’s suggestion that he’s a “clown” of a manager, reminding critics of his achievements—including his final game at Celtic, where he won the Scottish Cup and completed a historic treble.

Ahead of Tottenham’s Europa League final clash with Manchester United, Postecoglou was asked about the pressure on him, with reports suggesting he could be sacked even if Spurs lift the trophy. Rather than dodge the question, the former Celtic boss chose to face it head-on.

Postecoglou defended his record and dismissed the idea that he’s under unusual pressure. He explained that he’s been in situations like this before, where a major final marked the end of his spell at a club. His last match for Celtic, the 2023 Scottish Cup final against Inverness, is a case in point—he ended that season by guiding Celtic to a domestic treble before departing for the Premier League.

He said: (BeanymanSports), “But I’ll tell you one thing, irrespective of tomorrow, I’m not a clown and I never will be, mate.

“Really disappointed that you use such terminology about a person who for 26 years, without any favours from anyone, has worked his way to be in a position where he’s leading out a club in a European major competition.

“For you to suggest that somehow us not being successful means that I’m a clown—I’m not really sure how to answer that question.

“I’ve been in this position before, where the big game was the last game I managed. It’s not unusual territory for me and I’ve always navigated that pretty well.

“For me, nothing is more important than my responsibility to this football club and its fans—that tomorrow, me and the players, our minds are only on one thing, and that is trying to create something special.

“I qualified for a World Cup, I left; won the treble with Celtic and left; won at Brisbane, I left. It’s actually more common than you think.”

Tottenham go into tomorrow night’s Europa League final looking to end a long wait for major silverware. While questions continue about Postecoglou’s future in North London, he’s made it clear that his only focus is helping his players deliver when it matters.

When Ange talked about Celtic and the cup final win over Inverness, he showed he knows how to handle big games. It was also a clear message to anyone doubting him—his success over the years proves what he can do.