Celts Are Here

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.

Ange Postecoglou is reportedly set to leave Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season, even if they secure Champions League football by winning the Europa League.

The Telegraph report that after two seasons in North London following his successful spell at Celtic, the Australian looks set to move on—with Spurs’ Chief Football Officer Scott Munn also on the brink of departure. Munn, who joined Tottenham in 2023, was believed to have played a huge role in convincing Postecoglou to leave Celtic.

Now, with Munn expected to be replaced by former Arsenal Chief Executive Vinai Venkatesham at the end of the season, Spurs are bracing for a major shake-up at the top, with Venkatesham already confirmed as the club’s new CEO.

Having suffered his 18th league defeat of the season against Nottingham Forest last night at home, Ange was unable to build on the 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday in the Europa League in Germany, which had secured a place in the semifinals against Bodo/Glimt.

Spurs’ 18 league defeats mean that only the bottom three teams in the Premier League have lost more games this season, with Tottenham sitting 16th in the table.

Injuries may have played their part in such a poor domestic campaign, however, Daniel Levy is known for his impatience with managers—and that appears to be the case again with Ange.

What the future holds for Ange remains to be seen, but if he wins the Europa League with Tottenham and then departs at the end of the season—securing Champions League football and delivering Spurs’ first trophy since 2008—it would go down as one of the biggest achievements of his management career, alongside winning the treble with Celtic in his final year in charge.

Ange Postecoglou’s time at Tottenham is teetering on the brink, with Thursday’s Europa League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt shaping up as a make-or-break moment for the former Celtic boss.

Spurs’ 4-2 collapse at home to 16th-placed Wolves has heaped pressure on the Australian, whose side now sit a dismal 15th in the Premier League. Hopes of European progress are also hanging by a thread after a 1-1 draw in London left their quarter-final tie delicately poised.

It’s a far cry from the promise of last season, when Postecoglou’s early impact and bold attacking football had Spurs fans dreaming of a new dawn, finishing 5th. But the swagger of Angeball has vanished, replaced by a side lacking conviction and consistency.

Thursday night in Germany may now decide whether Postecoglou sees out the season. Victory over Frankfurt could buy him time — defeat could seal his fate.

Even if he survives the European test, a daunting domestic run-in awaits, starting with high-flying Nottingham Forest this weekend and including dates with Liverpool, Arsenal, West Ham, Brighton, and Aston Villa.

Just two years into his Spurs tenure, the former Celtic treble winner looks like a man on borrowed time.