Ange Postecoglou confesses Celtic ‘love’ amid return question as he can’t deny Nottingham Forest mistake

Former Rangers defender Craig Moore has revealed that Ange Postecoglou spoke glowingly about his spell at Celtic when the pair met last month, despite the Australian currently being out of work following a disastrous short-lived stint at Nottingham Forest.

Postecoglou is among the names being linked with the Celtic job should Martin O’Neill depart when his contract expires this summer. The 60-year-old was ruthlessly dismissed by Forest after just eight matches in charge, with the club embroiled in a Premier League relegation battle at the time.

However, Postecoglou’s reputation in European football remains strong after his hugely successful period at Celtic, which began in 2021. He led the Hoops to a domestic treble and enjoyed two trophy-laden seasons before moving to Tottenham Hotspur. After guiding Spurs to a fifth-place Premier League finish in his debut campaign, he went on to win the Europa League last season, ending the club’s long wait for silverware.

Despite that success, his time at Tottenham came to an abrupt end, and his subsequent appointment at Nottingham Forest proved to be ill-fated.

Moore recently crossed paths with Postecoglou and former Celtic captain Kevin Muscat in Australia, where the trio watched the Melbourne Derby between Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City together. Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, Moore shared insight into their conversation.

“I was at the Melbourne Derby and sat in the box with Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat,” Moore said. “We enjoyed the game and I had a good chance to chat with both of them. Ange spoke very fondly about his time at Celtic, but he also admitted that he may have jumped into the Nottingham Forest job too quickly.

“All managers believe strongly in themselves, but with hindsight he said he probably should have taken a bit more time. That said, we all know he’ll land on his feet.”

Moore was also asked whether he raised the possibility of a return to Celtic Park with Postecoglou. With O’Neill currently in charge but only contracted until the end of the season, speculation continues to grow.

“I didn’t ask him that, to be honest,” Moore added. “Sometimes great memories are best left untouched, because going back can bring different challenges. But what I do know is that Ange has a real affection for the club.

“He loved Glasgow—and unfortunately for me, he was extremely successful there.”