Ange Postecoglou says quitting Celtic mid-season was 'never a possibility' as old Brighton link resurfaces

Spurs boss was linked with the Brighton job last year while still in charge of Celtic

Ange Postecoglou with the Scottish Cup trophy which completed a domestic treble in his second and final season with Celtic. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Ange Postecoglou has insisted he was never going to leave Celtic before the end of last season despite rumours he was on the Brighton shortlist prior to their appointment of Roberto De Zebri.

Postecoglou was in the early stages of his second season at Celtic – a campaign which would result in winning a historic domestic treble – when the link to the Premier League side emerged in September 2022.

The Seagulls opted for Italian De Zerbi with former Australia head coach Postecoglou insisting no talks took place while stressing he would not have entertained an approach before completing his second full season in charge of the Parkhead side.

Such a move from Brendan Rodgers back in 2019 incurred the wrath of Celtic fans when the now returned manager quit the club for Leicester City in the midst of a treble-winning campaign.

Postecoglou left for Tottenham just days after Scottish Cup win over Inverness in June but he explained that any departure from Celtic mid-season was off the table as he prepares to take his Spurs side to the Amex Stadium on Thursday.

“No-one knew about me a year ago mate,” Postecoglou joked. “No, look I didn’t have discussions with Brighton at the time and to be honest there wasn’t really the possibility that I would leave Celtic mid-season.

“I had only been there a year-and-a-half and even though there was nothing real and people weren’t really saying to me that clubs wanted to talk to me, I kind of knew in my mind that if I was going to do it, it would have to be after the second year because I was never going to leave within the year.”