'Be better' - Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou insists lessons must be learned from SFWA awards fall-out

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has called for lessons to be learned from the sexism storm that engulfed the Scottish Football Writers’ Association (SFWA) annual awards night.

The SFWA issued an apology over the language used by one of their after-dinner speakers after sports broadcaster Eilidh Barbour said she felt “unwelcome” at Sunday's event following comments made during the keynote speech.

The presenter, who hosts Scottish football on Sky Sports as well as numerous sports on the BBC, tweeted: “Never felt so unwelcome in the industry I work in than sitting at the Scottish Football Writers Awards. A huge reminder there is still so much to do in making our game an equal place.”

Times journalist, Gabriella Bennett – who is also co-chair of Women in Journalism – also walked out during the speech and Postecoglou, who picked up the award for Manager of the Year at the event, insists organisers must do better.

"For me the key thing to come out of that, you can treat it as a little bit of controversy or you can treat it as a moment where you can be better," he told Sky Sports.

"I think we're constantly looking to these moments where we can all be better in terms of what we do and the way we approach things. We've got to understand there are peope in that room who have different values and different views.

"Irrespective of that there's an opportunity there to learn, I think for all of us. The organisers have come out and apologised and I don't think they did it with any harmful intent. But if they just focus on the controversy or try to put it to one side than there's a failure there to try and be better next time. Understand it and talk to the people who were upset on the night.

"For me, in that space, I think we shouldn't really be having those kind of moments. People should already know. But in the case of a misstep what you want to do is be better the next time."

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou won the Scottish Football Writers' Association’s Manager of the Year award.

The SFWA said it would work to review and improve the format of the event in a statement which read: “The Scottish Football Writers’ Association apologises to anyone offended or upset by material from one of our after-dinner speakers at last night’s annual awards dinner.

“We have agreed unanimously that this will act as a catalyst to review and improve the format of our future events to make it an enjoyable and inspirational event for all.”