Ex-Celtic midfielder recalls 'top notch coach' Ange Postecoglou's playing style in Australia

Australia Coach Ange Postecoglou looks on during an Australia Socceroos training session at ANZ Stadium ahead of their World Cup 2018 qualifying play-off against Honduras on November 13, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Hibs, and former Celtic midfielder, Jackson Irvine has spoken of prospective Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou’s ‘hectic’ playing style in the Australian national set-up.

The midfielder is currently on World Cup qualifying duty with the Socceroos after six-months in the SPFL with Hibs but was fulsome in his praise of his former international manager weeks before rumours of his Celtic-link began.

Postecoglou is now believed to be in advanced talks with Celtic following the collapse of the club's proposed move for Eddie Howe to replace Neil Lennon as manager.

Irvine rates the coach highly, and made almost prophetic comments about a move to Europe while recalling the boss’ style going toe-to-toe with Marcelo Bielsa’s talented Chile side.

Speaking to OpenGoal earlier this month Irvine said: “He is an amazing, unbelievable coach. He is a coach I would love to see come to manage in Europe and I think he would do really, really well.

“He ended up falling out with the media and it became a bit messy at the end but as a coach he was top notch.

“The way he was asking us to play was hectic. The year before the [last] World Cup was the Confederations Cup and we played Germany, Cameroon and Chile - Marcelo Bielsa's Chile with Sanchez and Vidal.

“We went toe-to-toe with them in a man-for-man style with these teams.

Jackson Irvine is away on international duty with Australia. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

“Then we qualified [for the World Cup] and he walked away two months before the World Cup. Bert van Marjwick who had been in the 2010 World Cup final with Holland took over and we erased the last four years.”

Irvine believes Postecoglou has the credentials to be a success in Europe - but he remains untested here, though would bring a record of domestic success in Australia and internationally after the 2015 Asian Cup.

He won the Japanese J league with current club Yokohama F Marinos in 2019 and also led Brisbane Roar to A-League Premiership and Championship titles between 2010 and 2012 and also led South melbourne to the Oceania Club Championship.

Celtic have moved targets after confirming the proposed move for Eddie Howe had fallen through for ‘reasons beyond the club’s and Howe’s control’.

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