Ange Postecoglou linked to Celtic after Brendan Rodgers splits with Scottish club

Ange Postecoglou would "seriously consider" a return to Celtic after Brendan Rodgers left his role at the Scottish club, ending his second spell in charge after a poor start to the season.

Rodgers' exit comes amid mounting pressure over results, including a shock Champions League qualifying defeat by Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty in August and a 3-1 league loss at Hearts on Sunday that left Celtic trailing in the title race.

It marked the champions' second consecutive league defeat, keeping them second with 17 points, eight behind leaders Hearts.

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Rodgers returned to Celtic Park in 2023 for his second stint, guiding the Glasgow side to back-to-back league titles.

The 52-year-old had also steered Celtic to domestic trebles during his first spell in 2017 and 2018.

Football Insider reports the Australian manager, who was axed from Nottingham Forest after just 39 days in charge, would "seriously consider" making a surprise return to Celtic if the opportunity came up.

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However, that's in contrast to previous comments made by Postecoglou, who addressed the prospect of returning to Celtic with Football Scotland in 2023.

"I feel like whenever I've left (a club), I've left on the back of success and I like to leave that memory as it is. I just don't think there's any real purpose," he said.

"I wouldn't see myself going back anywhere I've been but who knows?"

News of Postecoglou's possible return received mixed reactions from pundits and fans, with most pointing to the lack of preparation for the role.

"Would be wrong move for Ange. You don't go back. It's not his team and he won't be able to instil his style of football given he's had no pre-season with them. It'd be Nottingham Forest all over again," football writer Ray Gatt wrote on X.

Rodgers' exit was followed by a strongly worded message by Celtic's largest individual shareholder Dermot Desmond, who accused Rodgers of publicly undermining the club despite being offered a contract extension and full backing only months ago.

Desmond said that when Celtic brought Rodgers back two years ago, it was done "with complete trust and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of sustained success".

"Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent months have not reflected that trust," he said.

"In June, both (chief executive) Michael Nicholson and I expressed to Brendan that we were keen to offer him a contract extension ... Yet in subsequent press conferences, Brendan implied that the club had made no commitment to offer him a contract. That was simply untrue."

Desmond added Rodgers was given final say over all football matters and was backed in the recruitment process, with "record investment in players he personally identified and approved".

"Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self‐serving," Desmond added. "They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the Board."

Desmond stressed that the club's structure, "where the manager oversees football, the Chief Executive manages operations, and the Board provides oversight" had served Celtic well for more than two decades.

Former boss Martin O'Neill has been appointed interim manager.

- with Reuters