Peter Grant defends Ange Postecoglou and slams English football snobbery
Peter Grant has passionately defended Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at Celtic, hitting out at what he perceives as condescending attitudes from south of the border.
During Postecoglou’s two years in charge of Celtic, the Australian-Greek manager guided the team to five major domestic trophies, including a Treble, before taking the reins at Tottenham Hotspur. Now, in just his second season in charge of Spurs, he has led them to the Europa League final after defeating Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, setting up a clash with fellow Premier League side Manchester United in Bilbao.
Despite Postecoglou’s impressive achievements, Grant believes the former Celtic boss still doesn’t get the credit he deserves in England due to lingering scepticism about the Scottish game.
Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show, Grant said:
“It was like the middle of winter in that Bodo/Glimt match. Ange had clearly prepared the team well. I’m absolutely delighted for him and for Scottish football. People down south always say, ‘He only managed Celtic,’ but let’s not kid ourselves—aside from Manchester United, most Premier League clubs couldn’t compare to Celtic or Rangers in terms of pressure and expectations.”
Grant, who spent nearly three decades involved in English football, argued that managing a club like Celtic brings greater scrutiny than many Premier League jobs, adding:
“Down there, local papers just hype up their own teams. Up here, it’s a completely different level. Even in England, they keep bringing up that he was at Celtic, as if to downplay it. It’s disrespectful.”
He hopes Postecoglou goes on to lift the Europa League trophy, saying it would be a major win not only for Spurs but also for Scottish football’s reputation.
Ange Postecoglou fires back at English media after reaching Europa League final
After Spurs secured their place in the 2025 Europa League final, Postecoglou was in no mood to play down the occasion when facing the media at Bodo/Glimt’s modest stadium. Known for his bluntness, he didn’t hold back when a reporter described the final as a contest between two “struggling” Premier League teams.
Postecoglou replied:
“That’s going to ruffle some feathers, isn’t it? Now the debate is that if either of us wins, it won’t even count—they’ll just take a team photo instead of a trophy because we’re apparently not worthy.”
He added:
“Struggling in the league? That’s irrelevant. This is a European competition. Both clubs have earned their place in the final, and that’s what matters.”
