Ange Postecoglou is perfect next Scotland manager as ex-Celtic boss brings high octane buzz Tartan Army crave
The Scottish FA have commenced their search to find Steve Clarke’s successor as Scotland head coach
After guiding the nation to three major tournaments and rubber-stamping his place as the country’s most successful manager, Steve Clarke has called time on his seven years in charge following confirmation of Scotland’s latest World Cup group stage exit.
As the nation continues to digest the news of Clarke’s decision to step down despite signing a new four-year deal to remain in charge of the national team ahead of the tournament, the question on every Tartan Army foot-soldier’s lips is who will be the man to replace him.
With the Scottish FA’s hunt commencing, one thing is for sure - Clarke vacates an international role that is now a far greater and attractive proposition than the one he inherited from Alex McLeish back in 2019.
In his farewell statement, the former Kilmarnock boss noted he was advised not to touch a “poisoned chalice” when approached about taking on the job. That outlook has changed entirely now, with the groundwork laid for his successor to build on. The next step is about not just qualifying for tournaments, but to compete better at them.
Here, The Scotsman’s football writer Lewis Anderson puts forward his case for ex-Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou to be handed the keys to Hampden this time around.
Would Ange Postecoglou be open to international management return?
A vastly experienced coach on the international stage after spending just over four years in charge of the Australian national team between 2013 and 2017, Postecoglou is familiar with Scottish football after his trophy-laden two-year spell in charge of Celtic.
His tenure in Glasgow’s east end was defined by a thrilling, high-tempo, attacking brand of football and an excellent recruitment strategy. He took over Celtic at a time when they had just lost the Premiership title to city rivals Rangers and completely transformed the squad to reclaim their domestic dominance.
Engineering a terrific 32-game unbeaten league run during his debut season and a 31-match domestic unbeaten run in his second campaign, Postecoglou revolutionised Celtic’s identity by adopting an aggressive, possession-based style, dubbed “Angeball” that often led to some high-scoring results.
And following a couple of tough years south of the border in the English Premier League, Postecoglou may fancy a return to international football with a Scotland squad still brimming with top talent. He also made it clear how much his family enjoyed residing in Glasgow.
Widely known for his “if you're good enough, you're old enough” philosophy, Postecoglou has never shied away from his commitment developing young players. Throughout his managerial career, including his time at Celtic and more recently with Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest, Postecoglou has placed an emphasis on the importance of giving youngsters first-team opportunities.
At Celtic, his outlook paved the way for the likes of a 16-year-old Ben Gannon-Goak to make their senior breakthroughs, before his move to Spurs saw several academy standouts gain significant minutes and make a notable impact, including last season’s Rangers fan favourite Mikey Moore.
Experienced campaigners set to make way for stars of the future
Scotland are reaching the end of one cycle and about to enter the next chapter. For many squad mainstays, the 2026 FIFA World Cup was last-chance saloon to achieve what no previous Scotland team has managed - by successfully making it out of the group stage for the first time after 12 failed attempts. The manner of this latest failure will be extremely hard to stomach for some.
It’s time to build for the future. The appointment of a head coach who isn’t afraid to actively integrate youngsters is now required. It’s for that reason that Postecoglou fits the bill and must be under serious consideration.
Without gaining vital experience at the highest level, it will take a long time for Scotland to unearth their next batch of future stars. The fear of entering into another period of decline will grow unless caps are dished out to players who “will only develop if they play” in Postecoglou’s own words.
Yet while he trusts younger players, Postecoglou is also protective of them. He has previously expressed caution about applying too much pressure on teenagers to carry a club forward during a troubled spell, preferring to ease them in so as not to damage their career prematurely. The upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign presents Scotland with that opportunity.
With the recent emergence of Findlay Curtis and Tyler Fletcher, in addition to players like Ben Gannon-Doak, Lennon Miller, Aaron Hickey and Tommy Conway, whoever succeeds Clarke will have a bright and exciting pool of youngsters to lead us into the next phase.
Whilst overseeing the Socceroos’ progress, Postecoglou posted a record of 22 wins, 12 draws, and 15 losses. Highlights included winning the nation’s first-ever major continental trophy on home soil - the 2015 AFC Asian Cup - leading the squad to a competitive 2014 World Cup showing before guiding them through a successful 2018 World Cup qualification.
Ange, you’ll do nicely...
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