Ange Postecoglou has seen first hand what Knutsen is all about and has come out on both sides in battles with Scandi candidate
Kjetil Knutsen and Ange Postecoglou
Celtic managerial candidate Kjetil Knutsen already has the seal of approval from a former Hoops boss.
The Norwegian has been linked with vacancies across the continent after taking the European game by storm with unfancied Bodo/Glimt.
Norwegian champions in four of the last five years, the club from the Arctic Circle have become the envy of many thanks to a stylish and effective way of playing coupled with a smart recruitment and player trading model.
Celtic discovered exactly what sort of team Bodo were to their cost back in 2022, being dumped out of the Europa Conference League 5-1 on aggregate in the playoff round following the group stage.
Then boss Ange Postecoglou would get his revenge last year however.
The pair faced off in the group stage of the Champions League, with only a dramatic Tottenham comeback inlcuding a late own goal denying Bodo all three points.
Both failed to make it out of the league phase, dropping into the Europa League and incredibly, Knutsen guided Bodo to the semi-finals of the with Ange’s Tottenham standing between them and a place in the final.
Spurs proved too strong over two legs for the Scandinavians, winning 3-1 in Noerth London before finishing the job in Nrway with a 2-0 victory.
Postecoglou knows exactly what it takes to achieve sustained success at Celtic.
And his glowing assessment of Knutsen’s skillset suggests that the Norwegian may just have what it takes too if he is given the nod as Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor.
Speaking before that semi-final clash, Postecoglou said: “A good guy. Obviously, I met him a few years back, and he has done really well with them.
“He has had a real clear identity about the way he wants his team to play. He’s created a real strong culture at the club, not just from a football perspective but from a mental perspective, and you see that. He has done very well.”
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