It has proven to be a quick return to the dugout for Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou was named Nottingham Forest boss this week, replacing the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo, after being booted out himself by Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
Given the noise around Celtic, as well as Brendan Rodgers’ contract expiring at the end of the season, there were some suggestions that Postecoglou could return to Glasgow next summer.
But instead, it’s Forest who are going to be duly entertained with his services, and Alan Shearer spoke about how his style of play is going to fare at the City Ground, given the verbal pelters he took at Spurs, despite winning them the Europa League.
Ange Postecoglou Unveiled As New Nottingham Forest Head Coach
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Alan Shearer on Celtic ‘pressure’ as Ange Postecoglou appointed Nottingham Forest manager
There is already negative noise surrounding Postecoglou because critics are questioning whether his all-action style of play will succeed for a counter-attacking side.
However, Shearer explained that Postecoglou has been in ‘pressure’ situations at clubs like Celtic, so he will be immune to what comes his way next, as he told the Rest is Football Podcast.
“You mentioned that pressure,” said Shearer. “I think managers just switch off to that, because whatever manager you are of a big football club. Nottingham Forest are, Spurs are, Celtic are, and what have you.
“You just have to accept it goes with it, so I don’t think it affects these managers now. It’s a weird (occupation management), it’s very, very strange, it is mental, it is stupid.”
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Don’t rule out Forest meeting Celtic in the Europa League, because you can sense that it is written in the stars for that to happen.
But Shearer is one of those critics who can’t see how that ‘high line’ from Postecoglou can work for a team like Forest.
“You can’t play that high line with that squad that he’s got there because they’ve been used to a certain way of playing,” said Shearer.
“It’s been really successful and they’ve looked really good. They are a really good team at playing that way, as we saw last season. They pushed the big boys all the way and had some great results last season and into Europe, so I think it’ll be really, really interesting to see what he does in going there.”