Ange Postecoglou is already held as a template for all aspiring Australian managers - and Nick Montgomery reckons his Celtic stint is elevating his long-term stature down under.
The former Socceroos boss - who guided his nation to the World Cup and set the Australian football code record for longest undefeated sporting streak of 36 games at Brisbane Roar - has made himself a hero at Parkhead. After picking the club up from the wreckage of their 10-in-a-row bid under Neil Lennon, rebuilding the squad and installing a new style of play, he claimed his first Premiership title along with the League Cup within his first 12 months in charge.
It's not bad for someone who was written off as a failure before he even got off the plane from Japanese club Yokohama Marinos to take charge of the Hoops a year ago and there have been plenty of watching eyes from the other side of the world. Inflatable kangaroos are now a common sight at home matches but Montgomery sees a more important cultural impact coming off the back of Postecoglou's success.
His hope is that coaches like him can earn the trust of big clubs abroad after seeing that a relatively unknown face to the European scene like the Celtic gaffer can not only work, but thrive.
Montgomery has been in charge of Central Coast Mariners since 2021 after five years as a player and three years as assistant, facing Postecoglou in that time. He has the added advantage of 12 years of service to Sheffield United behind him, but hopes coaching ability founded down under can make him and others standout.
Speaking exclusively to Glasgow Live Sport, he said: "I dealt with Ange as a player when he was coaching here. I have been in touch with him once or twice during his journey in Japan and now Scotland. It's great for him to be an Australian coach and to go to a club like Celtic.
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"He has proven a lot of doubters wrong. A lot of people thought it was a massive ask for him as he was pretty much unknown on that side of the world. But he'd had success in the A-League and Japan. I could see how he'd be a success there.
"Hopefully he is setting the trend for many more coaches to come over from the A-League to overseas and get opportunities at big clubs."
Hearts have raided Central Coast for centre-back Kye Rowles while right-back Lewis Miller has gone to Hibs. They join a growing list of players heading from the A-League to Scotland and Montgomery isn't surprised.
He believes it's only a matter of time before more and more leagues begin to see the true quality of Australia's top division, even if it still has room for improvement.
The Mariners boss added: "The quality of the league is growing. It's a really good standard but because it's so far away, it probably doesn't get the respect it deserves.
"I was fortunate to play in the Premier League and Championship for many years. But when I came here, I probably underestimated it a bit.
"Boys are coming from a top level from all over the world. For myself, to be a young coach and working with young players who are moving overseas, there's quality players. What they maybe lack is they don't play as many games as you do overseas.
"That's one thing the country has to improve on. We need more games for younger players and there's only 12 teams here, so it's a lot harder to become professional."
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