ANGE POSTECOGLOU says that it is up to other Scottish clubs to aspire to Celtic’s standard in order to improve competition, after Craig Levein said that the game here would be better off if Celtic and Rangers were to leave the Premiership and play in England.
The former Scotland head coach said this week that he would ‘drive the Old Firm down there myself’ if the opportunity arose, claiming that everyone would benefit from the move, as he also called for both clubs to send £50m back each per season for the rest of the Scottish clubs to share.
But while acknowledging the dominance of his side and the gap between Celtic, Rangers and the rest this term, Postecoglou doesn’t think that lowering the level of teams involved in the competition is the answer.
“Hmm, how many championships have Bayern Munich got in a row at the moment?” Postecoglou said.
“Forever and a day there will be opinions on the game. And it is good theatre, and great to grab your bucket of popcorn and listen to, but it’s not on my radar at the moment. I’m not in that head space.
“I know what you are saying but people are just so in the moment. When was the last time Rangers and Celtic met in a Scottish Cup final? [It was 2002].
“That tells you something. All this stuff is in the moment because we happen to be dominating the competition. Whether it is one team or another, or two teams, it is always the case now.
“In terms of the broader discussion around Scottish football, if the suggestion is that the best way to improve is to take away the highest standard you have within the game, then I don’t believe that. If you want to raise the standards then you try and attain the highest standard that already exists. So, try and build teams up to that rather than give everyone a lower bar.
“Mate, I lived in Australia where there is a salary cap, where there is equalisation and, let me tell you, there is no one in Scotland that would enjoy that walk for one second.”
Postecoglou points to his own example of winning the J-League with Yokohama F. Marinos in 2019 with the 13th biggest budget in the 18-team league as proof of what can be achieved.
“It was the first time the club I was with had won it in 15 years,” he said.
“I’m not saying it is easy to do. In many cases it is a really massive jump. But you are either aspirational or not.
“If you want something to improve, you don’t bring it to its lowest common denominator. You’re not really achieving anything with that.
“People in this country are really passionate about their football, really passionate about their football clubs, I get that.
“It is only two years ago that St Johnstone won two cups. You can take the broader view, and kinda see things in the full calmness of the day, or just go with the hot topic of the day and go all in as one. “My underlying feeling - and this is not just about Scottish football or football in general, but life - I think it is always better to be aspirational than any other way.”
