Celtic FC manager Ange Postecoglou has not hidden from the fact that he wants to retire sipping ouzo on a Mykonos beach.
However, when quizzed by Nova Sport's Monday FC whether he would consider part-time work in his retirement years as the manager of the Greek National Team, Postecoglou said "it would be perfect."
He arrived in Glasgow during the 2021 European summer, with many having to search the credentials of the Athens-born manager on Wikipedia who spent his entire career in Australia, including his beloved South Melbourne Hellas, with Yokohama FC in the J-league, and the Australian National Team.
Postecoglou's sole experience in domestic football outside of Asia was a short stint with Panachaika in the Greek third tier in 2008.
When pushed to talk badly about the club by Monday FC, Postecoglou said that he loved the city of Patras but that the chaos of Greek football and within the club, something the hosts laughed and nodded their heads at, saw him out the door.
Postecoglou took over Celtic FC after the club experienced a disappointing season of not winning any silverware and finishing the league in second place and out of distance of arch nemesis Rangers.
Having taken over a deflated club, he has rejuvenated confidence deserving of a club of Celtic FC's stature.
None-the-less, in speaking with Monday FC, he did not shy away from the difficulties he faced at the beginning of his tenure, although it did ultimately lead into a "very good October and November."
The beginning of the season was so chaotic that Celtic FC began their European campaign to qualify into the Champions League with youth players in the defensive line due to a lack of squad depth.
Unsurprisingly the Scottish side did not progress and then entered the Europa League.
Amongst the chaos of the beginning of the season was the arrival of Greek player Giorgios Giakoumakis, but not until the very last day of the summer transfer window.
On speaking about Giakoumakis to Monday FC, Postecoglou said: "I believe in him, he had a great season with Venlo. [Giakoumakis] came after preseason and was a bit unlucky, but Celtic is a great opportunity for his career. You saw what happened with Samaras."
Giakoumakis has struggled for fitness, which has seen him make only eight appearances, scoring once in 276 minutes of football in the green and white hoops.
The Greek striker is not the only from his homeland playing for the Scottish side - the previous season saw the arrival of goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas.
Unfortunately for the former AEK goalkeeper, he has fallen out of favour, especially after the summer arrival of former England international and Manchester City legend Joe Hart.
Postecoglou explained that Barkas "struggled to settle" in Glasgow because of the "coronavirus situation."
After stressing that the goalkeeper is a "hard worker", he said "we will wait and see what happens with him, whether its at Celtic or elsewhere."
Although Celtic FC failed to win any silverware last season, Postecoglou quickly rectified the issue on the first attempt by defeating Edinburgh outfit Hibernian 2-1 in the Scottish League Cup.
In speaking to Monday FC, he said "I came to Celtic to win trophies. I want to build a team to win trophies. We all know the club's history."
Postecoglou has found immense success in his career, winning seven trophies with three different clubs in Australia, the J1 League, and the 2015 Asian Cup with the Australian National Team - Australia's sole title.
He reflected how Hungarian football legend Ferenc Puskás inspired his attacking brand of football, as well as the likes of Celtic FC and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish.
In speaking to Monday FC, he said "I had a Kenny Dalglish poster in my room."
When quizzed whether Dalglish had a Celtic FC or Liverpool jersey, perhaps unsurprisingly he said it was the latter.
Postecoglou did highlight that when he was growing up, "Australians had two choices" in supporting football clubs, "either Liverpool or Manchester United."
This was mostly because they were the two dominant clubs in England, the league that was most prevalently broadcasted in Australia.
In this manner, he spoke excitedly about Liverpool as the club he supported as a child.
Postecoglou also highlighted that the English club's connections to Celtic FC go deeper than Kenny Dalglish, and also includes the famous anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone."
In the way that Ange spoke about Liverpool, one would just have to wonder that his ultimate career goal, something that he publicly says he does not necessarily have, is to manage the Merseyside club.
With his current success, and poised for even more with Celtic FC, one can more than speculate that Postecoglou is making the right steps to make him a contender in future seasons to be Liverpool manager.
However, before thinking about taking over Liverpool, Postecoglou might first have to survive his wife after telling Monday FC that although her cooking is good, "my mothers is better."
The conversation steered in that direction after Monday FC asked whether he prefers Japanese food or "Greek food like pastiochio and moussaka."
Unsurprisingly the Celtic FC manager responded by saying how his wife, despite being born in Australia (to Greek parents), cooks the classic Greek dishes, which he prefers.
Australian and Celtic football royalty on Greek TV overnight with a lengthy 40 minute interview with Ange Postecoglou but also a cameo by Mark Viduka! pic.twitter.com/DalIaB8CLV
— George Kou (@TheeeKou) January 11, 2022
READ MORE: Celtic FC’s Giorgios Giakoumakis named best Greek player abroad.
