THE Rolling Stones sang about Angie, not Ange.
But Gordon Strachan reckons following Celtic’s former boss is the equivalent of being asked to go on after Mick Jagger.
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Brendan Rodgers accepted the task of taking over from ultra-popular Ange Postecoglou last summer.
Celtic sit top of the league right now — but a section of the support still aren’t getting much Satisfaction from that.
Former Hoops gaffer Strachan said: “Following in the footsteps of Ange Postecoglou isn’t an easy task for any manager.
“It’s like headlining a concert with The Rolling Stones as your support act.
“All the best trying to follow that, and that’s what it’s like at Celtic at the moment.
“Taking over from a successful manager is always really difficult.
“How do you put your own spin on the job without plagiarising or just copying the man that was in the seat before you arrived?
“It’s a horrible prospect for managers to deal with.
“Did people think Brendan Rodgers was going to come to Celtic, grow a beard, put on some weight and start talking with an Australian accent? That was never going to work.
“It can be hard to make tactical changes to winning teams.
“Brendan would have known that going into the job. But he’s only halfway through the season into his second spell at the club. He’s just getting started.
“It’s been difficult for him to find that balance. If you try to change too much, the players get a bit spooked.
“We’ve seen glimpses from his Celtic side. They’ve played some nice stuff in parts.
“But the issue is the fans have been in a position where their team has completely dominated for two years.
“That’s what the supporters are missing at the moment. It’s not been easy for Brendan or the fans.”
Rodgers spoke passionately after their 2-0 Scottish Cup win over St Mirren, insisting his Hoops team are right in the fight for silverware.
But they could be behind Rangers in the league for the first time this season if Philippe Clement’s side beat Ross County by three.
Strachan added: “Brendan’s first priority is keeping Celtic at the top of the league. That’s his job.
“I was speaking to a young manager recently, and explained that management is easy to deal with when everything is going right.
“You’re only really tested when things aren’t going right.
“People look at everything. Body language, tactical choices and personnel, the way you talk to the players and talk to the media.
“Top managers get paid for living with and handling that stress. They don’t get paid to go on the training field, or by watching good players and picking a team.
“They get paid for the type of moment that Celtic currently find themselves in, where it is stressful.
“The further you go up the managerial ladder, the more stressful the job becomes and the more money you make.
“Brendan can handle the stress levels. It’s much better to be a manager of a club like Celtic than being the manager of a rotten club! He knows that.”
Celts have taken six points out of six against Rangers this season — but have struggled against other teams at times.
They are nine points worse off than they were at this stage last term.
Strachan said: “When it came to the crunch earlier in the season, Celtic beat Rangers.
“Those points look very valuable at the moment.
“Brendan knew what he was getting into when he came back to Celtic, and he wanted that challenge.
“Is the league a little bit more difficult compared to when he last there? I would argue that it might be.
“The one thing I’ve seen over the last few years is that teams like St Mirren, Hearts and Hibs are all becoming more physical.
“They are all making it more difficult for the likes of Celtic.
“There has been an emphasis on height and strength over the last couple of years.
“That’s shown by the limited number of home-grown players that are coming through in Scotland at the moment.”
Despite their struggles, Rodgers railed against the “narrative” last weekend that his Hoops squad is “broken”.
Strachan added: “Brendan knows about the world he’s living in as Celtic manager.
“In Scotland, when one of the Old Firm is doing well, the manager of the club that isn’t doing so well has to be able to take the criticism and deal with that.
“That’s the reality of Scottish football.
“If Celtic win the league at the end of the season, no one will remember this period.
“The only thing that matters if you are Celtic or Rangers is winning the league title.”
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