Former Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis has spoken honestly about how his time at the club came to an end. He left Celtic in 2023 after things broke down between him, then manager Ange Postecoglou, and chief executive Michael Nicholson.

Giakoumakis scored 26 goals in 57 games for Celtic. He was brought in by Postecoglou to lead the line, but later found himself out of the starting XI more often. There were signs of frustration, especially on social media, where the Greek forward posted messages that Ange called out in public.

Despite these problems, Giakoumakis had only good things to say about Ange as a coach. He still sees him as the best manager he’s ever worked with in his football career.

He said: (RecordSport), “Maybe it was different sides. So, maybe Ange was preferring this false nine. I think the relationship between me, Michael (Nicholson) and Ange in the end was really fragile.

“It was really fragile, and I think at some point it just broke the glass.”

“He was the best manager I ever had in my career, football-wise. As a person, it doesn’t matter. Personal relationships and personal opinions are different to every person, for a specific face, for a specific individual. But as a manager, I cannot say anything bad. He brought me there.

“Of course, though, I wasn’t happy when I was not playing.”

These words show how hard it can be to keep a player happy while also making tough decisions. Giakoumakis respected Postecoglou’s style, but he was still upset about how things finished. It’s unusual for a player to mention someone like Michael Nicholson, so what he said really stands out.

What’s also surprising is that Giakoumakis didn’t shut the door on a possible return to Celtic, despite publicly criticising the Hoops’ Chief Executive. Giakoumakis still seems to care for the club and supporters, even after a tough ending. There’s a sense that, for him, the problem wasn’t with Celtic itself, but with how he was treated in his final months.

For now, Giakoumakis is focused on Cruz Azul, but his comments will catch the attention of many in Glasgow. He remains a player who left his mark, and these new comments add more detail to a story many Celtic supporters still remember well. Whether a return ever happens remains to be seen, but the Greek striker’s bond with Celtic clearly hasn’t faded.