Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has refused to rule out the Glasgow derby, and other key fixtures, being postponed next month.
Rules state that if three or more players are away on international duty, then SPFL clubs can request a postponement. Ange has previously been keen to get on with it, but with as many as six players potentially being unavailable the manager has softened his approach a little. The six possible absentees could include Japanese quartet Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Yosuke Ideguchi and Reo Hatate, whilst Australian star Tom Rogic and USA centre back Cameron Carter-Vickers could also be away.
Speaking to the media today, Postecoglou insisted “there isn’t a problem yet,” and stressed that Celtic will wait until the squads are announced before making any decisions.
The Glasgow Derby is set to take place on Wednesday 2 February, and when asked about that particular fixture, the Aussie replied:
“I could spend hours thinking about what we’re going to do, strategise and have meetings about it – then in the end find out that only one player gets selected. So I’m not going to worry about it.
“We’ll plan as we always have, that when we lose our players to international duty we’ll crack on and play the games we need to play. As it stands, none of the players have been selected yet. If that happens, then we’ll look at it.”
If Celtic wish to move the derby game, it is likely that they’d have to ask for three SPFL fixtures to be postponed in total. As well as the big clash at the beginning of February, the Hoops would also be affected for important matches against Hearts (on 26 January) and Dundee United (29 January).
Rule G7 of the SPFL rule book states that clubs can request re-arrangement of “any official match where three or more of its players who would otherwise have participated in such match are unavailable through international selection and, following receipt of such an application, the board may postpone and rearrange the relevant official match in accordance with rule G3.”
On the one hand, Celtic will want to have their strongest XI available for those games, and the players potentially missing are extremely influential, yet on the other hand the club will not want to allow their title challengers the chance to build an extended lead at the top.
It remains to be seen how events unfold. All eyes will be on the announcements of international squads over the coming days.
And for those who missed this one on The Celtic Star, here’s a catch-up chance to check out the photographs given to this site by the former Celtic Director Tom Grant of the demolition of the old Celtic Park and in its place the emergence of the New Celtic Park which we know and love today. These photographs are fascinating and well worth checking out on the link below…
READ THIS…Exclusive – A Phoenix Rising, a House of Steel. Celtic Park Redevelopment Photographs
