BRENDAN Rodgers last night insisted Tom Rogic was “desperate” to defy FIFA rules and play in the Old Firm game.
Celtic’s hugely influential playmakers is due to meet up with his national team 48 hours before Ibrox game – Australia play in the Asian Cup in the UAE next month – which both the player and club are fighting.
Neil Lennon, the Hibernian manager, is in the same situation as he is set to lose three players, Martin Boyle, Jamie Maclaren and Mark Milligan, unless Australia’s head coach Graham Arnold and his FA agree to a compromise.
It is a classic club versus country affair and one Celtic and Hibs are determined to win.
Roders said: “Tom is desperate to play. We’re trying to find a solution to that, one which makes sense for both Celtic and Australia.
"It doesn’t make sense for him to travel on the night of the 27th, then sit and not do virtually anything for a couple of days – and then be sat in Dubai watching Rangers v Celtic, when he knows he could be playing in it.
‘Tom is the type of player who would speak about it. He’s got good relations with Graham who I think was his first coach back in Australia, so he knows him well.
‘We’ll wait and see what develops. It needs a quick resolution. Let’s wait and see. The club are obviously dealing with it behind the scenes as well."
And Lennon was of a similar mind, especially as it was he who alerted Australia to Noyle.
He said: "We were of the opinion that we would be able to negotiate one or two players and not lose all three, so the goalposts have moved a little bit."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here