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."
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