Let us keep our aussies
Rodgers and Lennon make derbies plea to Socceroos boss over Rogic and Hibs trio
BY GAVIN BERRY & ANTHONY HAGGERTY TOM ROGIC could make a personal plea to Graham Arnold to let him play against Rangers.
The Australia boss is playing hardball over his players’ Asian Cup availability that could see Rogic miss the December 29 Old Firm showdown.
And Neil Lennon could also lose a trio of Hibs stars for their Edinburgh derby the same day. The Aussies are tournament
holders and don’t kick off their first Group B game against Jordan until January 6 – eight days after the Glasgow and Edinburgh derby days.
Boss Arnold wants his squad to meet at a Dubai training camp in host country the United Arab Emirates on December 26 but has relaxed that to allow the players to feature in their respective Boxing Day fixtures – but not the derbies three days later.
Hibs gaffer Lennon is still gutted at the prospect of losing Martin Boyle, Jamie Maclaren and Mark Milligan and revealed that wasn’t part of the plan when he met the Aussie boss when he travelled to Scotland earlier this year.
Celts counterpart Brendan Rodgers also wants Rogic available for the trip to Ibrox and revealed the playmaker is so desperate to play he could speak to Arnold, who he played under at Central Coast Mariners, himself.
The Parkhead boss said: “Tom is the type of player who would do that. He has good relations with Graham, he knows him well.
“We’ll wait and see what develops. It needs a quick resolution. The club are dealing with it behind the scenes as well.”
But Lennon insists if Rogic is given special dispensation to play in the Old Firm game then Hibs should also be extended an equal courtesy.
He said: “Of course we would have something to say about it all if Rogic was allowed to play for Celtic against Rangers.
“It opens up a can of worms. You can’t have one rule for one and another for the rest. We were of the opinion we would be able to negotiate one or two players and not lose all three so the goalposts have moved a little bit.
“I know Graham is under pressure, not just from us but from other clubs as well. That wasn’t the indication we were given when promoting Boyle towards him.
“Boyle became an option for Australia and went away and did very well and has become a welcome addition to their squad.
“We then got an email saying Australia were taking all three of them after Boxing Day. I’d have expected to have at least one of the Australian players here for the derby.
“I didn’t expect to have none so I’m disappointed.
“I don’t regret promoting Boyle for Australia because it is good for him and good for his career and it is a big tournament – but that is of no relevance to me whatsoever.
“We beat Celtic last week without all three Australian boys in the team so we will just have to negotiate another tough game without them.
“It is not just us and Celtic, there are English teams as well they are having to battle. So I appreciate it is probably a difficult situation for Graham.
“I haven’t sat down and spoken with the players so I don’t know what their reaction is but I’m sure they will be disappointed to miss that game.”
But Lennon revealed he never had any intention of asking for the traditional festive Edinburgh derby to be postponed.
Lennon said: “We have taken a very positive stance on that. It would be a huge disappointment to supporters as well and you have to consider them.
“At this time of year, they will have made plans for the game, it will be a full house, it will be on TV.
“That might’ve been the case in the second half of the year as well if we had asked to rearrange it. But there is no right or wrong in this, so we’ve taken the decision to keep the game on.”