I can understand some people have different views- Ange Postecoglou responds to Green Brigade protests
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v St Mirren - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - March 2, 2022 Celtic fans display banners in the stands before the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Ange Postecoglou has responded to the backlash from many Celtic fans over the club taking part in the Sydney Super Cup.
Almost no-one has any problem with the team going to Australia but the choice of opponents, the way that one fixture is being promoted and the way that Celtic have announced Ange’s Homecoming has riled a lot of fans.
Before last night’s win over St Mirren a three piece banner was raised by the Green Brigade highlighting their opposition to one fixture in Sydney.
During the opening minutes of the match a chant with similar sentiments to the banner was repeated.
On Tuesday afternoon Celtic announced that they’d be playing in the four-team tournament but so far there has been no further detail about dates or opponents coming out of the club.
Addressing the protests from supporters, Postecoglou told the Daily Record:
No, look, I’ve said since day one that I’m not going to tell the supporters what to feel and what not to feel.
Selfishly I’m delighted. I’m all over the promotional stuff which means I’ll hopefully still be in the job by then!
There are a lot of our supporters in Australia, I know, I’ve lived it, who will be snapping up tickets and changing whatever holiday plans they had to come watch us play.
I can understand some people have different views on it. I’m not going to tell people how they feel. But I have some selfish self-interest in this. I’m going to feel super-proud to take this team to where I grew up.
Should Celtic play their city rivals in Australia?
Celtic haven’t played in Australia since July 2011, with Champions League qualifiers getting earlier and earlier trips to Australia and North America have been abandoned.