Keith Jackson has revealed that Celtic could be forced to go it alone for Ange’s Homecoming Tour.
The Daily Record reporter retains strong sources inside Ibrox despite his newspaper being not being involved as an official media partner.
At the start of the month the two Glasgow clubs were met with a furious supporter backlash as it was announced that they were planning to monetise and export their rivalry with a friendly in Australia.
Two local A-League clubs were drafted in to form the Sydney Super Cup with the Glasgow sides reluctantly feeding information to their fans.
Celtic have barely mentioned the planned November 20 meeting with their city rivals but in the Daily Record Jackson explains how fan pressure is telling at Ibrox as they look for a escape route from Ange’s Homecoming Tour:
Controversial plans to take the Old Firm derby Down Under are in danger of collapsing with Rangers considering a humiliating U-turn in the face of a furious backlash from their own supporters.
Record Sport understands Ibrox top brass have been considering aborting the big money Australian trip after the club’s fans reacted with fury to the plan.
Sources in Australia are adamant Rangers will be clobbered with a massive seven figure penalty if they do plunge the four team tournament into disarray.
Several directors faced a barrage of abuse from furious fans at Dens Park before and after their club’s Scottish Cup quarter final win over Dundee in the latest of a series of bad tempered protests.
And with militant fans groups’ locked in talks over how best to force their beleaguered board into a climb down, organisers of the Sydney Super Cup – who launched ticket sales earlier this week – are concerned that Scotland’s champions may be looking for a way out.
Sources in Australia are adamant Rangers will be clobbered with a massive seven figure penalty if they do plunge the four team tournament into disarray.
Several directors faced a barrage of abuse from furious fans at Dens Park before and after their club’s Scottish Cup quarter final win over Dundee in the latest of a series of bad tempered protests.
And with militant fans groups’ locked in talks over how best to force their beleaguered board into a climb down, organisers of the Sydney Super Cup – who launched ticket sales earlier this week – are concerned that Scotland’s champions may be looking for a way out.
Celtic have packaged the winter tour as an emotional homecoming for manager Ange Postecoglou and the Parkhead club remain fully committed to participating regardless of whether or not their city rivals take part.
But – with plenty of time for a replacement to be secured – the Ibrox club may believe there is a legal loophole which can be exploited to allow them to withdraw without being hit in the pocket.
Fans of both clubs have protested against the historic event ever since it was first announced on the other side of the planet in the middle of night.
Celtic confirmed their intentions to attend the following day while Rangers waited for another 24 hours before finally making an official announcement of their own and sparking outrage among the club’s supporters.
The official launch of the competition this week in Australia quickly turned into questioning about security issues in and around Sydney with two sets of hostile supporters in the city over a four or five day period.
Hearing football’s Sydney Super Cup may be in serious doubt.
Unresolved issues with organiser escalating behind the scenes according to local sources.
Launch may have been premature.
More to follow.
— Jason Pine (@pineynz) March 17, 2022
No one be in any doubt the ‘Orange marches’ are ‘Racism Marches’. This 100% without a doubt what they are. It is astonishing that these racism marches are approved by the Scottish Government, who are 100% racists too.
The siege/massacre/wiping out 55% of a city, in Derry was a war crime, and it was genocide.
Any songs about Derry are the glorification of war crimes and the glorification of genocide, and Rangers fans should be summoned to the Hague to face war crimes charges. The Scottish Government Officials who sanctioned these marches should be summoned, convicted and imprisoned as well.