When Steve Clarke announced the Scotland squad he mentioned how disappointed he was that there would be no Celtic players involved in the pointless friendly.
Ange Postecoglou had been quite up front about things, since it wasn’t a delegated FIFA date the players would be staying with their employers, in this case Celtic were heading to Australia to play two friendly matches.
The Celtic boss was honest and upfront, only those players going to the World Cup Finals would miss the Australian trip, the same message went to Sweden, Hungary, Israel and others.
Included in the squad for Turkey was fabled Ibrox starlet Nathan Patterson, the defender that Everton splashed out on last January with more appearances for Scotland that his club.
Patterson started for Everton in their 3-0 defeat at Bournemouth last Sunday then decided to pull out of the Turkey trip.
While Clarke turned to Ryan Fraser and Calvin Ramsey in the defeat from Turkey Patterson was on route to Australia for a week in the sun and two friendly matches.
The Scotland boss hasn’t commented on Patterson’s decision to put his club before country.
Türkiye v Scotland squad update:
OUT: Ché Adams, Kenny McLean & Nathan Patterson.#TURSCO pic.twitter.com/AU3DDRabr2
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 14, 2022
Some place. ?? pic.twitter.com/KW2oLCRizE
— Nathan Patterson (@NathanPatterson) November 18, 2022
The Daily Record whose readership is falling of a cliff at record speeds ,have been promoting Patterson and Everton on all of its platforms all week about how the ex the Rangers employee is desperate for Everton to beat Celtic in the Sydney Cup ,in Australia ! The angle being the Rangers getting one over on Celtic . The 50 bob rag ,must have a staffer on alert constantly ,looking for a sliver of a second hand news item which can be used as an anti Celtic fantasy .
Obvious double standards from Clarke. Maybe he just wasn’t as dissapointed this time around!