Not Australia, mate

I remember attending Glasgow Cup games in the 80s, friendlies, in all but name.  If you put a cup up for the winners, it doesn’t really change anything, the “Sydney Super Cup” will be no different.  The winners celebrated, the losers never really cared.

A proposed game against Newco in Australia in November is not welcome by me or most Celtic fans I know.  I doubt the players will enjoy traipsing across the globe, although Ange Postecoglou will look forward to playing in what is being billed as “Ange’s Aussie Homecoming” tour.

I know for a fact that money has been on the table for similar fixtures before, but Peter Lawwell always rejected the suggestion.  He also acquired IP rights over the “Old Firm” phrase, which he was required to share with Newco, specifically to secure a veto over its commercial use, which Celtic has enforced since.

A buy it and kill it move, although others promote the “buy it” element but fail to acknowledge the “kill it” part, despite this issue being the subject of questions at more than one AGM.  Before this, he cleansed the phrase from Celtic’s media and other outlets.

It made no difference to perceptions for those still fighting the last war – ironically.  The new regime’s choice: hang as a sheep or as a lamb.  Let’s hope it’s only paper talk and the game does not take place.  Newco might find being filler in the Ange’s Aussie Homecoming tour an even harder sell.

It is easy to see Livingston in the distance, a side who induce shudders, having denied Celtic all but a solitary point from two games this season.  Tonight’s opponents, however, are the team on form.

Since closing at Ibrox on Boxing Day, St Mirren have won three and drawn one of their four games on the road – title winning form.  The only time they failed to win in four home games in the same period was a 10-man defeat to Hearts on Saturday.

If Celtic are anything but their very best, they will drop points tonight.