The controversy has been as scorching because the climate each Rangers and Celtic can anticipate once they head Down Below in November.
A bit of followers from either side have reacted with fury on the controversial transfer for a pleasant assembly within the Sydney Tremendous Cup.
The supporters have had their say however now File Sport has spoken to former Outdated Agency stars who've plied their commerce in Australia to get their views on the transfer.
Here is what they needed to say.
SCOTT McDONALD
Scott McDonald reckons the Ange Postecoglou’s return will put soccer centre stage in Australia in an enormous enhance to the recovering recreation.
The previous Parkhead striker believes Celtic’s look and a conflict in opposition to Rangers within the Sydney Tremendous Cup affords an unlimited shot-in-the-arm to sport in his nation.
McDonald says his son Callum was leaping round the lounge at information of Celtic’s plans to journey Down Below in November.
And the ex-Hoops striker believes that’s an emotion that can have been shared by these with a severe curiosity in soccer throughout the whole nation.
McDonald defined it’s been a troublesome time for Australian soccer and the homecoming of Postecoglou will elevate spirits and curiosity.
He stated: “It's tremendous thrilling for everybody concerned within the recreation right here. Let’s put this into context for Australian functions alone.
“The sport after Covid has been hit and struggled, put onto a brand new platform to attempt to kickstart it once more.
“The crowds haven’t been good this 12 months due to all of the stopping and beginning for Covid, the nationwide staff not with the ability to play at dwelling. It’s been one factor after one other.
“So this announcement popping out has despatched shockwaves by the media right here and it's big for our recreation in Australia.
“To have the magnitude of Celtic coming and with Ange roughly making it a homecoming, the curiosity is huge from not solely Celtic followers but additionally the Australian public.
“You add every thing else into the equation and it'll
be big.
“From our perspective as a footballing nation, to have huge golf equipment coming is an opportunity of a lifetime for lots of people to see it on their doorstep.
“After I woke as much as the information and informed my son Callum that Celtic had been coming, he was leaping across the room.
“It’s been two-and-a-half years since we’ve been again and he used to go to Celtic Park loads together with his buddies. To have that to look ahead to is admittedly one thing, particularly for him as he left all his buddies and soccer behind.
“We compete with different big sports activities the nation loves however this places us on the map. We’ll be back and front pages and that doesn’t occur fairly often in soccer phrases for Australian soccer.”
The competitors, as a result of begin on November 16, will see Glasgow’s huge two meet overseas for the primary time and likewise options A-League sides Sydney FC and Western Sydney.
McDonald stated: “Hopefully it may be a celebration ambiance and everybody enjoys it.
“For me, the main focus is on issues like Ange coming again and the issues I've spoken about however importantly, since I’ve been again two-and-a-half years and seen the nice and dangerous bits for the sport right here.
“The sport was nearly going defunct throughout Covid. The groups had no cash.
“There was no TV income and the golf equipment didn’t know what
path it was taking. We needed to take lower than 30 per cent of our salaries to proceed.
“That’s the depth the sport went to, so beginning the sport on a brand new platform, a distinct path with the A League now taking full management.
“And simply having this competitors the place they may even be concerned will hopefully create extra ambiance and followers and other people participating with the sport.
“That’s the largest factor for Australia. That’s why we wish them right here.”
McDonald, who was a part of a Celtic squad who performed in opposition to Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium in 2009, says Postecoglou has already boosted help for Celtic in Australia and the journey will solely add to the fanbase.
He added: “With Celtic’s reference to Ange, gamers previous and current with Tom (Rogic) – that’s big in itself and bringing new followers to the Celtic secure. That may occur. It already has with Ange taking up as head coach.
“It's one factor having gamers within the membership – however when it's a head coach and somebody so extremely considered. He gained the Asian Cup on dwelling soil and that was an enormous second for Australian historical past.
“Ange is properly famend throughout Australia and the issues he’s been doing have been making waves.
“The one factor that can be questionable for Celtic I assume is how profitable the squad is internationally earlier than they arrive right here. Half is likely to be going to the World Cup. However I’m certain Celtic may have a powerful squad.”
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GAVIN RAE
The punters again dwelling are turning their noses up on the derby Down Below however Gavin Rae insists Rangers can nonetheless anticipate to be greeted with open Aussie arms.
The information Gers have signed up for the Ange Postecoglou Homecoming Tour has gone down with the blue half of Glasgow about in addition to Ibrox chiefs asserting a brand new merchandise tie up with Mike Ashley.
Livid followers bombarded the membership’s social media yesterday with appeals to name off November’s Antipodean journey after seeing Celtic boss Postecoglou handed the headline billing for the Sydney Tremendous Cup.
Former Rangers midfielder Rae now lives in Sydney and reckons the raging gentle blue help again dwelling going tonto over the pleasant event scheduled for subsequent season’s winter-break might have a degree.
However he additionally believes the first-ever Outdated Agency showdown on overseas soil can be a winner with the followers from each golf equipment primarily based on the opposite facet of the globe.
He informed File Sport : “Clearly Ange is revered down right here however I can perceive the backlash from the Rangers followers.
“There’s clearly this PR slant that it’s all about Ange being Australian and that he’s coming dwelling.
“However Rangers will get simply as heat a welcome given they’ve obtained simply as many followers dwelling down right here.
“Each golf equipment are clearly big on international phrases with huge fanbases and also you see that out right here.
“I’ve been fortunate sufficient to be invited alongside to the Oceania Rangers Supporters’ Membership’s dinner once they host it in Sydney and it’s at all times packed out.
“You see a whole lot of Celtic followers out right here too. The rivalry’s not fairly as intense as it's in Glasgow however then once more, strolling down the road in Glasgow is just a little bit completely different to strolling down the road in Sydney.
“However there’s nonetheless an enormous depth when it comes to the ferociousness of the help for each golf equipment.
“For the supporters who stay out right here and are starved of attending to see fixtures of this sort, they’ll simply be delighted to get the possibility to see it stay and help their golf equipment - and I’m delighted for them.”
KENNY MILLER
Former Ibrox hero Kenny Miller has additionally sampled life Down Below following stints with A-League outfits Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers – who Rangers may even face as a part of the four-team event happening on the 83,000-capacity Accor Stadium.
And he witnessed the draw Glasgow’s huge two nonetheless maintain half a world away.
Miller, now again in Scotland working as No.2 to Falkirk boss Martin Rennie, stated: “It’s fully completely different down there.
“You’re not strolling about getting any drama or trouble, however there’s an enormous, huge following for Rangers and Celtic.
“I used to be within the nation a couple of 12 months after I watched an Outdated Agency recreation in a Rangers supporters’ membership and it was like Glasgow on a Saturday night time.
“It was about 11 o’clock on a Sunday night time and the place was rammed, it was loopy. I assumed there’d be an honest prove however I by no means anticipated something like that. It was fairly particular.”
Ibrox boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has talked up the journey and the footballing advantages for his squad.
However Miller warned the nice and cozy glow they’ll be hoping for can be tempered by the taxing nature of the 24-hour long-haul flight it would take to shuttle the Ibrox squad to New South Wales.
He stated: “We had been on the market for pre-season in 2010 and there was an amazing prove for our video games in opposition to Blackburn, AEK Athens and Sydney FC.
“So there can be a giant curiosity within the Outdated Agency recreation.
“The 2 Sydney groups are concerned as properly so it will likely be an fascinating wee spectacle on the finish of the 12 months.
“Once we performed, it was winter Down Below nevertheless it was nonetheless fairly good climate. This time although, they’ll be heading into the new interval in November.
“It should definitely be completely different to the November circumstances in Scotland that’s for certain.
“It’s a protracted option to go to play a number of video games however I’m certain there’s a profitable deal for them to make that journey.”