Ange Postecoglou tells Scotland: Celtic players will not be released for Turkey friendly

Clarke is due to announce his squad on Wednesday for the game in south-east Turkey and Postecoglou issued a gentle reminder that Celtic are not obligated to release players for a game that was only recently confirmed.

They have their own plans for the World Cup break and are competing in the Sydney Super Cup, details of which were announced as far back as March.

Although Rangers have since pulled out, Celtic face games against Sydney FC and Everton, the Ibrox club’s replacement.

The Celtic manager was speaking after midfielder Aaron Mooy was named in the Australia squad for the World Cup, which kicks-off later this month. Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers will learn his fate when the United States squad is announced today.

Postecoglou stressed that Celtic’s trip back to his homeland to compete in the Sydney Cup is of utmost importance to the Parkhead club.

Skipper Callum McGregor is a Scotland mainstay but is currently injured and won’t have entered Clarke’s thinking for the friendly.

However, the manager would certainly have preferred for full backs Greg Taylor and Anthony Ralston, perhaps even the fit again winger James Forrest, to be included.

“The international games coming up in this break are not sort of compulsory for us to release players,” explained Postecoglou. “From our perspective, the Australian trip is an important part of our football club and we want to take our strongest possible team there.

“We will always be supportive of the national team and Steve Clarke has always been great with us in terms of his relationship with the club. But all of our players who won’t be going to the World Cup will be coming with us.

“We’re obviously taking a team to Australia. People have bought tickets and want to see the best possible Celtic side.

“Obviously we can’t take the players who are going to the World Cup but we have obligations there to the people who have spent the money that we go there with the strongest possible team and that’s what we’ll be doing.”