The kick-off time is certainly more amenable to his pals Down Under, not that Ange Postecoglou thinks it makes any difference.
A 12.30pm start in Glasgow ensures primetime evening viewing in Australia, where the Celtic manager expects the masses will be tuning in to potentially witness his team close even further in on a second consecutive Premiership title. Whether it will make for a messier night is up for debate, given Postecoglou’s firm belief that commitment to this derby on the other side of the world makes a 3pm or 3am kick-off completely irrelevant.
A more sociable slot in his homeland does, however, ensure he is not digging deep into his own pockets to put up eager guests in Glasgow, letting him focus exclusively on the small matter of three points.
“It depends on how you look at it,” he said. “It’s nice when they come over for the game, but I need to entertain them – so it costs me a fortune as well!
“The game will be on at a decent time in Australia, but I don’t think it’s really relevant. It will be pretty lively in some of those places no matter what time it’s on.
“It could be three in the morning and it would still be the same tradition.
“The time difference is nine hours right now, which is nice, so there will be plenty watching Down Under. Hopefully we can give them a good evening.”
It has been suggested that Celtic vs Rangers’ global appeal could diminish amid the ongoing dispute over how just how many away fans should be accommodated on derby day. Packing in thousands of travelling supporters gave the occasion an added element other rivalries could only dream of, but until the clubs reach something resembling agreement then that number looks destined to remain at zero.
Postecoglou is not convinced the spectacle is suffering, albeit he would prefer a return to the traditional arrangement. But a charged Celtic Park under the lights last February, with no Rangers fans permitted, will be talked about for years to come by those of a green and white persuasion, and their manager expects it to be ‘electric’ once more this afternoon.
“It would be great if we had the away fans like we used to be,” he said. “It’s not been the case in recent years.
“But I still think it’s a great atmosphere. We’ll have an electric, vibrant environment that I’m sure it will be felt, not just by the people in the stadium, but the people watching and jumping through their screens.
“Nothing will be diminished from that point of view. It would be great if there were more numbers in terms of opposition fans, but it is what it is, and we’ll deal with it.”
Celtic have certainly maximised the influence of those 60,000 in recent home derbies. Rangers have been dead and buried by half-time in each of their last two visits to the east end, victims of a devastating early blitz fuelled by that electricity Postecoglou is anticipating.
“It’s sometimes just the nature of the games,” he said. “We have been really strong at home for a couple of years now and the players really enjoy playing in front of our supporters.
“They really feed off their energy. The supporters also love to get behind the team.
“There’s a great synergy between the players and the fans. That helps, it creates a great energy before the game starts and that helps us, because we want to play at a high tempo anyway.
“It just adds to our game.”
Celtic were convincing winners the last time the teams met - a 2-1 Viaplay Cup Final success at Hampden that inflicted Michael Beale’s only defeat yet as Rangers manager. The Ibrox side toiled to lay a glove on their opponents for long periods, but in taking a point from them at home in December, proved themselves capable of going toe-to-toe with the champions.
The golden Glaswegian rule that second is last means Beale’s 18 wins from 19 Premiership outings have, so far, been inconsequential in the context of a title race which was arguably over before he arrived. But Rangers’ strong record under his guidance compels Postecoglou to insist Celtic are still facing a ‘very good football team’.
“I think these games are viewed a little bit in isolation,” he said. “You are talking about a Cup Final and there’s no doubt that is different, in terms of the consequences. It’s a different kind of game you play. In the league you are either home or away and there are different factors at play.
“It was a tight game at Ibrox, so we know it’s going to be a good challenge for us. They are a good side on a good run of form. They have some very good individual players, so we will have to be at our best.
“We go into every game respecting the contest and the challenges in front of us, but knowing we can overcome them if we play our football. They’ve had a good side these last two years. They made the Europa League Final last year and finished well above us the year before last.
“I’ve never thought they were anything other than a very good football team and a good challenge for us. Nothing I’ve seen has changed that.”
What has changed, perhaps, is the nature of a historically bad-tempered affair. It was acknowledged earlier this week that the last time a referee reached for his top pocket in this fixture was almost two years ago – a run of eight games.
Even then, Callum McGregor’s dismissal at Ibrox in May 2021 was for two relatively benign offences. The diminished on-pitch aggro may well be a sign of the times, where intensity is measured by how effectively teams press, as opposed to how many reducers are doled out early doors.
In Celtic’s case though, Postecoglou believes his side’s collective discipline in all areas is a major factor.
“You’re willing this to happen mate!” he said. “Discipline is important for us every week in all aspects. It’s about discipline to play within the rules but also being disciplined as part of a team to do the right things.
It doesn’t take away from being competitive. You don’t shirk a challenge out there and you embrace that. You have to be strong and focused to win a game of football.
“Usually, a lack of discipline comes from players acting on a personal level. If you have a team-oriented approach you never like those things happening.”
