Ange Postcecoglou has given the strongest indication yet he may invoke an SPFL rule that allows Celtic to request the postponement of their February 2nd clash with Rangers. 

It allows for clubs to request games be rescheduled if three or more players are called up for international duty and forced to miss domestic league games. 

Celtic’s four Japanese stars, Aussie Tom Rogic and American Cameron Carter-Vickers could all be asked to report for national team duty amid a host of non-European World Cup qualifying ties. 

This would mean key players missing matches against Hearts, Dundee United and Rangers, a serious blow to the Hoops’ title chances. 

But Postecoglou, who has previously suggested he would not use the rule has now said he will make a decision once international squads have been announced. 

He said: “That falls into the department of stuff that I don’t really think about. It’s not a problem yet. 

“I could spend hours thinking about it and what we were going to do and strategise and have meetings on it — then in the end find out that only one gets selected. I’m not going to worry about that. 

“We’ll plan as we always have, that when we lose players to international duty we’ll crack on and play the games we need to play. 

“At the moment, there’s no point even thinking about that. As it stands, none of the players have been selected, so until that happens we’ll look at it then.” 

If Postecoglou does ask for the postponement it would represent a serious headache for SPFL boss Neil Doncaster who has already said there is no room left in the fixture calendar after the winter break was brought forward.