Celtic striker Scott McDonald welcomed his team-mates to Australia today - his first job as stand-in Hoops skipper...
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Celtic striker Scott McDonald welcomed his team-mates to Australia today - his first job as stand-in Hoops skipper.
The little striker was not part of the travelling party which left Glasgow on the long-haul journey yesterday as he was already in his homeland.
But he was there to meet and greet Tony Mowbray and the squad when they touched down today in Queensland for Sunday's match against Brisbane Roar.
In the absence of captain Stephen McManus - who was one of the players left behind to continue his rehab from an end-of-season knee operation - McDonald will lead out the side for their first pre-season match.
And the appointment made by new boss Mowbray will allow the man brought up in Melbourne to realise a lifelong dream.
McDonald said: "If you'd said to me when I was a five-year-old playing a football match for the first time that 20 years later I'd be playing for Celtic in Australia, I would just have laughed.
"I'm living the dream right now. I'm playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world and you can't ask for more, especially when it's the club you grew up supporting."
Many of McDonald's relatives will attend the game, which kicks off at 6.30am UK time.
They will be part of what is anticipated to be a massive crowd. But no- one there will be more excited than the Hoops' stand-in skipper.
"I really can't wait for the game," admitted McDonald. "It's going to be an incredible occasion for everyone involved.
"I'm absolutely certain the stadium will be full.
"Celtic supporters from all over Australia will be busting a gut to get tickets and it will be the same for the Brisbane Roar fans."
The supporters Down Under will be the first to see new signing Marc-Antoine Fortune in action for Celtic.
He is expected to play some part in the game, and McDonald is looking forward to training and playing with the man brought in from Nancy to add some extra strength up front.
Oz realises that, with the arrival of a new manager and the departure of experienced players such as Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Paul Hartley and Shunsuke Nakamura, it will be all change at Parkhead this season.
However, he is ready for the challenge of adapting to new systems and new team-mates - starting this weekend in his homeland.
McDonald said: "We have a new manager and, as players, we are just determined to work as hard as we possibly can to bring more success to this club.
"I've loved my time at Celtic so far. Losing out on the league title to Rangers last season was hard, but we have to come back stronger than ever this season."
Fortune will have his first training session with his new team-mates after they settle into their Queensland base.
Mowbray will assess the new signing's fitness before deciding if he will start the game.
