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CELTIC ace Charlie Mulgrew has landed Down Under thinking about a career in the United States - because he wonders if he'll ever be good enough for Scotland.

Confused? Not as much as the versatile Parkhead star, who grew to become one of the most assured performers in the SPL last season only to find himself snubbed in favour of a couple of teenage central defenders by national boss Craig Levein.

Mulgrew, 25, admits he struggled to adapt 12 months ago when he became Neil Lennon's first signing as Celtic boss and toiled to convince critics he would ever be more than a stop-gap.

However, his perseverence and professionalism finally paid off when he won back his place in the top team in the 2-0 defeat of Rangers at Ibrox in January and refused to let it go.

He played only seven times for the Hoops in the first half of the campaign but was a virtual everpresent after Christmas and was rewarded with a goal and his first medal in senior football in the Scottish Cup Final defeat of Motherwell at Hampden in May.

Mulgrew spent his recent vacation in Dubai and Portugal but wouldn't have minded delaying his departure to the sun in favour of a trip to Dublin with the Scotland squad in the Carling Nations Cup.

However, the call-up never came as Levein opted instead for Grant Hanley of Blackburn and Danny Wilson of Liverpool to cover the centre of his defence.

Mulgrew qualifies to play for the States because it was the birthplace of his grandmother and confessed he is in the dark about his international career as he prepares to ponder his options.

He said: "What can you do - apart from play away and hope international football will come? There is nothing I can do except work hard and hopefully catch the manager's eye.

"I qualify to play for the United States through my gran but I haven't heard anything about that. Maybe I would consider it, I don't know. I would prefer Scotland but I am focusing on Celtic for now."

Celtic arrived in Australia yesterday on the first leg of their three-city, three-match tour and preparations will begin in earnest today for their game against Central Coast Mariners in Sydney on Saturday morning before they jet off to face Perth Glory and back across the country to meet Melbourne Victory.

Candidate Mulgrew can consider himself unfortunate if he is not one of the first names on Neil Lennon's team sheet after his impressive return to form last season.

Two games into his return to Celtic - he started at the club as a youth - he looked a candidate to become the fans' whipping boy as the Hoops were bundled out of the Champions League qualifiers against FC Braga.

He concedes it was not the start he was hoping for after his switch from Aberdeen.

He said: "Last summer it all happened so quickly. It was about settling in again, even though I had been here before. There had been talk of a move and within a week I was training with Celtic again and it took a bit of time.

Highlight "Maybe I doubted myself slightly but you need to believe in your ability and that was the reason I ended up playing the amount of games I did.

"The low point was being out of the team at the start of the season, but each day I came into training and worked hard because I knew I had to prove myself in reserve and bounce games. I did that, got my break at Ibrox and I took it.

"The Scottish Cup Final win was the highlight.

"It was a great way to end the season and after the way we lost the league to Rangers it was good to bow out on a high."

Mulgrew plans talks with the club's hierarchy in the coming weeks over a new deal and admits he harboured concerns over boss Neil Lennon committing his future to the club after the disturbing campaign against him off the field last season.

Now Lennon has signed a 12-month rolling deal he hopes the players can reward him with the title they so narrowly failed to secure last time out.

He added: "There was maybe a wee feeling the manager might leave but we also know he is very determined and wants to prove himself at Celtic.

"Now it's good to know there is a bit of stability everybody knows what they are getting from the manager.

"He has been great with everybody. He is very popular and everybody is really happy with him.

"We all feel we owe him. It was great to win the Scottish Cup last season but, at a club such as Celtic, we need to win more than that. That is what we are looking to do next time out by lifting the title."

Mulgrew admits good naturedly he is still baffled about what part he will play in it after convincing performances at left-back, left midfield and in the centre of defence, where his 6ft 3ins frame was put to good effect alongside Daniel Majstorovic.

Preference He said: "I will play anywhere. When you see some of the signings we've made you will play wherever you are given a game.

"I've been asked about my best position so many times it is so hard to say but it's all about doing my best wherever I'm listed.

"Wherever I play in Australia I'll give 100 per cent to show I can perform well there.

"Who knows? There could be injuries and I will be needed in other positions. It is about working hard and being ready.

"I just want to get in somewhere and look to stay there and make the position my own.

"As long as I am in the team I'll play wherever the manager wants me."