Ally McCoist and Chris Sutton are sensing regret from Rangers manager Michael Beale over his comments aimed at Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.
After Beale arrived at Ibrox the Englishman branded his counterpart at Parkhead a 'lucky man' because of the money he has had to spend in the transfer market.
In response, Postecoglou said: "I agree, mate, I'm an extremely lucky man.
"I work for a fantastic football club with fantastic people. I've got a beautiful family. I've been doing this for 25 years now and long may it continue."
Celtic hero Sutton believes Beale will now regret his comments and Ibrox legend McCoist did not disagree when he appeared on an Old Firm edition of The Overlap YouTube show.
Sutton said: “Michael Beale came in and had the quip about ‘Lucky Ange’. I suspect that right now, at this moment in time, he regrets saying that.
"I understand he has to come in and make his mark, and there’s that great rivalry, but I think he could have played things a bit differently.
"And from things that he’s said in recent weeks, I think he’s watering things down a little bit. I think if you asked him privately, I suspect he’d regret coming in and trying to sort of big himself up.”
Ally McCoist continued: “It was perhaps a little bit of inexperience. When you look back at my time in Old Firm games, whether it was Billy McNeill, Tommy Burns, there’s was always a healthy respect in what was said. Always.
"Because everybody knew that the press and media - and it’s a lot different now with social media - everybody knows they’re searching for a line. Just one line. Give us a headline. Give us something we can splash over social media.
"So you probably have to be more careful than you’ve ever been, but you would never hear Walter [Smith] or Tommy Burns or Billy McNeill saying anything that would wind up the opposition.
"Because the opposition will be wound up enough anyway, so you don’t go out of your way to add fuel to the flames.”
Sutton then added: “He should have known better, shouldn’t he, because you talk about healthy respect. Ange Postecoglou had been coaching for 25-26 years, virtually always been a success.
"But what he had to take over at Celtic at the start, you can’t say that was lucky. It was a real mess the situation which he took over.”
McCoist concluded: “I tell you the one thing he’s done. His recruitment’s been excellent. You can’t say it’s lucky.
"He’s been very intelligent - and he is a clever, intelligent man. He’s gone to a league that he knows very well and he’s picked players and the vast majority, if not nearly all of them, have been excellent. And recruitment nowadays is vitally important.”
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