Irish managerial legend Roddy Collins claims Celtic “boxed the head off” Rangers at Hampden as he compared the Scottish Cup semi final between the fierce rivals as two fighters slugging it out in the ring.
Collins, manager of part-time Bohemians when they humiliated Aberdeen in the UEFA Cup just over 20 years ago, admitted his love for the Old Firm derby fixture and the brother of former boxing world champion Steve used the pugilism analogy to give his take of the contest in his column for the Irish Mirror.
The 60-year-old, who managed a dozen clubs during his time as boss, including a spell in England with Carlisle United, wrote: “Celtic got this victory because they outplayed Rangers in the first half and then stood toe to toe with them in the second. It reminded me of a boxing fight. There's this old saying in The Sweet Science, that if you are fighting a scrapper, you box him, and if you are fighting a boxer, you engage him in a scrap.
