Ange Potescoglou and Mick Beale both did their best this week to kick the can down the road when asked about the Scottish Cup draw.
You can’t blame them for wanting to postpone derby chat for now with plenty of football still to be played. But the pair will need to buckle up soon as an epic few spring weeks are going to define the season. We’ve got three Old Firm games to look forward to, probably in the space of a month.
Celtic Park in a couple of weeks is do or die for Rangers in terms of their Premiership chances, then we’ve got the Hampden showdown and the final clash of the campaign could be the following week at Ibrox. It means the big two will collide six times this season and it’s got some people talking about overkill. Goodness knows why. These matches are box office – and the triple-header will be essential viewing. It’s just a shame the clubs are doing their best to damage the fixture as a spectacle.
I just don’t get this decision to shut out away fans from both grounds in the league games. Talk of safety concerns or whatever, is a sad state of affairs.
The derby is built on the tribal atmosphere. Sure, it might be noisy when there’s only one set of supporters represented, but it takes away from the general rivalry.
It’s not been the same since Rangers got fed up seeing Celtic fans celebrating in the Broomloan Stand and cut the allocation, leading to the tit-for-tat stuff we are getting now. It’s all just so petty.
The big away sections are what made these fixtures and the question I’d ask is what are they trying to achieve in terms of selling the game. We’re trying to promote Scottish football beyond these borders.
We should be showcasing the biggest fixture on the calendar. Instead we are diminishing and devaluing it. I’d go back to the way it was in a heartbeat but I just fear too much water’s gone under the bridge now and neither club will give an inch.
It’s going to take someone to make a stand and look at the bigger picture. It’s disappointing because these games are massive. There’s so much at stake, everything will be on the line. Bring it on.
As a player, these are the games you want coming thick and fast – as long as you are the ones on top. Back when we did the green-and-white wash a few years ago we would have played them every week.
If you’re getting the runaround, it’s a different story. That’s why Celtic will be quite comfortable to have another derby day to look forward to. And it’s why Rangers will be feeling more wary.
There will be pressure on both clubs. There always is. But you get the sense there is a bit more on Rangers. Celtic already have the Viaplay Cup in the bag and they are in a strong position in the league.
The title was always the big target and they are close. A win at Celtic Park against Rangers and it will be just about done. The momentum could take them into the Scottish Cup clash and that could be a problem for Beale.
He really needs to win at least one, or maybe even two, of these games or he’ll be up against it even before he gets to his promised summer rebuild. He needs to show he’s learned from mistakes going into previous derbies and keep a lid on the big talk.
They are bullish again after a couple of decent results and the chat seems to be that if Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell had started at Hampden last month they would have wiped the floor with Celtic. We’ll soon find out if that’s true. The incentives are huge for both clubs. Rangers need to win a trophy, stay in the league fight and try to halt a Treble.
Celtic will feel they can bury their rivals and end their season with a month to spare. It’s going to be fascinating. There’s no doubt Celtic are in a good place right now. But they also know it only takes a single slip up and the narrative can change. Hibs spring a shock at Celtic Park today and Rangers win, then all of a sudden that April league derby takes on massive significance.
Postecoglou is well aware of it as well and his immediate concern might be having quiet chats with Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate after their latest Japan snub. I don’t think the pair of them should be too despondent.
Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu seemed to contradict himself with his reasoning for leaving them out of his squad and suggesting Scottish football was an issue. It’s a bit strange given Daizen Maeda made it and it didn’t exactly hinder Josip Juranovic and Aaron Mooy at the World Cup.
I’m sure Postecoglou will be delighted they will have a few days off rather than going globetrotting and I wouldn’t worry too much about some fears the pair of them might be for the off to fulfil their international ambitions. They’ve flourished at Celtic and I get the feeling people in Japan are surprised at their omissions.
Kyogo and Hatate just need to bide their time and keep doing the business rather than looking to move elsewhere. But the Japan manager should be looking to get tickets for the Old Firm clashes, even if the away fans can’t.
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