Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers lets slip that he’s feeling the Rangers pressure as he channeled his inner Parkhead dad with some ridiculous post-match soundbites.
In a tense encounter at Celtic Park – where the circumstances were certainly bent in the Parkhead side’s favour – the under pressure Northern Irishman overcame Rangers boss Philippe Clement.
For anyone watching, but for some ruthless Celtic finishing and some controversial refereeing against the backdrop of conspiracy pressure, Rangers were certainly not outplayed nor outfought.
It’s especially impressive given that the SPFL allowed Celtic to ignore their own rules on stadium allocations before the game, with not a bluenose in sight at Parkhead.
Brendan Rodgers in Rangers manager dig
Speaking after the game, one would’ve suspected a little more grace from Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers given the tight nature of the title race with Rangers and of this match.
But cracking wise about the seeing the Rangers coming – a bit of classic Celtic dad patter from before his exit contributed to their 10IAR dream dying – we’ll take it if they want to underestimate us.
“Over my two spells here, Scott, I’ve worked against five Rangers managers,” said Rodgers. “And every time Rangers were coming.
“Every time at some point. So for me, it’s normal, I don’t you know, like I said the other day if I listen to the media and the press then we’d be in constant crisis mode and constant fear of Rangers.
“But it’s the fifth manager now. So for me my focus is only Celtic and concentrated very much on here and a lot of the stuff that maybe does go around thankfully I ignore it.”
Celtic boss deflects from growing Old Firm pressure
Well, well, well Brendan, I’m pretty confident we’ll certainly be referring more to these comments in the weeks and months ahead.
Heading into the game, amid Celtic’s wailing about Masonic conspiracies and ticket allocations, we knew this was always going to be a hard match for Rangers.
Its hard enough against 60,000 who’re trying their best to encourage a Celtic victory, never mind 60,001. Or 60,002 now we’ve got VAR.
But as I wrote before the game, this match was never going to derail our season no matter the outcome. Celtic on the other hand might just have capitulated such is the pressure on their manager.
The Ibrox squad is also decimated by injury and – with all due respect to the former Liverpool and Leicester boss – there are only two points in it at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Rangers went into that ground with the odds stacked against them; a decimated squad, the referees and VAR team on strict orders and under immense pressure, not a fan in the stadium.
And yet for very large spells we were the better team and but for some quality that we’re missing in the medical room and undoubtedly set to bring to Ibrox in the transfer market, we might’ve edged this match.
This is not the same as Brendan Rodgers facing off against Mark Warburton, Pedro Caixinha, or Graeme Murty.
It’s an insult to the intelligence of football supporters anywhere to suggest so and if anything, it proves that Brendan Rodgers is talking utter twaddle which cannot be taken seriously.
It’s certainly not the same as Steven Gerrard, who beat the Celtic boss before he evacuated Parkhead, a seismic moment which contributed to his former Liverpool captain winning the biggest Premiership title in Scottish football history. Thanks for that Brendan.
The less said about Michael Beale’s start to the season – and that disastrous 1-0 defeat to Celtic at Ibrox – the better. We certainly weren’t “coming” from any direction under the Englishman.
These are the comments of a man deflecting from serious pressure on his shoulders and we’re pretty sure he knew exactly what we has doing.
Rangers have already lifted the League Cup, there is a harmony building in the squad, the club have just pipped Celtic to Fabio Silva and – much to their utter dismay – we are once again the only Scottish club worth their salt on the European stage.
Brendan Rodgers meanwhile is statistically the worst Champions League manager of all time and can only dream of going to Real Betis and winning with a Scottish side.
This is one game in the “marathon” of a league season and if the Celtic manager wants to write the Rangers challenge off before the Bells, then he’s in for one hell of a shock when the clocks go forward.
