This time last year, Rangers fans just wanted the Champions League over and Giovanni van Bronckhorst removed from his duties.
Seville was a distant memory but another heavy Old Firm defeat and European batterings were too much to take on top of unconvincing domestic form.
This year, the shoe is on the other foot and Rangers fans are enjoying watching Celtic embarrass themselves in the Champions League but, there is one key difference.
The Rangers difference as Celtic make Champions League excuses
Gio proved against Union Saint Gilloise and PSV Eindhoven, who both went on to have decent Europa League runs, that with a fully fit squad, he could still get results on the continent.
However, from almost matchday one, he had to make do without a host of key players in an injury list that rarely dipped below double figures.
If Rangers are to compete in the Champions League, they need their best players available, not start games with an 18-year old as the only centre-half and a midfield that features two players in their mid to late thirties playing against some of the most dynamic in Europe.
John Hartson said that you can’t judge Celtic’s performance against Atletico Madrid and when pulled up by commentator Rory Hamilton who suggested that brave performances are no longer praise worthy when you haven’t won a Champions League game for years, he merely doubled down and made a series of excuses.
Not surprisingly, blaming the referees was included. Always cheated, never defeated and all that.
And this is the difference, when James Sands got sent off at Ibrox against Napoli, Rangers had put in their best display of the competition against the eventual Serie A winners.
A 3-0 defeat followed but there were no excuses, we weren’t good enough.
Likewise against Liverpool in the 7-1 shambles.
Rangers were in good shape to get what could’ve been an outstanding Champions League result when we were in the game at just 2-1 down when both Connor Goldson and Ryan Jack had to go off injured and all shape was lost.
Again, it was quality and tactics that were questioned.
Rangers always look at themselves, first and foremost when results are poor and Celtic, especially in Europe, need to start doing the same.
If they continue to blame everyone else, they will never improve.
We can’t carry the coefficient for ever.
