Two controversial columnists have questioned Rangers in the build-up to the League Cup final against Celtic.
Firstly, writing for the Scottish Sun, Davie Provan has drawn attention to what he believes is a weak Gers mentality.
“For all the improvement we can see in Steven Gerrard’s team, I’m just not convinced that they’ve got the same mental strength Celtic have,” he writes.
“Guys like James Forrest, Callum McGregor and Scott Brown now expect to see green and white ribbons waiting for them on the podium. I don’t see anything different today.”
Meanwhile, writing for the Daily Record, Gordon Parks has come out with an absolutely ridiculous pre-match assertion.
He’s claimed that no Rangers player would get into the Celtic XI.
Seemingly ignoring the fact that Allan McGregor is comfortably the best keeper in the Premiership, that Borna Barisic is the most accomplished left-back, that Ryan Jack is arguably the form central midfielder and that Alfredo Morelos is one of the form strikers in Europe, never mind Scotland, he’s really saved his most outrageous assertion of all for the big day.
Verdict
Ridicule is never far away for Rangers in the mainstream media.
Former Celtic player Provan has a history of anti-Gers remarks, although in essence there is truth to what he’s saying this time around.
The jury is still out on Steven Gerrard’s side. On and off the field the club are streaks ahead of where they were a few years ago. Yet, although they can undoubtedly compete with the Hoops man for man – until major silverware is lifted, question marks will rightly remain.
As for Parks, though, there’s simply no way he can believe what he’s written. It’s just another (successful) attempt to create an incendiary headline.
Yet, if Rangers win today, that ridiculing will halt. It simply has to.
The long-stretch without a major trophy and Celtic’s years of dominance have created an environment within which columnists can say whatever they want and however misguided, there’s little tangible evidence to prove them wrong.
It’s time for the Gers to take a massive step by securing silverware. If they can do that, detractors like Provan and Parks will finally end up with egg on their face.
