The toxic negativity surrounding Rangers is threatening to hit fever pitch after the Celtic defeat as government figures, the police, the press and the support all clash on a variety of issues.
The fall-out from the Old Firm at Ibrox was always going to be monumental if we didn’t come away with a victory but the manner of the result has sullied a vitally important month for the club.
With the Scottish Premiership crown slipping from Rangers’ grasp, there are major fears surrounding the Europa League clash with Braga and the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic.
There have been calls for the heads of several players, even the management staff, and if this club’s current crop weren’t feeling the pressure before they sure will be now.
They’ve come up short yet again and the Rangers support have not been shy in letting them know.
That negativity can only be quelled by positive results but it’s not just in supporter grumblings that depressing news surrounding Rangers can be found.
Rangers SLO Greg Marshall revealed that the club are hunting for the guilty party who chucked a broken glass bottle onto the field of play against Celtic and who hurt a Celtic staffer.
Not only has this shone the club and support in a bad light – we all share the burden of this when it happens – but the usual suspects have been quick to deliver a kick.
Toxic negativity surrounds Rangers after Celtic defeat
It’s easy when you give people ammunition or even a loaded gun, but it’s transparent when so many take these opportunities to willingly vilify Rangers fans with dehumanising language but are a tad more balanced when it comes to other groups.
It’s unhelpful, and the overwhelming majority of Rangers and Celtic fans will join in condemning this disgraceful behaviour and let’s hope those responsible are brought to justice.
Then there is the media gloating; different from the Celtic gloating in that it dresses itself up in “objectivity” but is as transparent as the Rangers backline during Celtic’s second goal at Ibrox.
There’s a real rancour and bitterness that only exists in Scotland and Scottish football and it is depressing to come online post-Old Firm and wade through the muck.
If I could, I’d genuinely just put my phone down for a few days.
The only way to counter this constant barrage of bad news surrounding Rangers, opportunists aplenty grabbing their chance, is to start winning on the pitch.
Soundbites from the board of directors have began to crash as actions always speak louder than words.
The toxicity won’t go anywhere so long as results on the pitch don’t turn and if the players want to relieve pressure on themselves, the club and the support, then they need to stand up and be counted.
Meanwhile, Rangers have been caught sleeping as an Ibrox director comes under scrutiny and Celtic invest £25m.
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