George Overhill

Mon 2 January 2023 8:10, UK

Chris Sutton chose 10 Celtic players for his midseason SPFL team and branded Ally McCoist “embarrassing” for including Rangers representation.

The former Hoops striker’s only selection not from his former side was Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland, as he ignored the Light Blues entirely on New Year’s Day.

McCoist, who chose Celtic players Cameron Carter-Vickers, Callum McGregor, Matt O’Riley and Jota, put three from Rangers in his side in the form of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson and summer signing Antonio Colak, to no little push back from Sutton.

While picking their teams for BT Sport’s Scottish Football Extra Sutton justified picking 10 of 11 players from Celtic Park, saying: “Even from the other side of the city, watching that ugly stuff at Ibrox at times, Ally would appreciate what Ange Postecoglou has done in such a short space of time.”

But for his own team McCoist argued the Gers captain’s case, saying: “Tavernier automatically walks into the team because of his goals and his assists. No brainer, absolute no brainer.”

Sutton responded: “Really? Better than [Josip] Joranovic? Earlier on in the show you were talking about Juranovic going off to Brazil.”

And McCoist shot back: “Yes, he’s going to Brazil, of course he is. He’s that good, but he cannot match Tavernier’s figures Christopher. He cannot, it’s impossible to match Tavernier’s figures.

“My two centre-backs are pretty straight forward. Goldson when he plays is, in my opinion, probably the best centre-half in the league, and Carter-Vickers has been very, very good.”

Sutton cut in with: “Goldson hasn’t had a great start to the season so I think Ally is just trying to ram Rangers players in.”

“Says the man whose got 10 Celtic players, I’m trying to ram Rangers in right?” McCoist responded.

Then when it came to his attack, the Ibrox favourite said: “My front line is unbeatable. Colak, he’s leading the front three all day. He’s been a tremendous signing, all sorts of goals.”

But Sutton wasn’t impressed, reacting with laughter and saying: “Oh come on… Where’s Kyogo or Big George [Giorgos Giakoumakis]? That’s embarrassing.”

Fun and games

Clearly Celtic have been having a good time of things over the first few months of the season, and Rangers changing manager during the World Cup break is a clear sign that it hasn’t been so comfortable.

But 10 of 11 from the leaders rather defeats the purpose of picking a league XI and is mostly Sutton up to his old tricks, looking to get a reaction from his old rival McCoist.

Tavernier hasn’t been up to his usual standards for much of this year but you’d be hard pressed to find many Bears fans who would like to see a side without his production in it, and Goldson’s importance has been illustrated recently as much by what happened when he wasn’t there.

Colak, still third in the Scottish Premiership scoring charts despite missing time with an injury of his own has been the headline piece of transfer business from a summer haul that largely still has the jury very much out on it.

The revival since Michael Beale arrived has restored some of the belief that looked to be ebbing away at Rangers, but Sutton and McCoist’s selections will be put to the test at Ibrox on Monday (2 January).

It is Beale’s first major test, after taking maximum points from the lead up one way or the other, and should be a good sign of how much work he has to do to close the gap between the Old Firm rivals.

In other Rangers news, the Gers are looking to pounce for an in-form man in January as contract talks break down.