Tom English cringes over Rangers v Celtic Cup Final for BBC Sport
The Rangers and Celtic Scottish League Cup final will carry the cringe-making dread of what some fans sing in their expression of support, according to BBC Sport journalist Tom English.
Rangers overcame Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the Scottish League Cup semi-final on 15 January, booking their place in the final for an Old Firm clash.
English confessed that questionable chants were heard on Saturday in Celtic’s semi-final fixture and on Sunday in the Rangers game, both of which were “mortifying”.
“Rangers have had to drag themselves out of dicey situations in Beale’s brief time as manager – a come-from-behind win against Hibs at Ibrox, another against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and yet another one over the Dons at Hampden,” said English as quoted by BBC Sport (15 January).
“They’re now in a final with Celtic, an enticing prospect that does, however, carry the usual cringe-making dread of the things some of these fans sing in their dreary expression of identity and support. We heard it on Saturday and we heard it again on Sunday. Mortifying.”
Fresh faces.
By the time the club faces Celtic in the Scottish League Cup final it’s likely Michael Beale will be fielding a very different team to the one who put out against Aberdeen.
And this is only a positive thing for the Gers, players like Alfredo Morelos, who was again off it in the 15 January win may be the biggest name to be left out.
The Englishman definitely has something in mind for how he wants this Rangers team to look and it’s not yet fully clear about the lengths he’ll go to make that happen.
He’ll also have a vast amount of players returning from injury by the time the final takes place, something that is easily forgotten at times.
One thing is for sure, Rangers will be heading into the final full of confidence and with a much-better chance of gaining some silverware than they did under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
In a season that seemed completely lost a few months ago, this will be a solid shot at some form of redemption for the Light Blues.
In other Rangers news, the Gers are expected to sign this “World Cup star” in January.