Nasty surprise awaits Rangers or Celtic in ViaPlay Cup final this week – Keith Jackson for Daily Record
Daily Record journalist Keith Jackson believes a nasty surprise may await Rangers and Michael Beale if they lose the ViaPlay Cup final against Celtic this week.
Jackson confessed that when all is said and done after the cup final on 26 February, one manager will emerge from the smoke to find himself in a very different place.
Both Rangers and Celtic enter the final on the back of great form and it promises to be a fiery clash with potential epic proportions.
“One of them is in for a nasty surprise,” said Jackson as quoted by the Daily Record. (pg. 36, 20 February)
“That’s probably the only certainty ahead of Sunday’s Viaplay Cup Final at Hampden now that the gloves are about to come off in this burgeoning rivalry between Ange Postecoglou and Michael Beale.
“With levels of self-confidence and belief soaring on either side of the old divide, finally this phoney war is about to come to an explosive end with real shots being fired.
“And when it’s all done and dusted, one of these managers is about to emerge from the smoke to find himself in a very different place. Wishful thinking, you see, can be dangerous.”
Relentless.
Beale has overseen and changed the fortunes of Rangers since arriving at Ibrox and the weekend’s clash provides the Englishman with his first shot at silverware.
It will be tough, however, to beat a relentless Celtic side that only seems to be getting better by the week under the tutorage of Ange Postecouglou.
10 wins from 11 Scottish Premiership games for Beale has proven that he was the right man for the job and bringing a winning mentality back to Ibrox was needed.
This may still not be enough to overcome Celtic on Sunday and the Gers will have to be at their very best to come away with the ViaPlay Cup trophy.
Nevertheless, football is a strange game and an Old Firm cup final win could give Rangers the energy to overcome Celtic on all fronts heading into the latter part of the campaign.
The Scottish Premiership may be a step too far for Rangers now but domestic cups are still very much on the agenda for Beale and co and they he could be getting his first very soon.
In other Rangers news, the Ibrox bank is set for a cash boost after a document emerged on Wednesday.