BBC Sport pundit rages at ‘bonkers’ Rangers fan claim ahead of Aberdeen clash despite ’embarrassing’ Celtic defeat
It is “ridiculous” to suggest that Aberdeen play any harder against Rangers than they do for anybody else, according to Mark Wilson.
The BBC Sport pundit blasted that claim by a Gers supporter as “bonkers” live on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard on 23 November ahead of Philippe Clement taking his side to Pittodrie, and suggested that fans should be blaming their own players for failing to get up for the game to the same level, with host Gordon Duncan amazed that the former Celtic defender had accused them of “bottling” Dons fixtures.
Wilson claimed (9m 30s) that it was “nothing to do with Rangers” that the game would be tough on Sunday because Aberdeen “badly need a reaction from an embarrassing performance against Celtic” following their 6-0 defeat before the international break.
Wilson said (22m 5s): “That’s bonkers that argument. I just cannae get my head around that…
“How can you possibly think that a professional team goes out there and tries harder against one other team in the league than any other team?
“It’s a ridiculous argument that you would think that professional would go and do that.
“And at that, surely if Rangers have got better individuals than Aberdeen, they should, are you not having a go at your own team Rangers, and saying why can the Rangers players not get up for it equally?
Duncan replied: “So you’ve introduced a new theory that actually Rangers players bottle it more against Aberdeen? Wow.”
“Maybe they don’t like the atmosphere, I don’t know, maybe” Wilson said. “But how could you possibly think that Aberdeen, who have got very good players, will think for the other teams in the league, the other 10 teams in the league, ‘Well, we’ll go alright, but Rangers are coming? Ok, by the way we’re going to try really hard here’?”
Grudge match
Of course players can try harder against specific teams otherwise the entire concept of derbies being an extra motivation wouldn’t exist.
If Aberdeen do manage to come up with a reaction to their thrashing by the Hoops to then put in a performance against Rangers then it will only add to the idea that they are particularly lifted to beat the Light Blues.
Kris Boyd said in no uncertain terms that would happen live on Sky Sports as he scoffed at the Dons capitulation at Parkhead [Daily Record, 12 November], and has been roundly criticised as a result.
Obviously it’s true that Rangers have a responsibility to rise to the challenge whether just a coincidence or not so Clement’s players can’t avoid criticism if they fail to get the win.
But at the same time it is easy for Ibrox rivals to dismiss the possibility when it is logically quite possible, just as any small side is seen to have an outside chance of suddenly playing out of their minds if handed a cup draw against a powerhouse anywhere in the world.
It doesn’t necessarily have to imply that Aberdeen roll over against anybody else, which is surely what everyone is so upset about, but the suggestion that they might psychologically raise their games against Rangers isn’t absurd.
Either way Clement has to ensure his players are on top of their game to avoid any slip ups which would halt the momentum he had built up heading into the break.
In other Rangers news, a journalist has been left baffled by the Light Blues being linked to a “hefty package” January signing.