Rangers don’t have the bottle to win in front of Celtic fans claims former Hibernian star
Rangers haven’t proven they have the “bottle” to win at Parkhead in front of the Celtic fans, according to Tam McManus.
The ex-Hibs striker said on PLZ Soccer’s The Football Show (10 May), the night before the crucial final league Old Firm of the season, that while Brendan Rodgers and his players have proven previously they can handle the pressure of the opposing crowd the same can’t be said of Philippe Clement’s men.
Rangers head across Glasgow trailing by three points and five goals in the third-last game of the SPFL campaign, with no away fans at Celtic Park and a sparse recent record at the ground.
McManus said (12m 45s): “Celtic have got players in that dressing room that can handle it. They’ve got a manager that can handle it, and I think that could be the difference tomorrow, that experience of been there and done it before in those pressurised situations.
“Rangers have still to prove. Rangers won the league in the Covid season, there was no fans there. Have they got the bottle? Have they got the ability to go to Parkhead in front of 60,000 baying Celtic fans and win the game? I don’t think they have, but they might prove me wrong.”
Is Parkhead victory beyond Philippe Clement’s Rangers?
The truth of the matter is that unless Rangers prove McManus wrong this weekend this is a stick that will be used to beat them and their manager with to an even greater extent next season.
For all Clement has done an admirable job even creating a title race since he took over from Michael Beale, he has so far followed his predecessor in starting off with a difficult record in the derby.
The fight back to claim a point at Ibrox last month was impressive but only made necessary by a terrible first half that gave the Light Blues a mountain to climb and completely wasted the advantage of the Ibrox crowd.
Yes, Giovanni van Bronckhorst triumphed in a Scottish Cup semi final in front of a split crowd at Hampden and yes, Beale got a good win at home towards the end of last season after the title was gone, but the last time Gers supporters could genuinely celebrate a league Old Firm victory was far too long ago.
A squad that is showing its limitations to end the season, and is always beset by injury absences either way, does have the ability to cause problems of Celtic who have their own deficiencies.
But in throwing away a title advantage that had been so hard won over the past two months they need to prove they have the mentality to get a result on the other side of the City, whether it proves enough to lift the trophy or not.
In other Rangers news, the Light Blues are lying in wait to sign a player who has just rejected a new contract at his club.
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