Ray Parlour shot down by Mark Hateley on talkSPORT over Rangers and Celtic claim
Mark Hateley was quick to put Ray Parlour straight over a comment made regarding Rangers and their recent record in Europe.
Discussing Aston Villa’s exit from the Europa Conference League on talkSPORT Breakfast [10 May, 09:24am], Parlour said he is “amazed Celtic and Rangers don’t have really good runs in Europe”.
However, Hateley rightly pointed out the Gers’ success – relatively speaking – on the continent over recent seasons.
“You can’t aim that at Rangers over the past three or four years,” he said. “We’ve been to a final, quarter-finals, last-16, so we’ve been there or thereabouts.”
Rangers’ record in European football
Exiting the Europa League at the last-16 stage this season felt like a step backwards, but elimination came at the hands of a strong Benfica side.
The less said about last season’s Champions League campaign the better, granted, but prior to that the Gers made it all the way to the final of the Europa League.
It is worth pointing out that for all the praise Aston Villa and West Ham have had, their European runs came in the Conference League – another level below.
If the Light Blues were competing in that competition, they would instantly be among the favourites to win it.
While much can be said of Celtic’s dismal recent European record, the Gers have at least fulfilled their part of the bargain when it comes to flying the flag for the SPFL.
In other Rangers news, new footage has emerged of Jack Butland clashing with a fan last weekend.
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