Celtic and Rangers - two laudable teams let down by the lamentable among their supports

It isn’t often that commendation and admiration demands to be dispensed equally after Scotland’s big two have locked horns. Especially when the outcome has practically decided the destination of the title in the favour of one.

Yet, both Celtic and Rangers deserve to be applauded to the rafters - over different aspects - for what they served up across a gripping 1-1 draw that see-sawed and sizzled with tension. A tied scoreline that essentially leaves the Ibrox men needing snookers to topple their bitter rivals. It could be no other way with Celtic ultimately preserving their six-point lead and now having only three league games to negotiate. Only just, did they preserve the advantage. Precisely what made the pairs’ slugging it out in the east end of Glasgow take on the properties of a true heavyweight contest that fascinated for the full 12 rounds.

The mettle shown by Rangers’ to produce such a stirring late rally - after appearing down and out in making little headway following the loss of a Jota opener in 21 minutes - could only be marvelled over. Indeed, but for the post and Joe Hart producing a superb reaction save, Fashion Sakala might have had a hat-trick and not merely the one superb finish that ensured the title will remain a live issue, at least for another week. that ensured the title will remain a live issue, at least for another week. Admiration is demanded for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men over their ability to consistently dip deep into their reserves as they strain every sinew in going all out on the home and continental fronts.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Trailing by a goal at Celtic Park, bereft of first choice strikers Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe, and coming off the back of a mentally draining Europa League semi-final first leg single-goal defeat in Leipzig, Rangers would have been forgiven for becoming resigned to their fate in the closing stages. It would have been a human instinct had they even subconsciously sought to avoid emptying the tank with the opportunity to progress to a European final four days later. Instead, and just as with the Scottish Cup semi-final, they found a second wind to leave Celtic struggling for air.

The engrossing back-and-forth between these two teams, and the spirit in which their five meetings have been contested - it is virtually unknown for a season to pass without a red card in these fixtures - has meant both the country’s football behemoths are possessed with the wiles and the spirit to perform and conduct themselves in a manner that elevates the entire Scottish game. And there is no reason to suspect that we might not be in for an extended era when their scrap for domestic supremacy will be consistently enriching. Indeed, we may be returning to time akin to the early 2000s. A period when, between 1999-2000 and 2005-06, the title changed hands five times.

And this possibility is where the commendation for Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic comes into play. A 29th league game without defeat places them in rarified company among championship winners - for that is what they will become in the next couple of weeks - in this millennium. Indeed, they now defer only to the Rangers and Celtic invincibles of last season and 2016-17 respectively when it comes to such top flight sequences without loss. No-one gave Celtic an unearthly under Postecoglou of even coming close to bridging the 25-point gap that existed between the bitter rivals last season. Instead, they have effectively turned that on its head, despite taking only 10 of the first 21 points played for. It is nothing short of incredible for them to have claimed 76 of the 84 points subsequently available.

The chanting from sections of Celtic and Rangers fans during the Old Firm match at Celtic Park made for unpleasant listening.  (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)The chanting from sections of Celtic and Rangers fans during the Old Firm match at Celtic Park made for unpleasant listening.  (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)
The chanting from sections of Celtic and Rangers fans during the Old Firm match at Celtic Park made for unpleasant listening. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Postecoglou has made this happen by remaking the Celtic squad. As is typical, eight of the 11 who started against Rangers were recruited by him since last July. The futures of all but loanee-pair Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers appear settled. That has emboldened the Celtic manager to believe there is the potential for real growth in the pool he has assembled. In contrast, his Ibrox counterpart van Bronckhorst is likely to find himself in a position not so far removed from where Postecoglou was last summer. A player cycle appears approaching a conclusion for Rangers. As well as Morelos, it could be that six of his starters in the latest derby - Connor Goldson, Ryan Kent, Joe Aribo, Scott Arfield, Steven Davis and Allan McGregor - could be in the closing weeks of their Rangers careers. How van Bronckhorst retools his squad will determine the course of the next couple of top flights.

In the meantime, it can be stated without fear of contradiction that Glasgow has two laudable teams. Alas, what they also have are two lamentable and low-brow elements within their support. Without tarring all fans with the same brush, the “Orange b******s” and “up to our knees in Fenian blood” chants that were spat back and forth from sections of the Celtic support and the 700-pocket of Rangers fans served as depressing reminders that the fundamentalists among these faithful can’t let go of their sectarian baggage - Orange and Fenian shorthand for Protestant and Catholic respectively in the eyes of the law and the more fair-minded, whatever might be claimed by the crazies.

The religious baiting - however it might be dressed up - and obsession with various armed conflicts in the north of Ireland is wearying, and disturbing. In their latest bout, Celtic and Rangers proved once more they are genuinely progressive football teams. So depressing that such comes against a backdrop of regression among swathes of their followers.

Related topics:

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.