Two trophies in their eleven seasons for the club from the other side of the city, compared to Celtic’s near complete domination of Scottish football in the same period, isn’t an exercise in wishful thinking when it comes to predicting the outcome of the Viaplay League Cup Final this weekend.
Instead, it is bona fide evidence of sustained success, and something that offers the Celtic support an element of security when it comes to this weekend’s Glasgow Derby. Although few of us would ever consider a Derby final as being a fait accompli. Yet Keith Jackson writing in his Daily Record column seems to believe Celtic fans haven’t given the Michael Beale incarnation of theRangers enough respect!
‘Wishful thinking, you see, can be a dangerous thing. And right now, fans of both of these incompatible neighbours are guilty of indulging in it at the same time. From Celtic’s perspective, there appears to be an unwillingness to acknowledge the improvements that Beale has been busy carrying out on the other side of the fence.
With a shrug of the shoulders and a puff of the cheeks the general consensus is, ‘So what? He’s still miles behind from Big Ange.’ Which may or may not be the case. But, if they’re wrong, then it will smack of presumptuousness and complacency.’
The one thing Celtic fans can absolutely guarantee from an Ange Postecoglou side is a team minus both presumption and complacency. And if there is any perceived arrogance from the Celtic support it is borne from paying little attention to what that other team is doing rather than it being in any way disrespectful.
With a nine-point lead in the Scottish premiership, there has been little cause to look at what our noisy neighbours are building at Ibrox – and for much of the time since that club came into being it has been a consistent issue.
Instead, like Postecoglou himself, Celtic fans are fully focused on our own team and little else, because this Celtic side is fast becoming the best side Celtic have produced since the Martin O’Neil era and we are simply engrossed by that.
That’s not to say the Celtic support don’t keep an eye on theRangers and how they are developing under rookie boss Michael Beale. It’s just as the Celtic boss may proclaim they haven’t been on our radar much when it comes to the league campaign at least – plus the guy doesn’t half go on!
That may have changed had Beale eaten into Celtic’s advantage, but given all he’s managed to do thus far is keep pace, there has been little need to take more than the occasional glance over our shoulder.
In truth, like many, I have little interest in what theRangers do unless they are breathing down our necks. Yet with a nine-point lead – and a ridiculously more impressive goal difference, which arguably moves that deficit into double figures – you have to believe Jackson is simply miffed once again that the team he supports, and any improvement they have mustered, has barely registered with anyone outside of Ibrox.
That will change now we actually face theRangers in a Cup Final, where there may be no points at stake but silverware will be. That is when theRangers and any perceived improvement will enter the orbit of the Celtic team and support, however we’ll judge Beale and his team, during the game and after the final whistle.
After all respect has to be earned, and whilst results have improved under Beale, many within Celtic’s support will thus far have put that down to a new manager bounce and little else other than plenty of assist from the match and VAR officials, as again happened at Livingston at the weekend.
Could that change with Sunday’s League Cup Final? It may well do, however, theRangers have a lot of work to do to ensure it does. As the banner they unfurled at Livingston on Saturday proves, even their own support is aware of that.
Niall J
READ THIS…Celtic Star Greg Taylor’s Hiccups Video with BBC Sport Scotland
GLASGOW DERBY UNDER THE LIGHTS ON FRIDAY 24 FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 7PM….CELTIC V theRangers
Don’t forget there’s some Friday Night Football under the lights this coming Friday when Fran Alonso’s title challenging Celtic side take on theRangers at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie with the match only open to Celtic supporters. Celtic are a point ahead of theRangers at the moment and three behind Glasgow City who we play a week on Sunday, also over at Airdrie. A win against theRangers takes Celtic to the top of the league and a win the following Sunday will really put Celtic in the driving seat for our first ever SWPL1 Title. Get along and support the team, for full ticket details click below…COYGIG!
