Celtic are well clear of Rangers at the moment.
There is a gap. One look at the Premiership table tells you that and the outcome at Hampden on Sunday is not going to change that fact. You only need to go back 12 months for evidence of that. Rangers won the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic last season and went on to secure the trophy after reaching a European final into the bargain. At that stage last summer’s talk was all about them becoming top dogs again.
Fast forward a year and the chat remains the same – new manager, same rhetoric. Every time Rangers lose an Old Firm game we’re told we’ll see the real Rangers the next time. And while Ange Postecoglou appears to have a laser vision when it comes to Celtic, there is too much looking over the fence from those at Ibrox. Talk of closing gaps and getting closer to their rivals is all you seem to hear these days from Ibrox.
I’m pretty sure the Rangers fans aren’t interested in closing gaps. This is Glasgow we’re talking about. The gap could be one point or 100 points. If you’re second, you’re second. I’d imagine the Ibrox supporters aren’t interested in anything other than being first and Rangers have to think about Rangers alone if they are going to overcome Postecoglou.
I’m not going down the lucky quip road again from Michael Beale. It’s old news now. But my only reason for bringing it up is to point out that in saying it the new manager was hardly in the door and he was talking about Celtic’s spending. What for? When Postecoglou was facing a 25-point deficit to Steven Gerrard’s team upon taking charge, my recollection is he basically kept his sole focus on his club, his team, his work – not on what anyone else had in their kitty.
He didn’t talk about needing time. It needed to be done right there and then. He didn’t ask for transfer windows to turn the tide. He just set about doing it and did so successfully. Neil Banfield, one of Beale’s staff, comes out last weekend and states that his club are coming for Celtic. It’s playing to the gallery, but the gallery isn’t fooled. The Rangers fans want results on the park.
Banners this season about lack of trophies and upholding standards tell you that. Rangers need to have a close look inside their own camp and figure out how they are going to get past Celtic because it’s a big job. Taking full responsibility is the first place to start. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is spending, it’s about Rangers spending well and selling at the right times to get themselves into position to have a serious go at Celtic.
It’s the same on the pitch. I’ll give you an example. Seven days ago, Celtic didn’t show themselves against a well-drilled and solid Motherwell. Postecoglou came straight out and said his team did not meet their own standards, should have done things better and said they would learn. The following day Rangers lost at Aberdeen because having failed to take their chances before the interval they fell out of the game in the second half and the Dons took advantage.
Beale was speaking afterwards about how a tug on someone’s jersey in the build-up to Aberdeen’s second goal should have meant a foul. Now I’d also wish to point out that he did also bemoan that his own team were wasteful in front of goal but my point is fans aren’t interested in excuses after losing games they should be winning. They want performances and they want to see their team winning the big games.
Sunday falls squarely into that category. It’s a huge game and Beale needs to win it. If he doesn’t he’s going to have more of his own supporters doubting him. Forget transfer windows and time. That’s not how Glasgow works. Fail to defeat Celtic in four attempts and questions will be asked.
If Beale doesn’t win on Sunday and then doesn’t win the final Old Firm Premiership game of the season at Ibrox with a stadium full of his team’s own fans, the pressure will be immense going into the summer transfer window and next season. Win and he’ll buy himself some breathing space but it doesn’t change everything.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst did it a year ago and by the end of the year, having failed to kick on, he was out of a job and Beale was taking his place. Funnily enough, win or lose, things won’t change for Postecoglou. He has already stamped his authority on Celtic. And with the title in the bag going into the semi-final just as it was a year ago, he’ll get the same understanding from his own fans if defeated this time at Hampden.
That doesn’t mean there’s no pressure on him. Of course there is. Winning trebles is not easy and this is a glorious opportunity for Postecoglou to really cement his place in the club’s history books. I’m not one for saying that Sunday's winners automatically get the Cup as that would be disrespectful to Inverness or Falkirk.
Nonetheless, whoever Celtic would face if they win, they would be monumental favourites and need an epic off-day not to win against a team from either the Championship or League One. In addition, this is a chance to rub Rangers’ noses in it. That defeat last season would have annoyed him and this is a chance to make it right as well further strengthen Celtic’s position as the best team in the country.
Postecoglou has already created a gap and he is going to add more resources and quality in the summer, that is for sure. Win tomorrow and Beale still has plenty on his plate to put Rangers on top. Lose to Celtic again, however, and some within his own support will doubt if he ever can.
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