Broken Barry Ferguson’s Strange Celtic Rant

IBROX CHEERLEADER Barry Ferguson had quite a strange rant in the Daily Record, confessing that Celtic set the standard and it’s up to The Rangers to challenge them.

During the article, he listed why The Rangers are going into the Glasgow Derby match already beaten, admitting that Ange Postecoglou is a wonderful manager who leads a great side full of quality, the League table has the nine-point margin for a reason, Celtic have a significant advantage with a full stadium cheering them on and the fact that the Ibrox side have an extremely poor record at Parkhead, but yet, he insists that the mentality of gis former club is all wrong.

Richard Gough was in the press earlier this week, admitting that the chances of an away result were pretty slim. 

Rambling in the Daily Record, the former Alloa manager said:

“The league table doesn’t lie. And, yes, there is a danger that our old club is suffering from the same kind of inferiority complex which was once Celtic’s problem to deal with.

“But, while I grudgingly accept all of the above, I know how I’d be feeling if I was in Michael Beale’s squad ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Parkhead. Legend or not, I’d be absolutely bursting to get out there and prove the big man wrong. I’d want to show the world Celtic are not the unbeatable, super-power so many people make them out to be.

“Yes, Ange Postecoglou has worked wonders over the road. I’ve said the same myself many times in this column, even though it’s hard to admit. He’s built a very strong unit which plays a brand of really attractive football and contains some massively talented individuals.

“I can’t deny it. But what I would refuse to accept if I was going up against them tomorrow lunchtime – in front of 62,000 of their own supporters – is that nothing can be done to stop them.

“F*** that! I’d be on that bus telling my teammates that this is exactly the time and the place for them to stand up and show just how good they are. Even if no one else expects it. In fact, ESPECIALLY because no one else expects it.

“Six Old Firm wins at Parkhead since the turn of the century doesn’t make pretty reading. And I’ve played my part in that record too so I’m in no place to get on my high horse.

“But I do know this much, never once did I go there believing we were on a hiding to nothing, no matter the quality lining up on the other side of that halfway line. Never once did I think defeat would be acceptable, never mind inevitable.

“And I made damn sure that everyone else around me felt the exact same way before we stepped off that bus, surrounded by a baying mob in the car park. I’d sick my chest out, look them in the eyes and think to myself, ‘I’m going to do everything in my power to absolutely ruin your weekend!’

“That’s the attitude Beale and his players will need because they have to understand that these people want to rub their noses in the dirt. They don’t just want to beat them. They want to humiliate them.

“If that doesn’t light a fire inside your belly then don’t even bother walking off the steps. Go out there and throw a spanner in their works. Cut that gap down to six points and see how they react when the pressure is on.

“If nothing else, lay down a marker ahead of the Scottish Cup semi final and sow a little bit of self doubt because even if the league is still a long shot, that other trophy simply has to be retained. So let’s get out there and stick one on them! Let’s do something to change this whole narrative.

“I’ll tell you exactly what I’d be saying inside that dressing room, ‘There’s no room for any fear here. This is no place for feeling intimidated or inferior.”

You know it’s bad if Barry is wanting his side to at least lay down a marker as they try to win just the one trophy this season.

Celtic fans are confident, not arrogant, heading into the match. The league is pretty much finished, in the eyes of Celtic fans, and a win on Saturday to take the Bhoys 12 points clear at the top of the league would be terrific.