Chris Sutton believes Danny Rohl’s pre-match bravado has quickly caught up with him after Celtic knocked Rangers out of the Scottish Cup on penalties at Ibrox.
Celtic left Ibrox unbeaten across two visits in the space of a week. Martin O’Neill’s side came from two goals down to rescue a draw in the league on March 1, then returned on March 8 and progressed to the Scottish Cup semi-finals after a shootout.
Sutton believes the Ibrox boss did little to help himself in the lead-up.
The former Celtic striker was unimpressed by Rohl’s decision to involve himself in debate around Celtic’s approach against Stuttgart, O’Neill’s goalkeeper selection, and Luke McCowan’s claim that Celtic are the best team in the country on their day.
Sutton said (RecordSport):
“Rohl’s issue is that he got a bit above his station and got a little bit too cocky. You could see what Martin O’Neill thought about his comments on how Celtic should have played against Stuttgart.
“That wouldn’t have gone down well. I just think Rohl started to believe his own hype a little bit, I don’t know why he got involved with Luke McCowan’s comments, and if I were a Rangers fan I would be thinking, ‘You haven’t won anything yet Danny, don’t worry about what’s going on at Celtic or who Martin should be playing.
“Concern yourself with your own team. Let’s get it right. Talking about Martin in Europe, Rohl’s record in Europe was rotten.
“That won’t have gone down well with the Rangers support. The two games against Celtic at Ibrox, he would have been thinking, ‘here we go, I fancy this’.
“In fairness, they had the better of the first half in the league game and the majority of the cup tie.
“But in Glasgow it’s all about who comes out on top. I just think Danny’s ego has been checked a bit with what’s happened.
“It’s better to do your talking on the pitch rather than spout off early – and it’s come back to bite him.”
Sutton’s criticism was blunt, but the context around the two matches at Ibrox explains it.
Celtic had to claw their way back at Ibrox. A week later in the cup tie, there were large spells where the home side again carried the greater threat.
None of that mattered in the end.
Celtic held their nerve when it counted. Penalties decided the tie, and O’Neill’s side delivered.
That is the reality of this fixture. Control and momentum only carry weight if the result follows.
Managers who step into the public arena before the games are played always run the risk of it turning on them. In this case, Sutton clearly feels that is exactly what happened.
The wider title race remains alive, and nobody inside Celtic will pretend otherwise.
But walking out of Ibrox after a comeback draw and a cup win inside seven days shifts the mood.
For the supporters, it restores belief. For the players, it reinforces that they can still dictate how this season finishes.
What Celtic do with that momentum now will define the weeks ahead.
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