Alex McLeish was shocked by what he witnessed at last month’s Glasgow Derby.
So too were thousands of home fans who let Micky Beale’s side know exactly what they thought of them as they took a ‘lap of honour’ following the 1-0 defeat.
Their manager wasn’t around to witness the abuse, very quickly after the final whistle he was off down the tunnel and out of sight.
In 90 minutes it was mission accomplished for Brendan Rodgers, the doubts and questions about his return were quashed with a masterful tactical display that took full points to put Celtic four points clear of their city rivals.
The match highlighted the contrast in squads and management between the two Glasgow clubs, four weeks later Beale was gone with the search on-going for his successor.
McLeish watched that match unfold from afar and was taken aback by one aspect, telling the Daily Record:
When Ange Postecoglou was at Celtic he signed quick players who could burst through the backline and soon enough you could see what he wanted to do. If you compare Rangers’ recruitment to Celtic’s, it’s not been at the same level. The dynamism isn’t there.
Look at the recent Old Firm game. You have two rookie Celtic players in central defence but Rangers didn’t lay a glove on them. Imagine what Ally McCoist and Mark Hateley would have done, or de Boer and Mikey Mols, or big Dado Prso. These guys would have sniffed it out in a moment.
Liam Scales and Gus Lagerbielke formed the Celtic central defence at Ibrox, playing together for the second time due to injuries to Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh.
Whoever replaces Beale will face Celtic at the end of December knowing that four defeats in that fixture in nine months cost the previous boss his job.
I remember chris sutton having to play centre half at greyskull and he strolled it.
I had a bit of time for McLeish in his playing days but what a buffoon he has gone on to be as a ‘pundit’ talking to the redtops.
Mols?! I assume he means pre-injury?! He was as slow as a week in the jail after it. Dado Prso?! He had one decent season – his first – and was in single figures for goals after that! As for De Boer, didn’t even the Huns themselves regard him as a flop?! It was off to Qatar after iBrox for the smiling Dutchman, which I think says it all…
Yet on some level I understand what he’s saying: had they been put under intense pressure by extremely physical forwards – of the type of Mark Hateley or Daniel Cousin – the centre backs may not have managed to get through the afternoon, but he’s overlooking the fact that Dessers tried that but they coped, and in the era of VAR, greater scrutiny and a desire not to appear a laughing stock to the watching world, referees occasionally apply the rules of the game to iBrox players, such as after Dessers smash-and-grab on Lagerbielke leading to the goal that never was.
As an aside: McLeish has some brass neck!
He was at Hampden posing for media photos, getting a few quid
promoting ViaPlay’s coverage of upcoming Scotland games.
After the manner in which he;
– accepted the job again [was just given it by his friend, SFA Charmain McRae]
– left the job [in a total shambles, as he proved he was indeed unfit for the job]
– swanned of with a healthy pay-off,
McLeish should be too embarrassed to go anywhere near Hampden,
nevermind associate himself with the current, successful national team,
just to squeeze out a few more quid!
Shameless.
Yes, Bob!
As
“Brass Necks”
go, McLeish’s is one of the brassiest!
Promoted up, so he could do less harm, is the way of things sometimes.
It certainly was in his case!
Still spewing that we went to the Boo Dome with no fans and waltzed out with 3 points
Superb stuff
An incoherent gibbering Sevco supporting wreck…
Although I think he has some sort of genuine illness –
Unlike that other gibbering (recently declared) Sevco supporting wreck Miller !
7 points going on 17 McLeish
Alex McLeish will always be welcome at Celtic Park. All he has to do is ask for a ticket!
But there is no
“Old Firm”
anymore, Alex.
That ship sailed a long time ago!