Loser Rohl confesses to his stupid mistake with Martin O’Neill

Danny Rohl has admitted that he was the loser when he tried to play mind games with Martin O’Neill.

At the end of February the gangly German was on the brink of legendary status as he prepared for back to back visits from Celtic.

In January Rohl had masterminded a 3-1 win over Wilfried Nancy that had fired up the usual Ibrox fantasies and title dreams.

On February 19 and 22 Celtic had lost at home to Stuttgart and Hibs. A red card against Hibs for Auston Trusty meant that the defender was suspended for the Ibrox SPFL clash.

While Rohl’s side enjoyed a full week of training at Murray Park Celtic had to undergo a Thursday night trip to Stuttgart.

All was happy and glorious in the world of the bears.

Celtic won 1-0 away to Stuttgart but went out 4-2 on aggregate.

Vil Sinisalo had started his second game of the season. There were injury doubts over Kasper Schmeichel.

The Ibrox media pack almost cheered Rohl into the room for his pre-Celtic thoughts.

THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL FOR IBROX LOSER DANNY ROHL

From the moment that the cameras and microphones stopped Rohl’s Ibrox career went into free fall.

The former Sheffield Wednesday flop thought that he could outsmart someone with 30 years more experience.

Looking back at his failures at Ibrox Rohl told the Daily Record:

If I could change something, I would choose not to speak about him after their European game in Stuttgart. I was trying to be a front-footed Rangers manager.

I was surprised that they didn’t really want to attack and go through but it wasn’t my topic. Also, I think it had an influence and an impact on them changing the goalkeeper at that moment.

Schmeichel had some problems and they were conceding goals but then the other one (Viljami Sinisalo) came in.

That was one thing that I maybe shouldn’t have done. Maybe I triggered him (O’Neill) too much in that case. It was unnecessary to do it. It was a 37-year-old manager against a guy who has seen a lot in football.

So maybe it wasn’t the right point to make. It was never about Martin as a person, it was just about Celtic versus Rangers.

With a derby like the Old Firm, you want to have some stories and I gave the newspapers the story that day. But all the stories came back to me.

So he’s picking our team? Well done, old Danny, well done. He’s only been here less than a year. He’ll soon learn what it’s like over the next four or five years.

Maybe I should sit down and see if he wants to offer me a choice of some of his players, and I could put my oar in about what he’s doing.

Honestly, I have to laugh. He’s commenting on our team selection? Extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary. He hasn’t been in Glasgow long.

Despite home advantage and John Beaton refereeing the match the Ibrox side were held to a 2-2 draw in the SPFL.

When O’Neill replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with Reo Hatate at half time the match swing Celtic’s way.

Rohl had no answer.

After a midweek win at Aberdeen which came at the cost of losing Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney Celtic were back at Ibrox a week later in the Scottish Cup.

The hoops won on penalties after a goal-less draw. Captain Disappointed set the tone for the shoot-out by skying the opening penalty after twice winning the toss.

Rohl’s side went into the post-split fixtures as favourites for the title. They lost four consecutive cup finals.

Two weeks into the close season Rohl bailed out to join RB Salzburg. His replacement, Derek McInnes was almost in the job before Rohl had left.

O’Neill knocked Rohl out of both domestic cups and sent his side into third place in the two horse race that is the SPFL Premiership.