The Full Scottish
Served by Brian P. Dunleavy
After the final whistle at Ibrox on Sunday, following the 2-2 draw between Celtic and Rangers in league play, a ’Gers supporter reportedly screamed: “Professional bottlers.” (We’re relying on secondhand accounts here.)
A bit harsh, perhaps, but the home support had a right to be perturbed. Their side held a 2-0 lead at halftime, and looked to be in firm control of the match.
It was a different story, however, when play resumed after the interval.
As Hoops winger Sebastian Tounekti said earlier this week, “It was a strange game … a game of two halves.”
A strange game indeed—but, then again, it’s been a “strange, old season” in the Scottish Premiership, to paraphrase Parkhead bench boss Martin O’Neill.
“If you’re looking at it from a distance, I think that the result is a really good result for Hearts as much as anything else,” the Irishman told Sky Sports after the match.
Which may be why the home support have been incandescent with rage in the days following the match.
Celtic won its game at hand at Aberdeen on Wednesday, meaning the Hoops pulled ahead of their bitter rivals in the table into second place, and now trail leaders Hearts by five points.
Rangers fans protest
A segment of the Rangers support now view this as a crisis, and are promising protests ahead of this weekend’s Scottish Cup tie—against, wouldn’t you know it, Celtic—at Ibrox on Sunday.
It all seems a bit much.
When current ’Gers gaffer Danny Röhl took over in October, the side sat 8th in the table following its 1-5-1 start under Russell Martin.
Under the German, they have gone 14-7-1 and risen to third. Not to the standard of the “world famous Glasgow Rangers” for sure, but worthy of protest?
The fact is, with both Celtic and Rangers in disarray, and supporters on both sides of Glasgow’s big two in open revolt, the time is ripe for Hearts and maybe even Motherwell (currently 4th, four points behind Rangers with a match in hand) to make hay.
A “strange, old season” indeed.