DEREK MCINNES has been working in the media since being booted by Aberdeen last season. The manager spent so much time up north but already he’s settled into a post of being a pro-Ibrox pundit.
We rarely see level headed or football based opinions from some in the media who are giving you their fan perspective rather than an honest appraisal of two teams that if they weren’t emotionally invested would be much different.
McInnes has praised Celtic for making up so much ground in three weeks before the Glasgow Derby on Sunday, but he keeps banging the drum that it’s only been three weeks.
The former Aberdeen boss believes at this moment, regardless of a Celtic resurgence, the Ibrox club should be too dominant for the Bhoys.
For me, I’m not going to sit here and crow that Celtic are going to turn up at the weekend and turn our rivals over, but I’ve seen enough to know it’s not a forgone conclusion either way.
McInnes is of the opinion we will have to wait a little longer for a derby victory, but is he under estimating what’s going on at Celtic Park?
“When you think back to two or three weeks ago, it looked as if it was plain sailing at Rangers with Celtic miles behind. It just shows you especially in Glasgow how quickly the perception can change.” as quoted by Glasgow live.
“Ahead of the first derby game of the season next Sunday, I still think Rangers are clearly the team to beat. It’s their title and they’ll work hard to win it again.
“Next week’s match will be quite intriguing because they are both teams who are possession based and will have a lot of quality players on show.
“Celtic have allowed themselves to come closer to Rangers from where they were three weeks ago. That’s down to the efforts of the players buying into how Ange Postecoglou wants to play and the demands put on them. The Parkhead club have a lot to be optimistic about, albeit it is still early days.
“For Rangers, Steven Gerrard said after their 1-0 first-leg win against Alashkert in the Europa League play-off on Thursday that they need to wake up.
“Players need to concentrate on their own game. There’s only so much the manager and staff can demand, expect and give them the opportunity to be themselves.
“Gerrard has been more than fair to a lot of his squad. They have done well for him and they are good players. But he has told them to wake up and that he expects better.
“Players need to knuckle down, manage their own game and reach their own level.
“In turn, you’ll get better levels of team performance.
Rangers claimed a good result on Thursday after going down to ten men. They still earned the all-important win. Granted, they could have scored a few more and they would have wanted to travel to Armenia with a healthier scoreline. But Rangers have won at far more challenging places and I’m sure they’ll get the job done.
“Both Celtic, who defeated AZ Alkmaar 2-0 on Wednesday, and Rangers are in pole position to qualify prior to the Old Firm game. Rangers have signed midfielder Juninho Bacuna while Celtic secured right-back Josip Juranovic and could bring in other players before that match, as well.
“All roads were leading to Rangers being the team to beat and being far too strong for Celtic. Postecoglou’s men are a bit closer but Rangers showed last season, hands down, they were the hungriest and best team.”
Celtic have Alkmaar before they can look forward to Sunday. Ange Postecoglou openly admits Celtic are far from the finished article. The good news for Celtic appears to be the players are buying into the manager’s philosophy and there seems to be a great team spirit.
