Brendan Rodgers has dismissed any major improvement at Rangers under new boss Barry Ferguson, insisting that despite some tactical changes, the same inconsistencies remain.
Rodgers pointed to recent results, highlighting Rangers’ 2-0 comeback win against Kilmarnock, their shock home defeat to Motherwell, their European result against Fenerbahce, and their 2-0 loss on the night in Glasgow, which still saw them progress. Jose Mourinho was vocal after the natch that he didn’t believe that Rangers should’ve emerged winners from the tie.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Glasgow Derby, the Celtic manager made it clear that, from a coaching perspective, he hasn’t seen anything drastically different from Rangers over their last four games. [Clyde 1]
“I don’t know Barry, but I know him as a player and I know that he’s gone in and he’ll have a great connection with the supporters. His history at the club, his success at the club, he was a fantastic player for them. For me, in terms of if I look purely at the coaching aspect of it, over the course of four games, I don’t see great change.
“I see the team go 2-0 down against Kilmarnock and come back and win. I see the team lose at home to Motherwell. I see the team go away and get a fantastic result in Fenerbahce.
“And then I see the team lose last night 2-0 over 90 minutes, but win the tie. I’ve seen the team change the system. Absolutely, a really good tactical change to go 5-4-1 in Fenerbahce.
“But I still see a lot of the same traits. I think you can probably look at Barry over a longer time. If you’re talking to me about coaching and managing, and you’re talking tactics and management and professionalism and these things, that will be done over a period of time.
“If you’re looking at the short term and him coming in as someone the fans can connect with, of course he looks very happy to be in the job and taking the job, him and his staff. But I think if you’re talking coaching, I see a lot of the same traits. Some very good performances.
“Some inconsistencies.”
What Barry brings to Rangers is the staunchness and staunch points. There’s no marked improvement from Philippe Clement apart from a group of ‘Rangers men’ in the dugout.
Brendan Rodgers said exactly what everyone has been thinking after it’s four home losses in a row for Rangers.
With Celtic 16 points clear heading into the derby, Rodgers’ comments will only add to the pressure on Ferguson, who will need a huge performance at Celtic Park to prove his doubters wrong. Brendan Rodgers must now watch his side put the fighting talk into a performance on the pitch, and right the wrongs of the last derby.
