Celtic hero Kris Commons reckons that Hoops fans want a strong Rangers to challenge them – and has tipped Barry Ferguson to get an instant reaction from the struggling squad.
The Ibrox legend has stepped into the hot seat after Philippe Clement axed and will take charge of his first game on Wednesday’s clash against Kilmarnock. Ferguson has been handed 15 games to lift the mood around Ibrox with the prospect of lifting a trophy this season all-but over – barring a deep run in the Europa League with Fenerbahce next on the agenda.
Domestically, Celtic are on course for a domestic clean sweep having already seen off Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup final while holding a 13 point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership. Brendan Rodgers’s will also look to keep the Scottish Cup in the Celtic Park trophy cabinet – but Commons reckons that Ferguson could immediately shake things up and give both sides of the Glasgow divide a boost.
Speaking to PLZ, Commons called out the dismal showing against St Mirren that rounded off the Clement era – and conceded he didn’t want to see Celtic face a “wounded animal” anymore: “I don’t see so much aggression on the pitch in the way that they play. You could see a Roy Keane saying that it is unacceptable to drop below certain standards. Scott Brown was exactly the same – the likes of Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch and Steven Naismith, you would know what you are going to get out of these players.
“(After St Mirren) They have probably gone to the dressing room and gone ‘the season is done anyway, it is what it is’ – but they have got an accountability to not only the supporters but the manager as well. Unfortunately he has lost his job, now it’s up to them to see if they can roll their sleeves up from now until the end of the season.
“For the Celtic supporters watching – they want a strong Rangers. When I was a player I wanted to beat the best Rangers team, I don’t want to see a weakened animal. I want to beat the best of the best and show that we are the best in Scotland.
“With Barry and the rest of the Rangers lot going in there – as soon as you hear the news as a player in that dressing room you might get your phone out, get your laptop out and go ‘right, he is a Rangers legend, bringing in this team with him – we need to be on it’. There is no slack days off, there is no turning up at 10 and leaving at 1 – I think he will get that response quickly and whether he can put that into results it will be interesting to see.”