I’ll be watching the Old Firm game in an Abu Dhabi sports bar alongside a former Celtic manager.
It will feel a bit strange and a million miles away from the white-hot atmosphere in Glasgow. But myself and Ronny Deila have a day off from club duties with Al Wahda – and there’s no way we’d miss the game. We’ll be supporting different sides, of course.
But even 5,000 miles away from Parkhead, we’ll still feel part of it. And judging by the noise around Rangers right now, maybe some Ibrox punters will wish they were watching it on TV in the Middle East as well. Let’s be brutally honest, Philippe Clement’s team will be going to Celtic Park as massive underdogs. Given how well Brendan Rodgers’ side finished last season and have started this one, everything points towards a home win. The clubs appear to be moving in different directions.
But I’ve experienced enough of these derby games to know that it’s never quite as simple as that. I’ve been there. Cast your mind back to around 2017/18 when Rangers weren’t in a good place at all. Graeme Murty was in charge for a couple of derby games at Parkhead when we were completely written off beforehand. But we managed to go there and get two draws – a 0-0 and a 1-1 when big Clint Hill scored a late equaliser.
And back then we weren’t anywhere near as good as this current Rangers side. What we probably did have were a few big characters within the squad who were willing to stand up to the occasion. But we weren’t as good a team, in terms of individual players. So that proves, you never say never. Going into those games, no one gave us a hope.
As a Rangers player, that was a strange feeling. In my previous spells at the club, I was used to going there full of confidence expecting to win – and win well. So when the boot was on the other foot, we had to defend well, enjoy our share of luck and when a big moment arose we had to take it.
The 0-0 game was scrappy but WE made it that way. We had to. When you’re a heavy underdog, you have to knock your opponent off their game. We had to make it ugly and graft just to give ourselves a chance. It’ll be the same for Rangers. That’s where the teams are right now. Obviously, the smart money is on Celtic continuing their dominance. They’re a good side with a top manager.
But nothing is certain when it comes to Old Firm games. And what this presents for Rangers and Clement is a chance to prove they can deal with this fixture. These games can make or break players and managers. If you keep coming out of them with the wrong result you won’t be successful at Ibrox.
This is an opportunity for Clement. He hasn’t had a win over Celtic since he took over. But with a positive outcome, he can put a message out which says: ‘I’m the man for this job and I’ll thrive under this pressure’. He has to deliver a big moment against Celtic. Because up until now, his team haven’t done that in derby games.
It’s his fifth crack at them and, at some point, he has to put a marker down. But it’s okay for me or the players to say that. It’s all just talk. They have to actually do it. Celtic are huge favourites, especially at home with 60,000 of their own fans backing them.
But these things are there to be broken. For Rangers, a hero has to step forward and write themselves into the club’s history books. Somehow, they have to go there today without fear and impose themselves on Celtic. Because in the last four games Clement has been in charge, they haven’t done that.
Are Rangers good enough to go to Parkhead and control the game for 90 minutes? No. But they can in spells and that’s how you build confidence and a belief you can compete.
Even in Clement’s Old Firm defeats, they’ve had periods when they’ve been the better team. But unfortunately it’s usually when Rangers have been behind. That has to change.
There’s no point doing it at 2-0 down. The question is, can they have control of the game and get their noses in front? If they can, it will put an element of doubt into Celtic’s players and supporters. And if Rangers are going to do that, it looks like Cyriel Dessers is their best hope. Some fans might have thought that was crazy a year ago.
But this could be a pivotal moment in Dessers’ career. He’s started this season in brilliant form. He’s scored five goals in six games already and usually breaks the deadlock. He got 22 last year so is well on his way to beating that already. But Rangers fans will always demand more. That’s just life as an Ibrox No.9, I’m afraid.
They demanded more of Ally McCoist, Kris Boyd and others. That’s the way it is. Dessers has taken a lot of stick but the one thing I’ve always said about him is he has NEVER hid in a Rangers jersey. He was always there to be shot at last season.
When Kemar Roofe was always injured or Danilo was unavailable, Dessers was the guy when Rangers needed him. He was there to miss the chances, as well as score them.
It’s the same this season. He’s in there fighting for the team and bang in form. He will be out there leading the line again today and has already scored a goal at Parkhead, remember.
Hopefully this time, he’ll get a winner. But realistically, even a point would be a good result for Clement and Rangers. The manager or players will never think like that. But falling five points behind Celtic with a defeat wouldn’t be a good look after just four games.
With all the transition currently going on at Ibrox, a draw wouldn’t be the worst result in the world. And if that’s the case, at least Ronny AND I will be happy.