There are always mind games in play before Glasgow’s big two butt heads on derby weekend.
Only this time it’s the supporters trying to play tricks rather than the opposition managers.
Celtic fans are going into this latest clash with a shrug. No matter what happens, their team will be at least 13 points clear at the top of the Premiership.
A draw will maintain the lead of 16 and victory will make it 19 and they will be home and hosed. Not that they aren’t already. Rangers fans? The league is up the spout and whether it’s 13, 16, 19 or 129, they’ve accepted the title is going to Parkhead so who cares?
Europe is where it’s at for them right now and Gers are flying the flag for Scotland again. Bigger fish to fry and all that. So, we might as well not bother with today then, eh?
Aye, right. Don’t believe a word of it. This is just a defence mechanism diehards use in the build up to an Old Firm/Glasgow derby, whatever label takes your fancy.
Fans of these clubs can’t bear to lose to the other, regardless of the background noise. It’s all bravado. You don’t have a century of hatred that is buried right into the bones and get to turn it on and off when it suits.
No one should be fooled by any of the ‘disnae matter’ patter. This always matters. Even if it’s only for a few days. It’s funny, the two guys who are actually talking up how much it matters are the managers.
While the rest of Glasgow and the West of Scotland are trying to pretend they don’t really care, these two can’t hide the fact it is absolutely mega for them.
Rodgers kicked it off last weekend with his line about Rangers stealing Celtic’s game in the defeat at Ibrox at Christmas. The Hoops manager was impressively magnanimous that day.
He admitted his team were miles off and he conceded Rangers more than deserved their thumping win. But you could also sense he was boiling underneath.
This is a guy who knows what these games are all about and takes great pride in his incredible record in the fixture.
A manager who goes into shark mode when he senses blood in the water and takes great relish in inflicting maximum pain.
And yet, he was the one feeling sore after Ibrox and has spent this week unable to hide the burning desire to put it right.
In the other dugout? Don’t tell Barry Ferguson this doesn’t matter. It is huge for him personally as well as for his club.
He’s not playing anything down or trying to hide what it would mean to Gers fans to stiff their old pals on their own patch.
Ferguson could be forgiven for admitting his men were dead on their feet after the heroics against Fenerbahce and today would be a wait and see what happens, or hope for the best job.
He’s having none of it. And rightly so. As well as the battle for pride and bragging rights, Ferguson knows his long term job prospects at Ibrox could hinge on days like this.
At the moment he’s a banker for a seat on any new look bench with the new owners. Keep up the European form and get one or two over Celtic and he might end up in the hotseat.
The title stakes might not be high but there are plenty of reasons to get worked up over this one. Don’t believe the mind games – or lack of hype.