I will enjoy Rangers on derby day with ex Celtic boss 5000 miles away and have two reasons to believe –
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.
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