BRENDAN RODGERS’ CELTIC COULD HUMILIATE RANGERS LIKE NEVER BEFORE. HERE'S HOW
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Sometimes when I’m thinking of what to write next about Celtic, I get an idea in my head, and I think “nah, that’s daft.” But then the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.
Today, I had such a revelation, and I’d be interested to know what you all think.
In short, looking at our remaining five fixtures, I think we have a unique opportunity to humiliate Rangers and do something that will, ultimately work to Celtic’s benefit too.
Let me Explain...
Brendan Rodgers Should Field a Second String Celtic Team at Ibrox
Ok, don’t run away just yet, please hear me out.
The idea of Brendan Rodgers willfully playing a weakened Celtic line up in the final Glasgow Derby may sound utterly ridiculous, but the more I think about it, the more it seems like a good idea.
I don’t like to be presumptuous, but I’m writing this on the assumption that Celtic will, hopefully, reach the Scottish Cup final with a win on Saturday, and get the solitary point we need to secure the league championship at Tannadice a week later.
With the league won, the game at Ibrox becomes statistically meaningless.
Rangers could win 15-0 and they would still be second best to Celtic this year. All they have to play for is their pride (such as it is) and bragging rights, which become less relevant with each passing year.
In such a scenario, we can expect an utterly toxic atmosphere, a team full of anger, frustration and bitterness (no doubt reinforced by a good, “staunch” lecture from Barry Ferguson before kick-off about what this game means to Rangers history).
Maybe someday he’ll accept that the Rangers he played for no longer exists, but I doubt it.
Assuming all goes well over the next two weekends for Celtic, then the only game we should prioritize is the Scottish Cup Final. I’ve said before, Rangers are an irrelevance to Celtic in a competitive sense.
The notion that they are still our equals is a completely artificial construct, created by a media that feeds upon romanticized nostalgia for a club that died in 2012.
I don’t see why Celtic should risk any of our star players in a game where nothing of value is up for grabs, and against a team of hammer throwers out to appease the rabid hoards gathered to watch them by kick as many Celtic players as often and as hard as they can.
And going the other way, with the potential of a place in the Cup Final squad still up for grabs, there is every incentive for our fringe players to come in and show the manager what they can do.
What better way is there for any Celtic player to prove himself than by winning a game of football in such a poisonous and hostile atmosphere?
Any young player who can stand up and deliver a match-winning performance in those circumstances will have proved they belong at Celtic.
Also, from “bragging rights” standpoint, it completely negates that side of things altogether. The game becomes a no-lose scenario for Celtic. If we lose then the response could be “ah, well it was our reserve team, and we’ve got a treble to win, so who cares?”
But if Brendan Rodgers' Celtic team could win with a side made up of youngsters and back-up players, imagine the damage that would do to Rangers’ psyche. Imagine the pain and the tears from their fans. It would rival anything “The Banter Years” have given us thus far.
From a purely footballing perspective, taking the emotion out of it, what I’m saying makes perfect sense.
However, emotion is what fuels the Glasgow Derby, so I realize a lot of you may strongly disagree with this idea.
I am also aware that the Celtic fans who pay considerable money to attend Ibrox on May 4th would expect a Celtic team at 100% strength. I get that. But if you set the emotion aside, what I'm saying has some logic to it.
I’m just putting it out there.
As I said at the start of this article, we have a chance to humiliate Rangers like never before, and almost nothing to lose by trying it. I think we should take that chance.