Celtic have one advantage over Rangers ahead of semi-final clash, Barry Ferguson warns former club
Celtic meet Rangers at Hampden Park for a place in the Scottish League Cup final with small margins set to decide the tie.
The sides met earlier in the season when Rangers and Celtic played out a 0-0 draw at Ibrox, with Russell Martin and Brendan Rodgers in the dugouts.
This time Rangers’ new manager Danny Rohl will lead the team out at Hampden alongside Celtic interim boss Martin O’Neill.
Rodgers resigned from the Celtic job after the Hoops’ 3-1 defeat at Hearts, with O’Neill taking charge of the 4-0 victory over Falkirk in midweek.
Danny Rohl should be wary of Martin O’Neill
O’Neill took charge of Celtic for five seasons between 2000 and 2005, and enjoyed plenty of success in Glasgow.
Despite having been out of management for six years since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in 2019, former Rangers player Barry Ferguson believes Rohl shouldn’t underestimate O’Neill.
As per the Daily Record [31 October], Ferguson said: “The one thing I’d warn Danny Rohl right away is not to underestimate the man standing in the other technical area. Not for a moment that I think he will.
“I like listening to Martin speak – he’s always entertaining – and he is probably trying to paint a picture of a 73-year-old who is just glad to give his old club a helping hand in a time of need.
| Games Managed | 282 |
| Games Won | 213 |
| Games Drawn | 29 |
| Games Lost | 40 |
“And if you believe that then you need your head looked at.
“OK, he might be getting on a bit in years but he’s the same winner now as he was back then. He’ll be absolutely desperate to get one over on Rangers and not just for old time’s sakes.
“He’s also a smart man and he’ll have worked out a plan for this semi final. Be in no doubt at all about that.“
O’Neill boasts positive Rangers record
Rangers fans may also be wary of O’Neill’s record against the Gers from his first spell in charge of Celtic.
O’Neill won 59% of his matches against Rangers in all competitions, winning 16 of the 27 fixtures, losing just eight.
Circumstances may be different this time around for O’Neill, but the willingness to win will not have left the 71-year-old.