King and co can have no complaints as Celtic’s Rodgers launches scathing attack at Rangers board
COMMENT
Anyone who claims that the gap between Rangers and Celtic has closed this season must, unfortunately for Scottish football, pinch themselves.
The Hoops might not have enjoyed the same success that they did during the last campaign but they are still on course for a second successive treble, an outstanding feat which the rest of those north of the border must watch on in envy.
Quite simply, with the finances Celtic are receiving from the likes of the Champions League, the other sides have little chance of catching them any time soon – but that should not stop Rangers from at least giving them a challenge.
That has simply not been the case in the last two derby meetings, with the Bhoys walking all over the Light Blues on the way to the cup final as well as the Premiership title.
As per usual, the man who has taken much of the blame for the defeats has been the manager, in this case Graeme Murty – a man who was shoehorned into the role after stepping up from under-20 boss.
However, the situation has not been helped by the board’s indecision over his future, and that has given the fans an excuse not to back him and to demand he gets out of Ibrox.
The dissent in Govan has not gone unnoticed at Parkhead though, and Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has launched a scathing attack on the board for the way they have treated his managerial counterpart.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “Graeme Murty has been put in a position – he was under 20s coach last year and now he’s the first-team manager – and everyone was talking about him being a great guy and was doing very well.
“Now, after a couple of bad results he’s been thrown to the garbage and I think it’s very discourteous. The guy went in there and he’s done his very best in what looks like, from the outside, to be very trying and difficult circumstances.
“Whatever direction Rangers want to go in, whether it’s Graeme or someone from the outside, of course that guy will want some assurances.”
There can be little complaint from Dave King or any other board member at Ibrox that the way they have dealt with Murty’s reign has been disrespectful, and whoever steps into the role next might not be as compliant as the current man in the dugout.
Rodgers might not know the full story, but his attack will certainly mirror what many outside the boardroom at Ibrox are feeling.
In other Rangers news, Dave King must improve his offer to Steven Gerrard after an English club joined the hunt to appoint the Liverpool icon.
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