Celtic 2 Rangers 3: Ferguson’s Gers are UNRECOGNISABLE from Clement’s flops as he makes job pitch
CAN you see a difference now, Brendan?
Because there it was, out there at Celtic Park in an Old Firm derby, staring you in the face.
The Celtic boss may have thought the Barry Ferguson Rangers had all the same hallmarks as the one Philippe Clement left behind.
But the truth is, it’s unrecognisable.
After this humbling defeat, the Celtic boss must accept that now.
Clement, of course, enjoyed a 3-0 derby triumph at Ibrox back in January and that didn’t do him any good in the long run.
But you now wonder if the manner of this sensational result can propel Ferguson into the dugout for keeps as his full-time replacement.
Incoming take-over supremo Andrew Cavenagh was at Celtic Park to see all this unfold, as he was at Ibrox last Thursday night to see Fenerbahce sent packing.
The smart money has always been on the US investors bringing in their own man when they get hold of the keys to Ibrox.
But never-say-die results like these cannot be ignored.
Celtic showed spirit of their own to fight back from being 2-0 down to make it 2-2.
But the last gasp drama belonged to the visitors who claimed the three points in some style.
Hamza Igamane’s wonder strike in the dying minutes of normal time showed that Ferguson’s team don’t give up.
There was controversy when that goal went in, ugly scenes after Rangers subs Vaclac Cerny and Nedim Bajrami squirted their water bottles into the Celtic supporters as they sprinted up the touchline to celebrate.
That sparked real anger with irate fans punching the away dugout with cops rushing to the scene.
But when the dust settled, the frustration of the vast majority of Celtic fans will come from the way their heroes allowed this game to slip away after they battled their way back into it.
Ferguson epitomised EVERYTHING that was good about Rangers yesterday.
The club’s one-time captain couldn’t have put any more into the game had he been out on the park in his old No6 jersey.
At times, you questioned if he was too worked up and too hyper with referee Steven McLean booking him in the first-half.
But the men in light blue mirrored that passion and pride in the shirt.
The 2400 away supporters probably didn’t expect such a dynamic performance.
Just as Rodgers couldn’t have seen this coming either.
His men have been outstanding this season and will rightly lift their latest title in the next few weeks.
They’ve been far and away the best team in the country.
But that must have made this all the more galling.
Nico Raskin’s goal to make it 1-0 after only four was a flicked header from a corner which caught every one of his defenders sleeping.
But the second strike from Diomande?
Wow, the space he was allowed inside the box was criminal from the champions’ point of view.
Celtic did have efforts themselves before get break – Reo Hatate bringing out the best in Jack Butland with a shot from distance, with the ex-England No1 also denying Maik Nawrocki.
But overall Rangers were well worth their two-goal lead.
It should have been better, though.
The opportunity Cerny had to score into an open goal on 16 minutes was massive.
Kasper Schmeichel literally passed straight to him and was out of his box.
But when the chance came, he just didn’t trust his right foot and chose to dribble forward when all he had to do was hit he unguarded target.
At this level, that’s not good enough.
But that’s the message Rodgers would have been given his side at the interval.
That what they were showing was nowhere near what was required.
He knew he had to change his line-up, though.
The Celts boss recognised he wasn’t getting enough from winger Nicolas Kuhn, who was miles off it, and wasted no time in taking him off and replacing him with Adam Idah.
It was decisive, pro-active management when the team needed it most.
The switch saw Maeda shifted from striker to left winger and suddenly there was a whole new look to the Celtic team.
Scoring within two minutes of the restart altered the mood around the stadium and turned the anxiety of the home support into belief.
Jota did brillianly to set it up with the Japanese frontman out jumping James Tavernier to nod home at the back stick.
It was at that point Ferguson realised he had to do something himself to help his own players.
His back-five briefly became a back-four until he took Leon Balogun off and replaced him with Robin Propper.
Tavernier was then moved into the right of midfield with Dujon Sterling asked to do a job in central defence.
With their tails up, Celtic were a different team.
It felt inevitable they’d get the next goal and level the game and the equaliser arrived in 74 minutes.
It was also no real surprise it came down Rangers’ left channel that Propper was meant to be protecting.
But what a finish from Hatate to beat Butland after Luke McCowan slid him in.
At that point it felt certain would go on and win.
They had time on their side with Rangers looking physically exhausted going into the closing stages.
But Ferguson’s side had different ideas.
Igamane had plenty to do after a rare mistake at the back from Cameron Carter-Vickers. But it didn’t look that way.,
His shot flew into the roof of the net to have the away fans wild behind the one they stood behind.
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