If there is one thing which has seen Celtic and Rangers go in opposite directions in recent years, it is managerial appointments.
When the Ibrox side won their only league title of the decade, Celtic responded with the appointment of Ange Postecoglou, who instantly won the title back despite widespread doubters in the media.
The Hoops completed a complete sweep of domestic trophies the following year, as Michael Beale was brought in across the city.
Postecoglou left after this, and Celtic promptly appointed Brendan Rodgers. He guided the Celts to a league and Scottish Cup double, despite much noise around Philippe Clement.
With the Ibrox hierarchy now looking to replace Russell Martin just months after appointing him, one ex-Celtic forward thinks he was right about one thing.
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Photo by Ali Balli/Anadolu via Getty Images
Something many Rangers fans are asking for is a manager who prioritises results over style of play, after Martin’s controversial approach.
For ex-Celtic man and pundit Andy Walker, speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, Martin was right to make this point.
Walker said: “The demands at Rangers are huge. I think what you have to do first of all is – and of course you have to get a winning team – but…
“What Russell Martin said, I actually think there’s a bit of truth in it. You do want to win in a certain way. Of course you’ll take that scrappy 1-0 or 2-1 victory where you get a lucky goal with the last kick of the ball, but eventually you do want to play with a bit of style.
“I think we’ve seen that with various teams through the years.”
Celtic’s style of play vs Rangers
Celtic have been a far more possession-based team than their rivals over recent years. Both Postecoglou and Rodgers put an emphasis on having the ball.
The appointment of Martin saw Rangers go to an opposite end of the spectrum, after more direct approaches under Beale and Clement.
Kevin Muscat – another candidate for the job – was mentored by Postecoglou, and takes huge influence from his style. He isn’t facing the same criticisms that Martin did as an appointment, for whatever reason.
In the Premier Sports Cup semi-final, whoever the new Ibrox boss is will have their capability against an imperfect Celtic team tested – Rodgers’ record at Hampden is a formidable one.