Brendan Rodgers was in top form as he toyed with the media ahead of Sunday’s Glasgow Derby.
There are many dull, boring and predictable stories that get wheeled out every season with the Guard of Honour an old favourite.
It is something that has never happened in this Glasgow Derby and never will.
The two clubs have been playing the fixture since 2016/17 with Celtic victorious in all but one of those seasons with the title often decided before the post split fixture is played.
Not one Celtic fan looks for respect from a club that turns a blind eye to the anti-Catholic and anti-Irish hatred that spews out of the four stands of Ibrox at every home match.
And if you come up short quite a lot, then it can be a challenge for you and to justify that with your supporters.
No comment was made about the April 2022 Shame Game in which a Celtic physio was permanently disfigured by a bottle thrown by a hospitality client, on the pitch broken glass mysteriously appeared in the goalmouth to be used by Joe Hart while ground-staff tended to the penalty box.
Ibrox is a venue that bypasses respect and honour, even Her Majesty was ignored by the old Rangers club during the 2011/12 season when they refused to pay Income Tax and National Insurance.
The Guard of Honour ‘debate’ is of no interest or relevance, much like the media outlets that peddle it every year or so. Rodgers gave them the space filling quotes that they require with a special dig aimed at the serial losers in what is apparently a two horse race.
Rodgers said:
The Guard of Honour thing, it’s not a rule, that’s the first thing I would say.
It’s not in the rules that you have to do it. And I think that when two clubs in the rivalry are so emotional, it’s always difficult for the team that comes up short.
So it’s one that I’m relaxed either way on it. It’s one where I’m a little bit of a traditionalist, because there’s a lot of things that are going out of our game over in these isles that are just moving away from the traditions of the great managers and the great people that ran our game and were successful in our game.
And I always think if you’re a champion to show, or not a champion, showing that humility to the other team, whatever the rivalry is, it’s a mark of respect. But like I said, Celtic Rangers, it’s an emotional rivalry.
And if you come up short quite a lot, then it can be a challenge for you and to justify that with your supporters. But as I said, I’m a traditionalist.
These are the things that have been in our game for many, many years. And like I said, there’s no rule to it, but I’m relaxed either way on it really.
Celtic will be without the injured trio of Kasper Schmeichel, Alistair Johnston and Jota for the match with the fitness of Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn being checked in training tomorrow by Rodgers and the Celtic medical staff.
RELATED READING
