The gap isn’t that big! Souness trolled by White and Jordan as he defends his Ibrox flops

A Monday morning appearance on TalkSPORT after losing to Celtic at the weekend was the last thing that Graeme Souness needed today.

Since being ditched by Sky Sports the former Newcastle boss has been trying to find a job at Ibrox and got involved in the recruitment process following the sacking of Micky Beale.

Unfortunately he suggested Frank Lampard for the job, rather than keep quiet about his preferred option he decided to blab about it which instantly undermined Phil Clement.

With the Belgian getting off to a flying start it was impossible to give Souness a hands on role at the club, eventually a deal was agreed without a title or salary with the 71-year-old on call for cheerleading duties in his various media roles.

Since the turn of the year expectations of winning the SPFL title have grown even though Benfica put paid to the prospects of a Quadruple triumph.

Over the last two months the wheels have come off the Clement bandwagon with Souness watching from afar as his title party plans were put in doubt.

Rather than face up to the reality of Celtic’s superiority the Ibrox messengers are keen to put across the view that there is very little between the two clubs.

Simon Jordan and Jim White are both clearly hostile to Celtic but sensing the difficulties that Souness was in took him to task with the claim that ‘there’s not much of a gap’ between the two clubs.

Winning one point out of 12 in the head-to-head clashes highlights the gap between the two clubs with Jordan dismissive of the results against other clubs.

Souness wasn’t allowing that claim to go unchallenged, citing a 3-3 draw between the clubs either side of Celtic winning 2-1 against 10 men he was adamant that there was only a small margin separating first from second.

For gloating Celtic fans it made for fantastic listening, for others it was an example of why Souness has been out of football for almost 20 years with his disastrous stint at Newcastle, where he signed Jean-Alain Boomsong his last spell in management.

Souness: “The sending off was a sending off in the modern game and it was a difficult game for them after that. He had a nanosecond and he thinks he’s favourite for it. The temptation was too great. I think he’s a good player and does a good job but you go to ground and you risk everything. Whoever you tackle will make a meal of it and that’s not being critical of the Celtic full back (Alistair Johnston).

“The last three Old Firm games… for me there’s not a lot between them. They drew 3-3 at Ibrox where they came back from the dead and they’ve lost two games 2-1 at Parkhead and they’ve gone down 10 men. I don’t believe there is a big difference between the two teams but ultimately you know at the start of each season you’re going to win the league or lose it by your Old Firm results.”

White then said: “There are those Graeme who say there’s a gulf…”

Souness said: “There’s a gulf. They’re ahead of Rangers. How do you expect me to answer this question? I’m trying to give you some facts to back up my thinking.”

White: “You’re saying there’s not a lot between the two?”

Souness: “There’s not a lot between the two. For me, they have better strikers. I don’t see a gulf in the quality of football they play. They have better goal getters which ultimately does decide games. If we go and win the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park then Rangers would have two out of the three trophies available, but of course the league is the most important.”

White: “And Celtic are on course for their 12th title in 13 season.”

Souness: “Yes, and that hurts. Of course that hurts. But the new manager has done a fabulous job. He’s been there for six, seven months. He’s signed three players – two on loan – and spent £4.3 million on (Mohamed) Diomande to change things.

“There’s not a lot between the two. For me, they have better strikers. I don’t see a gulf in the quality of football they play. They have better goal getters which ultimately does decide games. If we go and win the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park then Rangers would have two out of the three trophies available, but of course the league is the most important.”

White: “And Celtic are on course for their 12th title in 13 season.”

Souness: “I’m hoping this window the club somehow finds the dosh to support him and he can get some of the players in that he knows and trusts and will make the difference in the league next season but I would not be critical of the manager or the players right now. He’s getting a tune out of those players. They slipped up badly at Ross County and Dundee and that’s why it all came down to Saturday’s game.”

White: “But he needed to get a tune out of them at Ross County and Dundee.”

Souness: You can ask me in any guise you want. I won’t be critical of the manager and he could still end up with two trophies. You want me to criticise them and I won’t.”

White: “I think Rangers fans have their heads in their hands at the moment even although there’s a cup final coming up. This is an unrecognisable Rangers.”

Souness: “I won’t be critical of them.”