DO YOU get the impression Danny Rohl wants to engage Martin O’Neill in a bout of mindgames before this afternoon’s derby encounter at Ibrox?
How else can you explain the German’s inane remarks at his media conference on Friday when he lobbed in a few meaningless observations about Celtic?
Rohl reacted to comments from Luke McCowan that “no team in the league touches us” when Celtic perform in the manner expected of champions.
The Teutonic twaddler practically smirked as he pointed out his Glasgow rivals had lost “seven or eight league games” – it’s seven actually, Danny, but who’s counting, apart from you? – and were a place behind Rangers.
Bizarrely, he then admitted he was “surprised” that O’Neill’s men hadn’t gone for it in Thursday’s Europa League tie in Stuttgart after scoring the opening goal in 29 seconds from McCowan that cut the Bundesliga team’s advantage to 4-2 on aggregate.
A WORD IN YOUR EAR, YOUNG MAN…Martin O’Neill chats with Danny Rohl before Celtic’s 3-1 triumph in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final at Hampden in November.
Not happy with those senseless appraisals, Rohl stated it will be “interesting” to see what happens next with the goalkeeping situation after Viljami Sinisalo had taken over from Kasper Schmeichel in Germany.
A strange critique from the managerial motormouth that brought the caustic response from his opposite number: “So, he’s picking our team? Well done, old Danny, well done.”
Let’s put the record straight. These observations are coming from a manager who will not celebrate his 37th birthday until next month while O’Neill, of course, is expected to be serenaded today by those witty chorists in Govan on his 74th anniversary.
Even with my admittedly dodgy arithmetic, that makes Rohl half the age of the Irishman. A bit of respect for his elder wouldn’t be remiss.
No-one took much notice of the German’s remarks at the start of the year when he insisted Celtic would be “nervous” before the all-Glasgow affair at Parkhead.
Who could argue with that assessment? With the wretched Wilfried Nancy around, everyone of a Celtic persuasion was a tad skittish.
Today, though, is a different ballgame as Rohl is about to discover. Remember, please, this is a dug-out dweller who has yet to win his first honour. I don’t think picking up the Premiership Manager of the Month actually constitutes a medal of distinction.
The one-time backroom operator at RB Leipzig, Southampton and Bayern Munich was shown the door at struggling Sheffield Wednesday after 34 defeats from 89 games, a 38.2 success rate.
HANDS UP IF YOU’RE A WINNER…Martin O’Neill with the Scottish Cup, one of his seven honours during his five years at Celtic.
Compare that with the prize list of O’Neill. This is a team chief who took over Celtic in June 2000 – the same year the team had suffered the worst result in their history after losing 3-1 to Inverness Caley Thistle in the Scottish Cup – and who gave the squad the kiss of life and led them triumphantly to a silverware clean sweep in his memorable debut campaign.
Two other titles followed in the next four years. The crown was lost one year on goal difference and another by a point. So near and yet so far. Cruel, too, as both near misses came on the last day of the league season.
There are also three Scottish Cups and a League Cup to be taken into consideration ane we should not forget his formidable double achievement at unfashionable Leicester City with two English League Cup victories before being wooed to the east end of Glasgow.
You can also add 55 games at international level with the Republic of Ireland.
Possibly, Rohl believes his irritating comments will ingratiate him with the club’s followers. He’ll discover the worth of the analysis when the team begin losing games.
From the outside looking in on the verbal jousts, it looks as though Rohl is taking a knife to a gunfight.
Or, if you prefer, a pinky to a fist fight.
Either way, there can only be one winner.
My money’s on the guy who will be blowing out 74 candles on a cake later today.
ALEX GORDON
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