MURTY HAD NO CHANCE

FROM BACK PAGE overshadowed by chairman Dave King’s ill-timed statement which cast severe doubt on his manager’s future.

Leading up to Sunday’s painful 5-0 hammering at Parkhead – which sealed the seventh Premiership title in a row for Celtic – Murty was again left to hold the fort as speculation over Steven Gerrard taking his place dominated the lead-up to the clash.

Murty was left shattered after both defeats and a sympathetic Rodgers says he barely stood a chance given his ruined preparations.

The Parkhead gaffer said: “I have real empathy for Graeme. What that guy has had to go through in the build-up to big games, I have really felt for him.

“Talk about his role and his position.

“What seems to be happening is you get thrown in below the bus but this is a guy who has done everything he possibly can, I’m sure.

“Now because of a couple of defeats and it hasn’t quite worked out he’s just been thrown to the garbage really and I think it’s very discourteous. This is a guy who, at this time last year, was heralded as a very good coach for young players and I’m sure with first-team players as well, really wanting to go into sessions because he really enjoyed his work.

“He goes into the role and does a real good job in stabilising it.

“He then gets asked to come in and do it again.

“He’ll finish off his season and see where he ends up but I have real empathy for him.

“As you build for big games your focus should be on the field and on performance and I’m disappointed for him it wasn’t the case.

“You know there is always pressure and expectancy on these Old Firm games.

“If a lot of the background noise isn’t there you can just focus on the game.”

Asked whether Murty’s players lost respect for the manager due to the uncertainty surrounding his future he added: “I haven’t been in that position so it’s hard for me to say.

“But from a manager’s perspective you have greater stability and greater authority if you are in position of course.”