BARRY: I’m so psyched for derby I’m doing stretches and dreaming I’m on team bus
I sound like I’m f****** nuts but I’ve been doing calf stretches as if I’m back on that team bus and remembering the days I’d go to Celtic, see fans wanting to give me a slap and be hell-bent on ruining their day Silent treatment won’t stop passion this t
PART of me doesn’t want to tell you about this.
Before I even start I know some people out there will read what I’m about to say and think, “Is this guy for real?”
Don’t worry, I often ask myself the same question, especially when the countdown is underway on an Old Firm week.
So let me be honest here. I’ve been mulling this one over in my head and trying to imagine what’s about to unfold at Parkhead tomorrow afternoon.
I’ve got so wrapped up in it all I’ve actually found myself doing calf stretches while writing this, as if I’m back on the team bus just about to pull up outside the stadium.
Don’t laugh. I realise I’m not normal.
But then there is nothing even remotely close to normal about this fixture – and this one is going to be one of the strangest derbies the city has ever experienced.
I’m not sure how I would have handled it being played behind closed doors as a player because the passion, bedlam and, yes, the sheer hatred of the occasion was something I used as a motivation to get myself in the right frame of mind.
I’d sit on the bus when it stopped outside their ground and take a minute to compose myself.
I made a conscious decision never to be the first one off, or the last for that matter.
I’d just stay in my seat for a minute or two and listen to the noise levels build outside as the doors opened and the Celtic fans started screaming and bawling at anything that moved.
Hatred? You could hear it in their voices. These people despised the sight of us.
So I’d get up at the right moment, tell myself to keep a straight face and then walk down the steps. I’d even pause for a split second just to look at their faces and suck it all in as the second my wee head popped out the abuse would crank up to another level.
“Lovely! I’ve come here to ruin your day.” That’s what I’d be thinking to myself as I walked through them towards the front doors.
In fact, that was ALL I could think about.
I’d get out onto the pitch 45 minutes before kick-off and you could feel the intensity building.
I looked into the eyes of the guys screaming at me from the sidelines and I’d think to myself: “This guy wants to jump on here and give me a slap in the face. Fair play to him. But I’ll make sure he’s spewing when this is over.”
Then I’d look over to the blue corner of the ground and I’d see my own people in there. I realised I was here to live their dream.
But these guys had work to go to on Monday morning so this one was all on me. I had to do it for them.
Look, I know it sounds like I’m f****** nuts. I’m laughing at myself just thinking back to the way it made me feel.
But by the time we ran back out there to get started, I was honestly ready to run through walls to win that game. Without wishing to sound daft, I was seriously ready to leave my life on the line out there.
I’m serious, that’s how much it means to be wearing that jersey and come face-to-face with the enemy.
It felt like I was ready to go to war with the lot of them for the sake of three points.
So, yes, I do wonder how I would be feeling tomorrow if I got off that bus to nothing but silence.
No screwed-up faces, growling abuse at us? No adrenaline rush on the walk to the away dressing room? No one waiting for us out there at the end of the tunnel?
The more I think about it, the more I suspect I might struggle to get myself in the right frame of mind. But then I think about seeing those green and white shirts and I can feel it all rushing back. No, it’s not going to be the same spectacle without the colour and the noise of the fans.
But it’s still the same old battle. It’s still do or die.
So I like to think I would have found a way to channel all that energy and emotion even if there was not another soul around.
And I’m just as certain that the players on both sides will do exactly the same the moment that first whistle blows tomorrow.
I’ve heard it said many times that the Rangers guys are enjoying the fact that there’s no fans in the grounds this season.
There’s a theory that they are playing with more freedom and that they are actually thriving without
the extra pressure. Well I’m not buying that for a single second. Of course they’d rather be running that same gauntlet as I used to do. Ask any one of them and they’d say they’d much rather be playing in full houses and in huge atmospheres. But I’ve got to hand it to them, they’ve adjusted to this new normal very well and they’ve found a way of remaining fully focussed and highly motivated.
Yes, they’ve handled it better than Celtic have so far this season and, yes, I fancy them to go there tomorrow and come away with a result. If pushed I’ll go for a 2-1 win.
But, at the same time, these guys can’t afford to fool themselves into thinking they’re not going to face the fight of their lives out there.
If they make that mistake, they will end up with a proper belt in the mouth.
I couldn’t stand that kind of overconfidence when I was a player.
On the days building up to an Old Firm match I’d go out of my way to warn the lads of exactly what they are about to get themselves involved in.
The fact that Celtic have been winning games this season without playing anywhere near their best would be nagging away at the back of my mind.
I’d be telling these boys: “Look, if you’re not up for this then they’ll tear us all to shreds out there. Get it into your heads – this is the game they’vey’ve been waiting for.”
Some off our own fans would think I showedhowed them too much respect.pect. But this is the enemy we’ree’re talking about.
You haveve to respect them and fullyy appreciate the damage theyhey could do to you if you gavee them an inch.
So yes, Rangers go into this ass the form team. Yes,, I expect Scott Ar f i elel dd,, Steven Davisavis and Ryan Jack to win the midfield battle.
Yes, I think Borna Barisicrisic and James Taverniervernier
THREAT Kent can hurt Celtic will win the battle down both flanks. And, yes, I fancy Ryan Kent to cause Celtic’s back three all kinds of trouble. But I also know, if these guys aren’t as switched on as I was coming off that bus, then they could end up on the wrong end of a serious doing. They should have a think about that before they take their seats in the morning and prepareprep to travel across the citycity. The streets mimight be deserted and the sstadium might be empty – and hopefully fans fromfro both sides will do the righright thing by staying homehom and keeping safe. But makem no mistake, thth erere’s a batt le waiwaiting for RaRangers’ p ll aye r s anand they had bbetter make su re they’re ready for it.
If these guys aren’t as switched on as I was they could end up on end of a serious doing