Moore the merrier after Firm feeling Gers were set to run away with title
CRAIG MOORE had a hunch that an Old Firm changing of the guard was on the cards this season.
But the Light Blues legend admits he could never have guessed his old club would have the title wrapped up by March and be on course for a domestic double.
The Australian (below) insists self-doubt and fear has been replaced by a focus on success and silverware.
He said: “When I first returned from Australia back in September I remember feeling that Celtic’s season was in real danger of a suffering a blowout.
“Nobody could have predicted at the start of the season that the gap was going to be as big but I just felt it wouldn’t be a tight race and so it’s proved.
“You need to give every credit to Steven Gerrard and the entire Rangers squad for the focus they’ve shown, the consistency and the excellence at times.
“They have made such a progression and in such emphatic style this season and that’s been on the back of three seasons of really hard work.
“But it’s not until you have that mentality switch, and the belief that you are capable of not only matching Celtic but that you can beat them, that you can make the strides they have.”
Moore insists the trigger for the dramatic Glasgow powershift was Rangers’ 2-1 win at Celtic Park in December 2019.
He said: “That was the start of a journey to where they are now.
“The doubt which had been there previously has been cleared and they have gone from strength to strength since then.”
Former Ibrox defender Moore, 45, is back working in Scotland and has kept a close eye on the fortunes of both Old Firm clubs.
And he’s convinced this afternoon’s fourth-round Scottish Cup clash would be another pivotal moment.
He said: “Every Old Firm game is massive, there is always something at stake.
“For Celtic it’s a game where they’ll be looking to give their supporters some hope and something to look forward to for the back end of the season.
“And for Rangers the stakes are huge, they have the chance to claim a Double.”
John Kennedy insists collective guilt over Neil Lennon’s sacking as Hoops manager is the driving force behind their bid for cup glory.
The caretaker boss said: “Sometimes in the midst of a storm, when there is so much noise about the manager leaving, things can get a bit lost. “But there is a reality check whenever that happens.
“Someone has lost their job due to the performance of the group and that sometimes shocks people into action. So we kind of used that as a motivation.”
Kennedy will make a late decision over the fitness of James Forrest but won’t tinker much with the side that put six past Livingston last weekend.
He added: “All I have been concentrating on is giving the players comfort. I know them well enough.”