WALTER’S BEST XI FOR AN OLD FIRM CLASH

‘The task of picking a Rangers side to play in the Old Firm fixture is impossible. The pool is restricted to players I coached or managed but there are difficulties that cannot be overcome. There is a demand to play all the best players in their preferred positions but does that give you a balanced side? ‘I am going for a 4-4-2 but the biggest problem is in midfield. You have to play Graeme Souness. But who is going to play alongside him? For balance you would go for Durranty (Ian Durrant). ‘There are other outstanding candidates. Barry Ferguson, in my second spell at Rangers, was head and shoulders above any midfielder in the league. Stuart McCall and Ian Ferguson were fine players too but I rarely hear supporters talk about Alexei Mikhailichenko (the Ukrainian signed in 1991 from Sampdoria). He was a wonderful player and could beat three or four players in one move and leave you asking just how he had done it. He played in a wee bubble and made everyone around him perform to their best. He was pure talent. ‘So this is my team. I put a lot of thought into it and stick by the selections but it was very, very close in some positions…

ANDY GORAM

For obvious reasons. He had so many great moments against Celtic. Allan McGregor did well for me in my second spell but Goram’s highlights reel in Old Firm matches would be quite something.

GARY STEVENS

This seems an obvious one but I thought long and hard. Stevens was a top-class player but Alex Cleland was a terrific player for Rangers. It may surprise some but I almost put him in. He was an accomplished player. Stevens, though, just gets the nod. He was athletic, quick and particularly good going forward.

RICHARD GOUGH (captain)

He was he nearest thing to John Greig in terms of leadership. A very good footballer, but a great leader and motivator. With Butcher, they were an outstanding pair who would never lose a physical battle.

TERRY BUTCHER

Everybody knows about his determination, his drive, his power. But he was a very good footballer, too, who could pass out well from defence. Gough and Butcher were not only central to a tough defence but to teams that hated to lose.

SASA PAPAC

He just nicks in ahead of David Robertson who showed an unbelievable level of consistency. I had a debate with myself over this position all morning and go for Papac because he was the best footballer we had at left-back.

BRIAN LAUDRUP

I need to fit him in, so he goes on the right. I know this midfield four is not balanced but you have to pick Brian. Laudrup had the ability to lift the team on his own. If you needed a spark, then he could provide it.

He only played for us for a year-and-ahalf. It was towards the end of his career and, on that evidence, he must have at one time been one of the best players in the world. Aggression and leadership? Yes. But an absolutely wonderful player.

PAUL GASCOIGNE

This was not as easy a pick as some might think, too. In terms of balance, you would probably play Durranty alongside Graeme but Gazza was also one of those who could just give the team a lift, the spark.

DAVIE COOPER

You have to play Coop because he was fantastic. That simple. He did his bit for Rangers in a team that wasn’t fortunate enough to have the kind of player that later came. He had a great influence on the team just by how he played.

ALLY McCOIST

Club’s top goalscorer and he didn’t have a bad record against Celtic, did he? I hate to say this but he was a really good footballer, too, but that went largely unnoticed, even undeveloped because scoring goals was his thing. He could have played No 10 but his whole mindset was to score a goal.

MARK HATELEY

He formed a brilliant partnership with Ally. Defenders didn’t want to play against him. He had touch, control and pace.