I will be interested to see how both teams now cope with the Thursdaysunday run of fixtures
Celtic and Rangers will go into their respective SPFL Premiership clashes today feeling good about themselves.
They have every reason to be optimistic and on a high, after Neil Lennon’s men drew 1-1 away in Rennes and Steven Gerrard’s players manged a fine 1-0 victory at home to Feyenoord, thanks to a stunning goal from Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo.
It gives them the kind of start in their Europa League campaigns that they would have wished for.
Rennes have started their domestic season in decent form, and for the Scottish Champions to go there and pick up a point suggests they are in good shape to get out of their section and into the last 32.
Their next game is at home to FC Cluj, and that is one Celtic will feel they should win.
Across the city, Rangers had an impressive home win. Feyenoord might not be the formidable force they once were, but they are a talented team and Jaap Stam is a good coach.
So, any victory has to welcomed with open arms, especially under the circumstances of going into the game with the sad news about Fernando Ricksen.
The Ibrox club can now travel to Switzerland with confidence ahead of their next game, away to Young Boys Berne.
However, we all know what is most important to both clubs in the next nine months.
Yes, Europe is brilliant for them in so many ways – from enhancing the market value of your players, to banking in the region of £10 million just for being in the competition.
But the League is absolutely what is all about.
That’s why both managers will hammer home the importance of there being no slip-ups today as Celtic take on Kilmarnock at home and Rangers travel to St Johnstone.
Between now and Christmas, I will be interested to see how both teams cope with the Thursday-sunday fixtures. It could throw up quite a few twists and turns.
This is the first weekend they’ll be playing off the back of the Europa League section, and it can sometimes be a strain, both mentally and physically.
If a result doesn’t go to plan in the domestic game immediately following the Thursday night European fixture, there seems to be an acceptance that is difficult to play three days after the Europa League tie.
Personally, I just don’t get it. I think it’s all psychological. They should all be ready to play on the Sunday, and there should be no excuses.
You never hear of the same kind of stuff being trotted out when they play on a Saturday, if they have been in a Wednesday night Champions League game.
Celtic, last season, had some indifferent results off the back of Thursday night games when Brendan Rodgers was in charge.
Out of the six games, they lost to Kilmarnock and Hibs and drew with Livingston, all three games away from home.
But they beat Motherwell, Hearts and Aberdeen. The game against the Dons was the League Cup Final, as they picked up the first piece of the Treble Treble.
Brendan and his players got out of their section and into the last 32.
In February, immediately after they played Valencia both times, they beat Kilmarnock with a late Scott Brown winner. It was pivotal to winning the league.
They also defeated Motherwell, comfortably,
Neil will want to make sure there aren’t any slip-ups. He will not want to give Rangers any encouragement by losing any of three-point advantage they currently hold.
On the back of their Europa League games last season, the Gers won five out of their six domestic games. Their only defeat was to Aberdeen in the League Cup semi-final.
So, Rangers seemed to handle it a bit better. However, they didn’t qualify from their section and missed out on the last 32.
You could say Steven’s men face a harder task today, compared to their rivals, as they travel away from home to St Johnstone.
The last thing Rangers need is to drop any more points. They really have to be right on it, in every game between now and the turn of the year before the game goes into its winter break.
Across the country, there is also a massive game at Easter Road. The Edinburgh derby is vitally important today, if either side loses it could have an unfavourable outcome for the manager.
Sure you want to win every game and you set out to do so, but perhaps Paul Heckingbottom and Craig Levein would both settle for a draw today. That may well give them a bit of respite.
They haven’t had the best of starts and there is some supporter unrest.
It’s never pleasant to see any manager under the microscope in such a manner and I wish them both well as this game will not be for the fainthearted.
I just don’t get it. I think it’s all psychological. They should all be ready to play on the Sunday, and there should be no excuses