Chris Sutton
It won’t make me popular but my combined side is packed with class
PICKING the best Old Firm XI has stirred up a real hornet’s nest and sparked some great debate.
The Daily Record printed the team selections of Brian Reid, Gordon Dalziel, Joe Miller and some other colleagues on the sports desk, which have gone viral on social media.
You are never going to win any popularity contests when you go down this road. But they asked me to select my best XI made up entirely of Celtic and Rangers players. So here is my team ...
I am not totally convinced with either of the keepers but I have opted for Craig Gordon over Wes Foderingham.
The season before last Gordon was outstanding but he has not been his commanding self recently and Foderingham does not fill me with any great confidence because he’s vulnerable at crosses.
My two full-backs are James Tavernier and Kieran Tierney. The Gers ace is decent going forward and while suspect defensively he can fill the role in that right-hand side. Tierney makes the cut over Lee Wallace. The Celtic kid just has the edge because he is the better all-round player.
I have put Mikael Lustig in at centre-half as he is better deployed as a central defender as he makes good decisions and is a good reader of the game.
Kolo Toure is my other centreback but has to get himself fit.
The former Arsenal and Manchester City defender’s experience alone will steady things at the back for the Hoops.
I have chosen Joey Barton as my first central midfielder. People dislike him for the things he has said and done over the years.
I’m only judging Barton by the fact he is a decent footballer. He has played at the highest level, has a lovely range of passing and is a fiery competitor.
Barton has matured the older he has got and Celtic fans may not like this but they will appreciate he is a brilliant signing for Rangers.
Scott Brown would be my other centre-mid as he still has a lot to offer. People are jumping the gun when they say is a spent force.
He is still capable of breaking the play up and his physicality makes his inclusion a must.
Niko Kranjcar also has to feature but I really like Kris Commons and it would be a tight one if he was fit.
If Rangers can get the Croat anywhere near fit they will have a wonderful footballer on their books. He is a game changer. I would also have Patrick Roberts in because he is one hell of player who gets the crowd off their seats.
Roberts is going to be a major creator and scorer of goals this season and is one of the few players in Scottish football I would actually pay to watch.
Barrie McKay gets the nod as he has developed enormously in the last season. He might lack a tiny bit of pace as he steps up a level but he is a tidy all-round player.
Finally, Leigh Griffiths would be my main man up front. His Champions League goal against Astana was absolutely stunning.
Even Robin van Persie would struggle to get into the Celtic attack ahead of him. He is the one man you want to be on the end of chances when they fall in the box.