We are a different side from last Old Firm showdown.. if any team can KO Celtic it’s us
Waghorn believes rejuvenated Rangers are the ones to stop Hoops’ unbeaten run
RANGERS went into the last Old Firm fixture at Celtic on the back of a lot of bull and now they could have the protection of a bullfighter.
Striker Martyn Waghorn insists the Light Blues are much improved from the team that lost 5-1 in September with Joey Barton shooting from the lip.
The former England midfielder was made to eat his words after declaring Scott Brown wasn’t in his league before accusing Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers of suffering a mid-life crisis.
Barton talked the talk but couldn’t walk the walk. This time, Rangers players are much more contrite, not least out of respect for Celtic’s unbeaten run in Scotland this season.
Waghorn is adamant that doesn’t mean the confidence of his team-mates isn’t high as they bid to become the first club since Inverness Caley Thistle to take points off the five-in-a-row champions in the Premiership.
The feel-good factor has been buoyed by their 6-0 thrashing of Hamilton – which has lined up a Scottish Cup semi-final with the Hoops – as the Ibrox club prepare to name Pedro Caixinha as their new coach.
Waghorn even appeared to take a little dig at ex-team-mate Barton when he declared Rangers are now fitter, stronger and sharper than at the start of the season when the Burnley star was calling the shots before his controversial departure.
Waghorn said: “Joey was Joey and he had things to say. That is what he’s like but we can’t focus on that too much. He has moved on and so have we.
“We’re a different team with different players and we’re a bit more dynamic now.
“We’re a lot more free-flowing. There were a lot of changes in the summer and we took a bit of time to get going. We are younger, hungrier and we all have an end goal.
“There’s a huge amount of quality in the squad so it’s about how we channel that and don’t get distracted by the occasion. Hopefully, our quality comes through at Celtic Park.
“The victory over Hamilton was huge in terms of confidence. It’s important we build on it and have a good week’s training and work hard.
“To win 6-0 after beating St Johnstone in midweek is great and we can look forward to a semi-final as well.
“Of course, we can get a result at Celtic. We must believe in ourselves. We are playing some good stuff and have turned the corner after a hard few weeks.
“The result last Wednesday was a huge boost and the performance against Hamilton was something we can really build on. Against Celtic it’s all about self-belief.
“We will go there with a lot of confidence. If anyone can beat them it’s going to be us. We need to be right on our game but it’s an Old Firm match and anything can happen.
“It’s all about who turns up on the day and we would like to make up for the last time. It was hugely disappointing. We were caught right off it and weren’t good enough on the day.
“We’ve looked at it and we’ve accepted it. It was hard to take but that’s in the past. We have a different team from then, different players, and the way we’re playing at the minute can only be good for us.
“We are going to work hard this week and look forward to the game.”
If Graeme Murty does sign off as interim boss over the next 48 hours it can be with a lot of pride that he has steadied the ship and inspired his charges to their most emphatic win of the season and, in the second half, their best spell of football.
Waghorn, who netted his 13th goal of the season to open the scoring in the first half before Hamilton’s late collapse, reckons it’s a display the fans have been waiting for. He added: “It was coming. We’ve been long overdue one of those games when everything just seems to go in. “We could be critical and say over the course of the season we’ve not been clinical enough but recent wins have given the boys confidence. “We’ve been told the situation about a new manager. We’re in constant contact – our skipper Lee Wallace gets dialogue from the board. “Murts is doing a great job with the boys, rallying them round, and that has shown in the last couple of weeks. “He’s enthusiastic on the
It’s all about who turns up on the day and we would like to make up for the last time MARTYN WAGHORN
sidelines and has brought a lot of energy and self-belief to the players.
“I’ve known him for a long time. It would be nice if he gets the chance to work alongside the new manager.”
Accies left Ibrox still smarting at a string of controversial decisions against them and were incensed when hat-trick hero Joe Garner stayed on the pitch when he could have been red-carded for lashing out at Dougie Imrie.
Gaffer Martin Canning was fuming over the award of Waghorn’s penalty and striker Rakish Bingham claimed Wes Foderingham handled the ball outside the box early on that could have seen him sent off.
The hitman said: “It was very frustrating. I claimed for the first one outside the box. I saw it but obviously the linesman and referee didn’t.
“If it was a red card then it would have been a completely different game, 11 against 10. It would have made it a lot harder for Rangers.
“These big decisions can cost you in games like this, especially coming to a big team like this.
“But we can’t dwell on it. It’s over. We need to keep it moving and push up the league.”