THE KLOPP PLAYBOOK

As Roma keep tabs on flying full-back Barisic, Strachan claims that watching current Rangers side is right out of...

BORNA BARISIC is on the transfer radar of Italian giants AS Roma after his man-of-the-match display in Sunday’s Old Firm success. The Rangers defender provided pinpoint assists for the goals netted by Ryan Kent and Nikola Katic as the club recorded a first win in nine years at Celtic Park. That has further raised Barisic’s international profile after several impressive Europa League performances and becoming established as Croatia’s first choice left-back. AC Milan have also been credited with keeping tabs on his progress, but it was the position of their Serie A rivals Roma that drew a short response from Barisic’s agent, Ives Cakarun. ‘It is only interest at the moment,’ he was quoted as saying. The former Osijek player is understood to be happy in Glasgow regardless of the admiration he is attracting from Italy, believing his game has taken significant strides forward working under Steven Gerrard and his coaching staff. Gerrard has already stressed

that he has no intention of selling any of his key players in the January window even if offers do materialise. Barisic surged forward to provide a precise cutback for Kent’s first-half opener against Celtic, before delivering an out-swinging corner that compatriot Katic headed home for the winner. The attacking width provided by Barisic and right-back James Tavernier are among the reasons why Gordon Strachan believes there are strong comparisons between the style adopted by Rangers and Gerrard’s first love Liverpool. Former Celtic and Scotland manager Strachan argues that Gerrard has benefited greatly from being able to study Jurgen Klopp at close quarters as he praised their tactical approach at Parkhead. ‘The way Rangers set up is literally Liverpool,’ said Strachan. ‘You could close your eyes during a Liverpool match, switch channel, open your eyes again and see the same team, but playing in blue. ‘Steven has taken a lot from Jurgen Klopp, which is fantastic. All coaches take things from others — and I’ve done the same, having watched Klopp’s sessions six or seven years ago. ‘The way Steven and Gary McAllister have set Rangers up is very clever. When they signed Ryan Kent, most of us were assuming that he’d be played as a left winger. ‘Instead, he’s in a Sadio Mane role, as an old fashioned inside forward, with Joe Aribo on the other side. Like Liverpool, the width comes from the full-backs. ‘It’s a lovely system, as it means that you have five players in the centre of the field — which determines that you win most of the ball. ‘It’s all very well people saying that Celtic needed to get their wingers into the game, but how can you when you can’t get the ball? Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, and Ryan Christie were up against five at times.’ Klopp would recognise the emotion Gerrard expressed at full-time. The Rangers manager roared with delight into a television camera before celebrating with his players in front of the travelling support. ‘It is probably the most excited I’ve seen a manager at full-time, but he’s a young manager, and he’d just won one of the biggest games of his managerial career,’ Strachan told Paddy Power News. ‘It just shows you what the pressure is like for a manager of Celtic or Rangers. ‘He’ll probably look back and think: “Maybe next time I’ll do something different” but there was nothing wrong with it, he didn’t do anything over the top.’ Rangers are now just two points behind Celtic with a game in hand ahead of what promises to be a fascinating second half of the season. ‘I’m sure they’ll be thinking long and hard about spending in January — but I don’t know if they can go again,’ added Strachan. ‘I know absolutely nothing about Rangers’ finances, but I do know that it’s very hard for a Scottish Premiership club to keep on spending. ‘Because, if you don’t get the rewards after spending that kind of money, as we’ve seen before, it’s absolutely chaos. That’s the gamble the Rangers people have to weigh up. ‘Besides — where do you improve them? There’s players in the squad who can’t get a game as it is.’