‘Scottish game 100 times better when Old Firm returns’
STEPHEN McMANUS, the Motherwell defender and former Celtic captain, reckons Scottish football will be ‘100 times’ better for having Rangers back in the top flight as he eagerly awaits tomorrow’s Old Firm meeting at Hampden.
The 33-year-old played an integral role in many an important game during his seven-year spell at Parkhead, from title-deciders to Champions League last-16 glamour ties. However, nothing comes close to this Glasgow derby for the man who once pulled a captain’s armband over his green-andwhite sleeve.
The Motherwell centre-half has been caught up in the hype surrounding this weekend’s William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final as Rangers and Celtic lock horns for the first time in over a year, and McManus is delighted that the Ibrox club will soon be making it a regular fixture – even if it makes his job at Motherwell that bit harder.
“Of course it will [be better], 100 per cent,” he said of Rangers’ promotion from the Championship. “Our game gets slaughtered from the outside all the time. You want your biggest clubs.
“For Motherwell, next year is going to be a tough, tough year. It was key we stayed in the league this year because Rangers are coming back up. Hearts, Aberdeen and definitely Celtic will strengthen. It’s going to be tough but exciting.
“Scottish football will be 100 times better with Rangers in the top league, it will be 100 times better if Hibs come in too. You want your biggest clubs at the top end.”
Almost 11 years have gone by since McManus first sampled what an Old Firm derby had to offer. It came at Ibrox as Gordon Strachan also dipped his toe in the Celtic v Rangers water for the first ever time on August 20 2005.
McManus still remembers how he felt in the build-up to that game, and how his manager tried to calm his players ahead of kick off.
“I remember my first Old Firm game which was at Ibrox,” he reminisced of the 3-1 defeat. “Gordon Strachan had us in a team meeting and he said ‘look you need to be careful’. He’d never experienced it. I think Alan Thompson got sent off for a tackle on Nacho Novo.
“He went in for a rash tackle, the referee reacts because the supporters react. The referee is key in this. He has to be strong, keep a lid on things.”
McManus added: “The fans will be on the edge of their seats from the second he blows the whistle and he points one way. You can bet your bottom dollar the other side are going to be hurling abuse at him!” Turning his attention to tomorrow’s match at Hampden, the Fir Park stopper reckons Rangers are better equipped to test Celtic than they were in the League Cup semi-final last year.
On that day last February Kenny McDowall’s team were given the runaround by a dominant Parkhead side who were out of sight by half-time courtesy of strikes from Leigh Griffiths and Kris Commons.
Under Mark Warburton, though, McManus says Rangers are a different prospect. With Rangers having a Championship title and Petrofac Training Cup under their belts, the former Scotland captain is sure this season’s meeting will be a much tighter affair.
“I’ve only seen Rangers when they have been on telly, but I think they’ve got to play the way they usually do because that’s how they have had success,” he said.
“Celtic will look at Rangers’ biggest strength as also their biggest weakness.
“Mark Warburton is an experienced manager. You can see that with the way he speaks before and after games, he’s a very good manager. He’ll be tactically aware of what is at stake.
“I do think Celtic have the better players. On the day, form goes out the window and whoever plays well and handles the occasion best will win the game.
“It has the makings of a terrific game. You hear Celtic’s back four has been heavily criticised so has Rangers’, it could potentially be a really exciting game.”
I’ve only seen Rangers when they have been on telly, but I think they’ve got to play the way they usually do because that’s how they have had success
Stephen McManus was speaking at the launch of the Longest Day Golf Challenge to raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support. To sponsor, please visit the Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/David-Clarkson9.