A GAP which was seven points has been reduced to only four over the
course of two matches.
The premier division championship is almost within Rangers' grasp, but
looking the worse for wear, it seems as though the Ibrox side are afraid
to reach out and take the prize.
Tense times indeed, and it will be interesting to see how Walter
Smith's players react tomorrow night at Easter Road after having dropped
three points in their last two games.
Could it be their nerve has gone with only three matches still to be
played? Is the thought of making history by becoming the first club to
win back-to-back trebles weighing too heavily on their minds?
''Losing our nerve? Us? Not a chance of that happening,'' said Stuart
McCall, even though he and his team-mates had just managed to survive a
difficult match against a makeshift Celtic side, who had to play at
Ibrox which was an even more hostile place for them than usual.
Almost 46,000 supporters were in the place, and apart from a quiet
handful of Celtic fans, who probably had to sit on their hands when John
Collins opened the scoring, they were all backing Rangers in the final
Old Firm match of the season.
Rangers' chairman David Murray has banned Celtic supporters from Ibrox
until a repair bill has been paid, but the exclusion order did not help
his own side much. If anything, in fact, it probably worked against
Rangers.
Normally, the Ibrox faithful vent their spleens at Celtic's
supporters, who traditionally are housed in the Broomloan Stand.
But on Saturday when the match was going badly for Rangers, their own
players became targets for abuse. Fortunately, the Scottish League will
issue a new edict after their annual meeting at the end of the season
and Rangers will have to allow Celtic's fans back in.
Murray has made his point and some kind of normality (if there is such
a thing as a normal state of affairs in Old Firm games) will be
restored. In the meantime, manager Walter Smith will attempt to maintain
custom by persuading his players to give a little bit more and clinch a
sixth consecutive championship.
They could do it tomorrow night against Hibernian if they win, and
Motherwell, who are at home to Dundee United, drop a point. And Smith
remains confident of his team's abilities despite their recent
difficulties against the Fir Park side and then Celtic, whose manager
Lou Macari punched the air in triumph at the end of the 1-1 draw at
Ibrox.
Clearly, he felt Celtic had won a moral victory as well as a point.
Macari's elation was understandable because he had gone into the game
without several first-choice men and had to push players like Tony
Mowbray, Dariusz Wdowczyk, and Peter Grant into action.
However, even allowing for Macari's lack of resources, there was
something disturbing about watching a Celtic team flood back in numbers.
It was against this club's traditions. Celtic are synonymous with
attacking flair and it would be depressing if they were to sacrifice
that very quality for a more cautious approach to the game.
Perhaps Charlie Nicholas, who has come to terms with the reality that
his career at Parkhead is over, is moving out at the right time. A
player like Nicholas, whose game is based on skill and cunning, could
never square defensive play with his conscience, but hopefully Macari's
tactics on Saturday won't have to be repeated too often.
He was happy with his point, yet had Celtic pushed forward after their
goal they might have scored again so feeble was Rangers' defence.
Instead, Celtic settled for one and sat back leaving Rangers to find
ways through. The Ibrox side failed miserably.
Most of Smith's players appeared jaded and in need of a long furlough.
The close season can't come quickly enough as the rigours of having
played too many matches in recent seasons because of their own success
begins to take a heavy toll.
It is also the case that too many of Smith's highly successful squad
are reaching that dangerous age in football -- 30 something -- at the
same time and will have to be replaced. There isn't a lot of mileage
left in several of the players who peaked last season, winning the
treble and striding to the edge of glory in the European Cup.
Having been there once Rangers must return, and Smith will have to
import during the break. He needs a central defender, a full back, and a
midfield player, and the kind of quality required does not come cheaply.
In the last few weeks of the season, however, he will have to coax
enough from players to secure the title and return to Hampden for the
Scottish Cup final. The first part is well within their remaining
capabilities, but the final against Dundee United will test them to the
full.
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