Graeme Souness dismisses the Brendan Rodgers Old Firm 'fun' factor

Clement branded the remarks disrespectful following his team’s 4-1 win against Kilmarnock in Govan on Sunday – a result which reduced the top flight leaders’ cushion at the top of the table to three points.

It has been suggested the Northern Irishman’s words will give Rangers extra motivation to triumph against the defending champions in a match which will have massive ramifications in the Scottish title race.

However, Souness, who received the special merit award at the PFA Scotland Player and Manager of the Year awards ceremony in Glasgow on Sunday night, has dismissed that notion.

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The Scotland great, who transformed the fortunes of his boyhood heroes after being appointed manager in 1986 and lifted the Premiership trophy twice, believes James Tavernier and his team mates should be able to lift themselves regardless.  

Asked if he had ever used inflammatory comments from opposition players or managers to gee up his charges during his own time in the dugout, he said: “It’s not a road I went down. 

“I take that back to being a player, when I still was one. If anyone said anything mental it meant nothing. That was just the way I was educated. We do our job, we turn up and do it to the best of our ability and hopefully get a bit of work on the day. 

“Listen, if you need motivation to play in an Old Firm game then there’s something wrong with you. It’s the biggest derby I’ve ever played in. You have the huge football rivalry between the two biggest clubs in the country.

“We know there is the unsavoury part to it, or course, but there’s no denying the magnitude of the game. It takes character to win these games. That’s nothing new. 

“It’s about being motivated to the point where you are keeping your concentration levels and not getting carried away on the day and losing your focus.

“The group of players I had were tailor made for these big games. Richard Gough, Trevor Steven, Gary Stevens, Mark Hateley, Ray Wilkins. What you find the bigger the player, the bigger the occasions, the better they are.

“I was lucky to have some real men in my dressing room. I didn’t need to say a word to them on occasions like this weekend.”

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Rangers will not have any fans cheering them on inside Parkhead due to a long-running dispute with Celtic over away ticket allocations for Old Firm games and the hosts, who are undefeated in the derby games this term, are strong favourites to prevail.

But Souness feels that Clement’s men are more than capable of triumphing and boosting their chances of being crowned champions if they cope with the hostile atmosphere which the 60,000-strong crowd will generate in the East End of Glasgow.

“Rangers winning against Kilmarnock on Sunday sets it up nicely,” he said. “Both teams know what they need to do. 

“It’s a derby game, so it’s a hard one to call. Of course, Rangers would rather be playing Celtic at Ibrox, but it’s a game where this is how it has panned out.  It looks as if it’s going to be down to this game and you just deal with it. 

“If you are a big player and you play for Rangers or Celtic you are a good players and you’ve got to deal with it. You have to live the expectation, live with the pressure and get on with it.”