LEE Wallace hopes the hurt of Rangers’ 5-1 Old Firm mauling at Celtic Park will prove powerful motivation to ensure that the Ibrox side never experience the same sensation again.
Advertisement
That red card left Rangers even more exposed as they tried to get back into the game at 3-1 but Johnstone says his former side have defensive frailties which were on display throughout the match and which must be addressed. Their Old Firm rivals are already chasing their sixth title in a row, and will generate something in the region of £20m from the Champions League this season.
He said: “To beat Rangers at home and for me to score my first hat-trick is unbelievable and I will remember it all my life”.
“If I get to start against Barcelona I will be ready”.
Rodgers, after his first Old Firm match, admitted the occasion was “everything I expected and more” and praised 20-year-old Dembele who has had to play second fiddle to Griffiths in recent weeks. “There is no doubt about that”.
‘Our manager just now will certainly share the belief that we want to do it a lot sooner than that.
The Hoops blew Rangers away, controlling the game in the first half and eventually overwhelming their neighbours to pile on three more goals after half-time.
“We have come up with the gelling of a new group and a turnover of players, so we know these are going to be challenging places”. How anyone thinks that such a stunt is a good idea in the first place is beyond me and quite rightly those responsible have been widely condemned by Scottish football fans as a whole – as well as Celtic and Rangers fans.
That said, he needs to convince the Rangers supporters that he is capable of pragmatic responses when circumstances demand them.
“That means coming in Monday and working hard to make sure we get back to winning ways”.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers pays tribute to Moussa Dembele’s agent for playing a key role in the young Frenchman moving to Celtic Park.
“The second goal, loose release, poor decision”.
“We are not kidding ourselves on when we say we still have to get to the levels we got to a year ago, for instance”.
“So we had David Weir sent to the stand, and they had 11 men on the pitch”.
Advertisement
“The fans won’t take that and we won’t take that either”.
