Rod Stewart once sang I Don’t Want to Talk About It but the Celtic -daft rocker was only too keen to mull over his side’s derby disaster on a Hotline special.
Sir Rod is becoming a bit of a regular on the blower after big games and he was back yesterday to defend the Hoops despite Neil Lennon failing to get a tune out his depleted side on Saturday.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer still has Reason to Believe the champions will be back. But after Lennon fumed about his team being leaked ahead of kick off in the 2-0 defeat to Rangers it’ll be very much ‘You’re in my Heart, dig out the Mole’ at Parkhead this week.
Sir Rod was gracious as always in defeat when he said: “To my dear Rangers fans, top marks to the Gers on Saturday as you were by far the better team.
“But can you imagine your boys without Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Scott Arfield, Steve Davis, Connor Goldson and Glen Kamara? We were decimated. It’s not an excuse, just a fact. We’ll be back. Sir Rod.”
And just like that the great man was gone.
Which opened the door for one of the most heated Hotlines since … well the last Old Firm.
Robert Montgomery, Kirkconnel, kicked us off: “So Lennon thinks he has a double agent in his dressing room leaking his team sheet. All I can say to that is ‘ma mole’! Lennon picked that horrendous team so the blame lies directly with him and his backroom staff. Well done to Stevie Gerrard and his team who outplayed Celtic in every position except in goals where Allan McGregor could have put in for a rest day as he wasn’t required.”
Jimmy Murray, Edinburgh, said: “Lennon now has his agent defending him on social media. Pathetic. He was totally outclassed by an under 19 year old coach is his first management job. Even Deila was man enough to put his hands up and admit he couldn’t do the job. Lennon is a total embarrassment to the club. But sadly when he is emptied he will be replaced by a guy who doesn’t have a clue and has crawled his way through the ranks since his 28-match career came to an end through injury.”
Roy Graham fumed: “There will be no 10 in a row as long as Lennon remains the manager at Celtic, he has to be removed now, supporters are going to have to act and protest to get him and his puppet master Lawwell out of the club. They are both taking Celtic backwards. Barkas is one of the worst goalkeepers ever at the club and bringing Duffy in on loan is proving to be a mistake, he cost Celtic against a poor Rangers team. But the all round Celtic performance should have Lennon hanging his head in shame.”
Gordon Ashley, Ayr, followed-up with: “As much as I love Lennon, I can’t argue with the fans who say he should go anymore. They have been proved right as he has had his pants pulled down three times by a rookie manager with a much smaller budget. Peter Lawell took a gamble with 10 in a row and he must now make the hard decision or the blame will lie with him.”
Eddie Easson, Ballingry, said: “Well done to Rangers, they wanted it more than Celtic. There is something seriously wrong at Celtic and it all goes back to earlier in the season when Lennon publicly slaughtered the team. He keeps on saying everything is rosy but obviously it is not. The supporters are starting to pick up on this and so too Dermot Desmond.”
And Stevie Delaney, St Andrews, mused: “Celtic were outmuscled, out thought and well beaten. Patryk Klimala is an imposter and Callum McGregor had his worst game in a Celtic jersey. The only positive for me was derby debutant Stephen Welsh.”
Dr Robert Pender took aim at the big guns in Hoops shirts. He slammed: “Celtic’s biggest problem is how Scott Brown slows the team down. His aggression is all mouth and Duffy the same. He played the occasion and not the game, shouting all week how he would be a leader but slow and ineffective.”
John Caw emailed: “It hurts me but well done Rangers. They beat the most lacklustre Celtic team I have ever had the misfortune to watch. No pace, nothing! And as for Ntcham, how this character gets a game is beyond me.”
Jack Armstrong, Bathgate, said: “Rangers played us off the park. The coaching at Celtic has never been the same since Damien Duffy left. I’ve never seen so many disjointed Celtic sides than I have in the past few months. Hopefully we get our mojo back as leagues aren’t won in October.
Lewis Doyle, Limerick, added: “Again the Old Firm game showed the Celtic weakness. They lack creativeness and if the rest of the league get their teams to just sit in I’m afraid Celtic will be struggling for third spot unless there is a dramatic change in personnel at the club. Guys it pains me to say this: 10 will be gone.”
Lance Little, Erskine, isn’t concerned though. He said: “Here we go again. Rangers win at Parkhead and all of a sudden they are world beaters and will stop the 10. It’ll be another false dawn and the pressure will be too much. They will start dropping points even earlier this season and league will be over by Christmas. This is how the story ends….again.”
But James Wilkie, Glenrothes, said: “Apparently Celtic were yet to find top gear – they found REVERSE at home and natural order was restored. Know your place 55 is coming and the bookies are rarely wrong.”
Andrew Lamb, Fraserburgh, added: “Looks like Lennon’s Invincibles aren’t so invincible after all. Well done Rangers, especially big Connor Goldson, a colossus.”
Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs, said: “Celtic looked flat against Rangers, who moved the ball about smartly . Sadly Celtic looked rather like a spent force, giving their opposition too much time to regroup defensively with their slow build up. Celtic have a fight on their hands to achieve 10IAR.”
Muir Fulton, Ayr, said: “Celtic are always gloating they are the richest club in Scotland. There’s an old saying no point being the richest man in the graveyard. They haven’t strengthened, Rangers have, it’s coming home.”
Finally, Paul Jenkins, Falkirk, simply said: “For the third game in a row, Rangers outclassed Celtic. Glen Kamara was outstanding.”
-- to www.dailyrecord.co.uk
