We do seem to be looking forward a little more than usual to the Glasgow derby , the latest of which takes place tomorrow lunchtime, at Ibrox stadium.

Perhaps that’s because we’ve just had a week of international football, a poor substitute at the best of times, or perhaps it’s because the break has been injury free and given a couple of players a chance to get ready for this game.

Kyogo Fuhruhashi has been added to the squad, and although it’s unlikely he’ll start, he may well be given a chance to finish things.

Even just having him around helps morale, as Ange Postecoglou pointed out;

“He’s already had a massive impact on our season and once he’s up and ready and out there again I’m sure he’ll be looking to make a similar impact.

“He’s buzzing as well because he gets an opportunity to be involved and do the things he loves, so it’s great.” 

 Such is the strength of the current squad that our top scorer is unlikely to to shift our in form number nine, Giorgios Giakoumakis, or his partners Jota and  Daezen Maeda,  as they have built up an understanding recently, learning to play well together.

 Forrest, Kyogo and Abada may well come on as a unit to replace the entire front line to work on an already tiring Ibrox defence….

 Maybe that’s why we’re looking forward to it more than usual.

Did someone say 7-0 ?

 Well, 7-1.

 I forgot about their penalty.

 They’re not so enthusiastic over the river though. Alfredo Morelos isn’t available, the extra weight he’s been carrying has knackered his knees and he needs crutches to get about. that leaves them short up front and reduces their options for that penalty.

 Ryan Kent has been practicing at the swimming baths, and to be fair he’s pretty adept at leaving his leg to drag over an outstretched opponent.

 While all the Celts seem to be in great condition mentally and physically, there are doubts over both conditions within the walls of Mordor.

 On the pitch, Ryan Jack is probably their most influential player, and he called out Georgios Giakoumakis for his “disrespectful ” comments, complaining that the Celt was being disrespectful.

 It’s probably a good job Jack won’t hear the team talk…

 Reo Hatate also rates Celtic higher than “rangers “, which is all Giakoumakis did, but it’s clearly rattled them, and it may be that the statements are pinned to the dressing room wall to inspire the “rangers ” players.

 Here’s Giakoumakis’s

ω οι Ρέιντζερς είναι σκατά  

 And this is what Hatate said

ああレンジャーはシテです

 If they put that on the wall in crayon they’ll think Jimmy Bell’s been trying to draw pictures.

 If they’re still unsure what it means, the Celtic support in the ground will probably inform them during the game…..

 Maybe we’re being a little over confident here, and the narrative that these games never adhere to the form book, but in fact , they usually do end up with the in form team taking the spoils, and what you will notice is that because pundits won;t be able to find a genuine reason to support their hope that “rangers ” take all three points, they’ll fall back on the ” Old Firm ” uniqueness myth, and since it’s not the Old Firm and is simply the world’s newest major derby. that to me seems a little optimistic.

 Celtic are likely to start this game pretty much the same way they started the previous clash between the two…at full pace, and that is likely to get the same early outcome.

 “rangers ” don’t handle their own support very well..apart from when it comes to fleecing a few quid out of them or just telling them what they want to hear, and are clearly worried about the crowd’s behaviour.

 A recent game against Dundee was stopped while the fans threw toilet rolls in protest to the club/company taking part in the Sydney Cup as a support act to Celtic, which is the accepted narrative, although the real reason is the heightened use of child abuse vitriol being hurled towards Celtic and their fans on social media, which has replaced even their anti catholic or Irish bile for the moment.

 To calm their fans and encourage their venom towards Celtic, “rangers ” have pulled out of the Australian tournament, producing a fairly vague statement outlining none of their reasons…

 Not that it really matters, should Celtic race into a three goal lead early in the game, all hell will break loose, but once again, they’ve been  told them what they wanted to hear…

Rangers can confirm the Club will not be participating in the Sydney Super Cup in November 2022.

After it became clear the tournament organisers were unwilling to fulfil their commitments to Rangers, we have, with immediate effect, terminated the Club’s agreement with the organisers.  

Speculation surrounds the reasons, one of which was that the organisers refused to use the Old Firm tag, but it can’t be that

‏‏‎ ‎

 Given that they will face a significant financial penalty for pulling out, especially if they have been paid a percentage up front, then it seems unlikely they’ll actually pull out.

 What’s more likely is that after the three games against Celtic, they’ll say they couldn’t get out of the agreement and are playing “reluctantly ” or “under protest “

 In a wider context, they’ve just closed an important and lucrative income stream, as they’ve shown themselves to a worldwide market that they cannot be trusted to honour an agreement, something Hummel, Sports Direct and others could certainly confirm.

 Our media won’t cover that sort of story, and instead will help promote the only pre season option now open to them, an Ibrox Cup featuring Linfield, Hamburg and Police Scotland XI, which will keep the bears happy and the blue pound rolling.

As the rest of the world sighs in relief…

As the Greek city Times explains today, over in Sydney

Sydney saved from Rangers fans as support act backs out of

Ange Postecoglou’s Homecoming Tour

 And yet our board, in it’s infinite wisdom, still clings to the Old Firm brand, and not just to prevent anyone from making money of the back of it’s history.

 They really do seem to think that being associated with the toxicity of ibrox, and their complete lack of trustworthiness, is somehow worth hanging onto.

 Ange and the players are doing their bit to crush them on the park.

 Surely by now it’s obvious to the board that they are going to drag us down with them if we don’t cut that cord ?