Celtic V Rangers: Bitter Rivals United In Chaos

When Glasgow's 2 main shot clubs meet astatine Hampden Park, winning intends everything.

But seldom has location been specified a funny build-up to a fixture that hardly needs a sideshow.

In Scotland, erstwhile chaos comes knocking astatine nan doors of Celtic and Rangers, it's header news.

And, lately, neither Old Firm nine has been short of turmoil.

That mightiness sound overstated to nan casual perceiver aliases those extracurricular Scotland's cardinal belt, but successful fewer UK cities is shot truthful profoundly woven into nan societal cloth arsenic it is successful Glasgow.

This time, though, there's an different symmetry: some clubs are struggling, connected and disconnected nan pitch, astatine nan aforesaid time.

Indeed some dugouts will characteristic different managers from erstwhile nan rivals past met and played retired a goalless draw astatine Ibrox connected 31 August.

In Glasgow it is uncommon for some clubs to beryllium successful what immoderate would picture arsenic a authorities of "crisis" astatine nan aforesaid time.

For complete a decade, Rangers' turbulence has provided their rivals pinch a dependable fare of schadenfreude, but up of Sunday's League Cup semi-final, some clubs person been fighting for nan antagonistic headlines.

In nan eastbound end, Celtic fans person spent weeks protesting against a committee they spot arsenic retired of touch.

Manager Brendan Rodgers seemed to validate their vexation erstwhile he publically criticised nan club's nonaccomplishment to fortify nan squad successful nan summer.

Missing retired connected nan lucrative Champions League only fuelled nan unrest - and appeared to warrant his complaints.

After years of harmony, occurrence and near-total home dominance, each was not good wrong Parkhead - and thing had to give.

That "something" was Rodgers' unexpected resignation, swiftly followed by a blistering attack from Celtic's awesome shareholder, Dermot Desmond.

The Irish businessman, usually a reserved figure, has softly controlled nan nine for 3 decades.

But successful a uncommon nationalist statement, he accused Rodgers of being divisive, self-serving and of misleading fans.

In shot connection it was a two-footed situation pinch studs showing.

Rodgers has yet to respond.

The ferocity of Desmond's comments pulled backmost nan curtain connected tensions that had been simmering for immoderate time.

And they whitethorn person signalled nan extremity of nan unity Celtic erstwhile prided itself on.

Rogers has been replaced successful nan dug out, for now, by former head Martin O'Neill and ex-player Shaun Maloney.

For fans, nan dismay wasn't conscionable astir nan nationalist fallout, but that it was usually Rangers who cornered nan marketplace successful mayhem.

Across nan Clyde, Rangers' troubles are thing new.

Since the club's financial illness successful 2012, supporters person lived done authorities changes, tribunal battles, managerial misfires and moreover liquidation.

Many consciousness they've endured enough. But successful Glasgow, shot isn't a pastime. It's an inheritance.

That's thing nan club's caller American owners are discovering fast.

When he was appointed caput coach successful nan summertime fans warned that Russell Martin wasn't nan correct fit.

But nan consortium stood firm, keen to task authority.

Seven games and a torrent of venomous protests later, Martin was gone.

The owners admitted they had underestimated nan strength of Glasgow football.

They're not nan first, and they won't beryllium nan last.

Unlike O'Neill, who managed Celtic from 2000 to 2005, new Rangers caput coach Danny Rohl will acquisition his first Old Firm lucifer connected Sunday.

The assignment of nan erstwhile Sheffield Wednesday head ended a prolonged hunt for Martin's replacement.

For once, some sets of supporters stock a communal cause: a desire for alteration successful nan boardroom. History suggests they often get what they want.

But this isn't conscionable a Celtic and Rangers story. Both clubs are now glancing on nan M8 pinch unease, toward a challenger that dares to dream.

Heart of Midlothian beryllium apical of nan array and person nan backing of Brighton proprietor Tony Bloom, nan data-driven investor who helped toggle shape nan Premier League club.

When Bloom promised Hearts fans an extremity to Old Firm power wrong a decade, galore dismissed it arsenic hubris.

Given it hasn't happened successful 40 years, you tin understand why.

Yet Bloom's methods - and nan unity astir Tynecastle - are making group wonderment if this could beryllium nan play nan Glasgow duopoly is yet broken.

Whatever happens travel May, unity is thing Celtic and Rangers would salary bully money for correct now arsenic they hole to do conflict erstwhile again.