Celtic and Rangers accused of ‘very poor leadership’ after statements analysed

Rangers and Celtic should have moved quicker to condemn the ugly scenes which followed their Scottish Cup match at Ibrox.

That is according to ex-Aberdeen, Aston Villa, and Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes both clubs showed “very poor leadership.”

Celtic won the Scottish Cup tie 4-2 on penalties after the game had ended 0-0 after 120 minutes of action, with the visiting support given 7,500 tickets for the fixture.

Both sets of supporters clashed at the final whistle on the pitch, raising questions over ultras groups and future ticket allocations for Old Firm fixtures.

Celtic and Rangers released statements four days after the match, whilst the Scottish Football Association condemned the scenes under 40 minutes after the game ended.

Rangers and Celtic slammed for ‘pathetic’ response to Old Firm scenes

Aberdeen’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes the Old Firm clubs do not want to “go head to head” with their group of ultras.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks ultras groups “need to be weeded out of the game.”

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Now the trouble is what’s happened in Scotland, and I’ve seen it over many, many, many, years is that those factions of the club don’t want to go head-to- head with those factions internally.

“And so they pay lip service to them, and they try and avoid it. And they try to show the Celtic fan base that they’re fighting the corner for Celtic fans and Rangers do the same for the Rangers fans. When it’s clear to the outsider that there are two major factions here that have just got to be condemned and weeded out of the game.

“They must know who they are. They can stop the tickets if they wanted to. And I’m afraid that the clubs were pathetic quite frankly in terms of not being clear and quicker in terms of their condemnation. And it is though the lawyers had written things about, you know, being worried about liability etc. I’m afraid the game’s bigger than that and they’ve got to take their responsibility and move on. Very poor leadership from both clubs.”  

Away fans could be banned from Old Firm games

Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson told Football Insider that there are “question marks” over whether away fans can attend the Old Firm ever again.

Rangers and Celtic are both set to play each other once more in the Scottish Premiership before the season ends, with the Gers set to take 2,5000 fans to their city rivals.

Borson believes it is getting more difficult to facilitate both sets of fans at the games, whilst a big fine will be issued to both clubs for the scenes in their latest Old Firm meeting.

The post Celtic and Rangers accused of ‘very poor leadership’ after statements analysed appeared first on Football Insider.