Rangers

The Rangers Fan Advisory Board and the Rangers Supporters' Association have criticised Police Scotland for the way Celtic fans were able to "storm the turnstiles before the match" and "invade the pitch" and for the "chronic lack of segregation on Helen Street" before and after Sunday's troubled Old Firm derby. (The National), external

The Celtic Fans Collective has raised concerns about the way visiting fans were treated on the approach to Ibrox, bus parking and the turnstiles before Sunday's Old Firm derby and called for action from Police Scotland and Celtic Football Club while saying that head of safety, security and operations Mark Hargreaves' "absence on the day" makes his position untenable. (The Herald), external

Police Scotland Chief Inspector Emma Croft says Rangers and Celtic need to do more to engage with fans, especially ultra groups, and set some new ground rules and boundaries as to what they are accepting of their fans. (Glasgow Times), external

Falkirk striker Brian Graham admits taking his 10-year-old son to his first Old Firm game was one of the worst decisions of his life, describing the scenes at the end as "absolutely horrific". (Clyde 1 Superscoreboard), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Rangers and mentality. No matter who is in the dugout, or on the pitch, it is the question that will not seem to go away.

And it is the question that will only increase in volume if Danny Rohl's side fail to end the campaign with silverware.

Following Sunday's Scottish Cup exit to Celtic, a quarter-final the Ibrox club totally dominated but did not win, their only hope of a trophy is now the Premiership.

Rohl was not shy in heaping pressure on himself last week, saying he has to end the campaign with silverware, despite taking over the team in a dire state.

If his side cannot make up a one-point deficit on their city rivals and a six-point margin on leaders Hearts, he will fail his own expectations.

The German said a month ago that he was heartened by a mindset shift in his players after a defeat at Tynecastle in December was followed by a run of seven wins and a draw in eight league matches.

Since then, Rangers have won one of their past four league games - a 4-2 victory against Hearts.

That form stretches to one win in five when you include Sunday's cup game. In fact, they have won just three of their past nine in all competitions.

In a goalless draw at Hibernian at the start of February, Rohl's side were blunt in attack, a problem that winter arrivals of Andreas Skov Olsen and Ryan Naderi were expected to troubleshoot.

Both have failed to hit the ground running, though, with the pair starting on Sunday as Rangers again lacked attacking imagination.

Rohl's defence has also started to leak goals, failing to keep a clean sheet in their past five league outings, conceding eight times in that spell.

With varying issues, including standing off the game when in a winning position - seen in their recent league draws against Motherwell and Celtic - it is difficult to pinpoint a precise problem.

However, fans have seen this film before and they will continue to ask questions about mentality in pressure moments unless there is a turnaround in a more favourable looking run of upcoming fixtures.

Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday on BBC Sportsound: "Rangers' lack of quality in the final third was alarming throughout [on Sunday].

"For the amount of spell of pressure they had, [Viljami] Sinisalo didn't have really have any saves to make.

"Youssef Chermiti has a couple of big chances. The goal that gets disallowed. There's a couple bundled and scrambled about in the box.

"The lack of quality in the final third meant Rangers didn't deserve to go through."

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

I thought things may start to unravel for Rangers after last week's derby draw.

Then came the utter frustration of playing a depleted Celtic team, who were without Callum McGregor among others, and failing to win.

To have 24 shots on goal to Celtic's zero and still somehow manage to lose on penalties is quite incredible. It's a mentality and quality issue we have within the squad.

Celtic came for penalties, got them and won. That's fine. But for us it's now how about this team responds against St Mirren after a double hammer blow.

Many fans are on the manager's case already, but luck has deserted us at times, especially on Sunday.

We're going through a poor run, but one result can change the mood. Acting on pure emotion and calling for the manager to be replaced is not the right thing to do.

We have nine games left, starting on Sunday. Let's see where we are come the split and take it from there.

Rangers and Celtic have been warned by Greater Glasgow Division Chief Superintendent Emma Croft that large-scale away allocations for derby matches are "not workable" after the ugly scenes that followed Sunday's Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox. (Herald - subscription required), external

It could take more than two weeks before the Scottish FA concludes its investigation into the post-match events that marred Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox as spectators entered the pitch. (Record), external

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Image source, SNS

Captain James Tavernier says Rangers have already shown this season they have the ability to "bounce back" from the pain of Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat by city rivals Celtic.

Tavernier and Djeidi Gassama missed from the spot after the match went to a penalty shoot-out despite Rangers dominating for the majority of a goalless 120 minutes.

"I've got to obviously hold responsibility," Tavernier, who started on the bench, said. "I've got to put my penalty away. I expect myself to set a standard in a penalty shoot-out.

"Games are always defined by clinical moments and that was obviously lacking.

"We did everything but score a goal in this game. And we'll look back on it, we'll learn from it."

Rangers are left to concentrate on narrowing the six-point gap in the Scottish Premiership with leaders Hearts, having been 13 behind when Danny Rohl was appointed eight games into the Premiership season.

"We've got 27 points to play for and that's what we'll be aiming for," right-back Tavernier said.

"It's obviously our main focus now. The boys will bounce back from this, I'm sure.

"If you look at the start of the season, of where we were at and to where we are now, the boys have really come together, put in performances and put in results."

Tavernier has played 45 times this season, but 12 have come as a substitute, with Dujon Sterling preferred for both recent games against Celtic and with the 34-year-old facing an uncertain future as his contract ends this summer.

"Obviously I want to play more games, more minutes, but it's down to the manager, who and what he selects, and you've got to respect that," he added.

"I just want to give it my all, like I've always done, and that's the best I possibly can do for myself."

Image source, SNS

The head of a Scottish football fan group has said he was "angry" after Celtic and Rangers fans both charged on the Ibrox pitch at the end of Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final.

Celtic won on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes, after which both sets of supporters spilled out from the stands.

Police described the scenes as "shameful" and made a number of arrests.

Stuart Murphy, the chief executive of the Scottish Football Fans Association, described the situation as a "debacle" and says it is not fair on the majority of match-going fans.

"I'm angry this morning," he told BBC Radio Scotland.

"Actually, I'm angry on behalf of the majority of all decent fans, who will all feel tarnished and stained by that debacle yesterday which is the only way to describe it.

"I was at the Old Firm cup final 45 years ago and 45 years on, we've not moved on at all, so this morning is not a good day for the game in general."

Both sets of supporters also clashed on the pitch after the 1980 Scottish Cup final, after which there were 200 arrests and alcohol was banned from sports grounds in Scotland. There are still no alcohol sales at football stadiums.

We asked you Rangers fans for your views on the penalty shoot-out loss to Celtic in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Brian: It saddens me to say but Danny Rohl doesn't just cut it at this level - he might be a good manager at Championship level but he's simply not good enough to be a Rangers manger. The two games against Celtic have exposed his flaws, in that he is not tactically ruthless enough and he lacks the guile to outwit a more seasoned opposition manager like Martin O'Neill. Rangers came up against a poor Celtic team and proved that they are just not good enough, just like their manager.

Bob: Pathetic - 24 shots to one - and we lose on penalties. Never seen such a poor Celtic performance but if you don't have players capable of finishing, you lose. Our attack is incompetent and toothless. No way to win silverware.

Ronnie: Another heartbreak for Rangers fans. But I'm not going after the players, they gave 100%. Nobody hid. We dominated the game but just lacked composure in the box and with the vital pass. Rohl still has my support. It's disappointing but let's see where we are on the final day before we start screaming to sack the manager.

Sue: In our heart of hearts we knew how this would end - in defeat. Rohl is a decent man and a decent manager but he's simply not good enough to get this Rangers team over the line, as he has proven. Two wasted opportunities to secure victories against a poor Celtic outfit. A season that started in disaster under Russell Martin will end in soul searching and recriminations with what could have been under Rohl - but it was all pie in the sky.

Will: A poor game against a weak Celtic team. There were too many passengers in the team today. No creativity and nobody taking control of the ball.

It was as though they were overawed, misplacing passes and rushing things. Not any quality on the park, too many mercenaries and not enough homegrown players in the team.

Rohl came in needing snookers to win the league but from what I've seen the last few weeks, I'm afraid the season's over.

Celtic beat Rangers on penalties to edge into the Scottish Cup semi-finals as a combustible Old Firm derby concluded in ugly scenes with fans from both sides swarming the pitch at Ibrox.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Rangers head coach Danny Rohl: "We're disappointed. I saw a team from our side to play 120 minutes how we want to. We should score.

"When you have 24 to one shots, when you create so many great opportunities, then I must say, I'm proud of my group, how we played football. I know football's about results. I see a lot of positive things.

"We spoke after the game and we promised each other that we go now in nine finals and we try to win all these nine games and then we see what we get."

Sunday's Scottish Cup visit of Celtic is "a do-or-die game", says Rangers left-back Tuur Rommens. (Glasgow Times), external

Ex-Scotland winger Pat Nevin believes substitutions may hold the key to Sunday's Scottish Cup meeting of Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox and praises visiting manager Martin O'Neill for the changes he made in last weekend's 2-2 Premiership draw at the same venue. (Sunday Mail), external

Sunday's Scottish gossip