10 hours ago
Rangers fanatic riles Celtic punters on Hotline as diehard told hollow derby boast proves wee team mentality
The season has yet to get started in Scotland but already Rangers and Celtic fans are already at each others throats.
Brendan Rodgers' men eased to the Premiership title last term but it is a new era at Ibrox with the 49ers in position and Russell Martin now in the dugout.
There is some renewed optimism on the Blue side of Glasgow but Hotline caller Donald Dundas has found himself in the firing line over his comments, where he highlighted the fact Rangers had taken seven points from Old Firm derby games last season in response to a Celtic fan branding Rangers a failing minor soccer club
Sean McGarvey, Cumbernauld said: "Deary, deary me. It seems mediocrity has truly set in the Rangers supporters' mindset if Donald Dundas is a sample. Seven points?
"That's cute. Try 92 points, Donald, the only number that matters. Still, at least you have won a couple after you sacked your manager for being garbage and we were on cruise control. Round of applause."
Glen Mitchell emailed: "In response to David Dundas' reference on his failing minor soccer club. That's what your current club now is.
"Winning games with little importance is the key indicator, you need to win when its meaningful, otherwise you are no better than any of our other SPFL rivals, who can beat us now and again.
"Check the trophy cabinet next time first, if you know what that actually is. It's all about winning trophies, not the odd bragging right."
Pre-season is still to get underway at Rangers, but Martin now knows who he will face in his first competitive fixture as boss after being paired with Panathinaikos in the Champions League second qualifying round.
The Greek giants were one of three on offer to the Light Blues with SK Brann and Servette the others they could have faced.
Scott Gowers, Edinburgh, said: "Although Rangers have punched above their weight in Europe, I have noticed that when a European draw is made, Rangers always get the hardest possible draw.
"Look at the Champions League group they were in when they last featured and last season with the Europa League draw, where many of the teams they faced had a better coefficient than that of which Celtic faced in the Champions League. I'm not in any way trying to mock Celtic there.
"Rangers could have faced any of only three clubs for some reason, and lo and behold, the team with the best coefficient out of the three is who Rangers face.
"Why is it when any smaller nation gets a team progressing up the coefficient, are the formats changed?, I shouldn't have said why as the answer is quite simple. The biased system ensuring the bigger nations always get guaranteed coefficient points as it makes UEFA more money."
Nico Raskin has been in the headlines recently with Kyle Lafferty telling the Ibrox club they need to build the new era team around the Belgian.
He's also earned rave reviews on the international stage from his Belgium boss, but being billed a 'mainstay' in the Red Devils' side has irked one caller.
Cameron Hall, Edinburgh said: "Saying Nico Raskin has established himself as a 'mainstay' of the Belgium national side is like saying George Hirst has established himself as a mainstay of the Scotland team.
"Raskin has played for Belgium four times, two of which were as a late sub. If Raskin is a mainstay then what is Kevin De Bruyne?"
Lennon Miller is another who is dominating conversations, and he is likely to make a mega-money move from Motherwell this summer.
He's now a full international with Scotland and has clubs from England, Italy and Germany chasing his signature. Celtic and Rangers have both regularly been told to make a move by ex-pros and pundits alike for the talented teen.
Ross McCormack branded him 'perfect' for Brendan Rodgers' side but revealed the reason why he wouldn't make the move to Parkhead and it seems his theory is also shared on the Hotline.
Stephen Mulhern, Dumbarton said: "I don't have any doubt that Lennon Miller could be as successful as former players Tom Boyd Scott McDonald and Phil O'Donnell but I believe the deciding factor remains that if Reo Hatate leaves which means Miller would play on a regular basis. Miller is too huge a talent to sit on the bench and Brendan Rodgers won't pay top dollar for him to do just that"
The Club World Cup is underway and Bayern's 10-0 hammering of Auckland City has gone global.
Hotline regular Gary Stevenson questioned the standard on show if the outfit from New Zealand are getting to compete and touted the likes of Slovan Bratislava and Dinamo Zagreb for the next edition of the tournament.
But that went down like a lead balloon with one caller touting QUEEN'S PARK.
