0:00

This is the BBC. The

0:30

Scottish Football Podcast. We

1:00

are going to be enjoying a fine season. First full

1:02

season as hearts manager. We

1:05

will have to set over the consolation

1:07

prize that will be confirmed soon of

1:09

group stage European football next

1:11

season when they confirm third spot.

1:14

For Rangers though, a double from Desser's, one

1:17

early on, very

1:20

early in proceedings. It

1:23

was a cool finish as well. Good footwork. Shimmy left

1:25

group finish low into the net. With 12 with a

1:27

90 to play, see

1:29

all Rangers plays in

1:31

next month's show base. Take a little

1:34

deflection. Both were set up by Todd

1:36

Cantwell as Rangers get

1:38

back to winning ways. It's

1:41

a spectacular win for them as well because it takes

1:43

them through to the

1:45

Scottish Cup final which will be an old

1:47

firm Scottish Cup final for the first time

1:49

since 2002 when Peter Lovincran

1:53

scored that dramatically winner for

1:55

Rangers against Celtic. Those two

1:57

will do battle in what for the next season.

2:00

many people will be a mouthwatering

2:02

prospect on Saturday the 25th of

2:04

May because they finished here in

2:07

the second of this season Scottish

2:09

Cup semi-finals at the National Stadium

2:11

Rangers 2, Hartemit, Lothian, Nell the

2:14

Scottish Cup this is the chance to be

2:16

wearing the Scottish Cup live

2:19

on Sport Times from BBC

2:21

Radio Scotland Join

2:27

Craig Levine and me Amy Irons for

2:29

the podcast that guides you through the

2:31

cuts of world of football management Saturday

2:33

in the morning is back with brand

2:35

new episodes Soul Bamba How did you

2:37

end up at Dunfamland when you were

2:39

at Paris and your mum? That's not

2:41

the normal route My agent at

2:43

the time was very close to me to Richmond I

2:45

don't know how Arsenal agent Paul

2:48

Merson When Arsene Wenger came in how

2:50

much did things change? It was so far

2:52

ahead of his time it was scary Manchester United

2:54

hero Lee Sharp Do you remember

2:56

the first time you saw Sir Alex Ferguson lose

2:58

the plot at a player? That wasn't long after I

3:00

got there to his face Sacked in the morning Listen

3:03

on BBC Sound Yeah

3:07

do make sure you tune in to

3:09

that it's a great entertainment some wonderful

3:11

stories Once

3:13

sacked in the morning you're listening to Sport Time with

3:15

you for another hour or so here

3:18

on BBC Radio Scotland as

3:20

we wrap things up from this

3:23

afternoon the two sets of players

3:25

are out at the respective ends

3:28

of the pitch but

3:30

in very different streams of mind

3:33

the heart's first is very very

3:35

slowly walking and applauding the

3:38

heart's fans left inside the stadium can't be more

3:40

than about 10% the

3:43

heart's fans still inside clearly

3:45

hugely disappointed to

3:48

see their top dreams ended here at

3:51

the national stadium this afternoon the Rangers

3:53

fans more have stayed still

3:55

and then you can understand why they

3:57

are celebrating with those Rangers players as

4:00

they put so around the pitch

4:02

and or safe

4:05

in the knowledge that they will be back

4:07

here on saturday may the 25th for

4:10

this season scottish cup final which

4:12

will be Again

4:14

for the student awards for rangers

4:17

to the death of Not

4:19

both goals. So there could have been many

4:21

more goals and going to see over the

4:23

course Of the afternoon and certainly

4:25

could have been four of them Um

4:28

for both sides, uh in the last

4:30

10 or 15 minutes, but uh to know that was it

4:32

was more than enough For rangers

4:35

and kenny miller dave pretty well trees

4:37

do that today, didn't they? That's

4:40

what I think The

4:42

first half of the bit I think they got their

4:44

nose in front Second half I feel there was a

4:46

far more control in the game for rangers. What's in

4:48

h hastard the moments You know, they just never killed

4:51

them and you save this three game as they'll be

4:53

decided by those moments in hastard Namely

4:55

that that full v3 opportunity when you go

4:58

through there's one though You're thinking that has

5:00

to be our an end to all the love It's

5:02

a really good chance to get back into the game

5:04

and just back in at the session last action was

5:06

just not there for Hastard a even when they got

5:09

that sighted jack butlin's goal jack butlin was able to

5:11

kind of parry that away from order at the end

5:13

of the game, so it was uh Rangers

5:16

were the winners that could have been far

5:18

more comfortable then had had they They're selfing

5:20

a bit more decisive in the current moment,

5:22

but you know, so it's more a bit

5:24

absolute delighted It'll be coming back here in

5:26

a month's time to the final The

5:29

ends are really really poor bad week positively

5:32

for rangers making the cup final on the

5:34

25th of may against shelter So you'll be

5:36

happy with the elements of the

5:38

performance Definitely be happy with the result and the fact

5:40

they've got a chance to lift so will they come

5:43

maybe 25th Yeah, and get a few

5:45

weeks to suppose trying to make sure that they do

5:47

Get their form fully back again. Rangers didn't have

5:50

to hit the heights john. Did they to Ensure

5:53

that they went through that this afternoon No,

5:55

I don't think you can argue that the best team

5:57

won richard on the day. I think rangers the

6:00

more clear-cut chances. They got the

6:02

early goal that they wanted to give them that

6:04

lift and the Harts definitely didn't want them to

6:06

get. And then pretty much controlled

6:08

the first half. The Harts played their way back into

6:10

it, but never really worked job

6:13

but when there was one brilliant save from

6:15

Kent, which ultimately we now know

6:17

would have been ruled out for all side, but

6:19

Harts never quite created that opportunity.

6:21

Not the Vagers, Craig Gordon was overly worked first

6:23

half. And the second half, they

6:26

changed it, they put Vargas through the middle and they

6:28

carried, there was no doubt they carried a greater threat. But

6:30

the one thing that we both spoke about all the

6:33

way through the game was the amount of times Todd

6:35

Cantwell was getting on the ball and that

6:37

pocket between the defensive midfield and if

6:40

he showed a bit of quality, he

6:42

could change the game and he did. Ultimately, then

6:44

he did, he coasted through, he beat a

6:46

couple of men, he set them up. And

6:48

then even then, you're still hoping for

6:50

something brilliant chance for Roda. If

6:52

he scores, it's 2-1 with

6:54

two minutes to go plus an injury time you

6:56

never know, but Butland produces absolute

6:59

wonder save. Yes, Rangers could have scored

7:01

two or three more on

7:03

the counter-attack, but in the

7:05

end, there's no doubt Rangers deserve half. Is that

7:07

a missed opportunity? Yes. Yes,

7:09

and I've been in semi-finals

7:11

where there's been lots of missed opportunities

7:14

every twice, a meringue, but this was

7:16

an opportunity to just didn't quite get

7:18

to the levels that Stephen Naismith would have wanted.

7:21

I do have to say then, they're fair play at the

7:23

Harts players, every single one of them to a man, went

7:26

up and got a hold of young Macaulay

7:28

Tate because the little lad was absolutely distraught.

7:31

And Lauren Scheindler, for example, seen him, he

7:33

tried to kill a pass through the middle, which

7:36

was the pass to play, it just got cut

7:38

out, and of course, Rangers counter and get the

7:40

second, but they all went to

7:42

the young lad who's in tears to

7:44

say, Luke, that was a ball, you're unlucky, it

7:46

happens, don't worry about it, because he is

7:49

a very fine young football player and that's the way

7:51

he plays football. He tries to play that pass forward,

7:53

he tries to play the killer ball, didn't

7:55

come off today, but he's got a great future in front

7:57

of him, but it was nice to see the Harts players.

8:00

try and lift the young man's spirits. Well,

8:02

yeah, hugely important, isn't it? Because he is

8:04

very much in the infancy of

8:06

his professional career. And you're right, John, I

8:08

mean, you see more of him than I,

8:10

but he does look to

8:12

be a special talent. Well done to the

8:14

hearts players. Well done to Cyril Deasers, who

8:17

I saw leaving the pitch there, clutching the

8:20

man of the match to last wear. So

8:22

he's been presented already

8:24

with his trophy. Big

8:27

smile on his face. He might end up

8:30

with four or five goals, can

8:32

he actually? He probably should have, you know. He's

8:34

getting the counter-attacking moments. I think all his teammates

8:36

were looking to actually get to him. They just

8:38

never ever got out in front of him or

8:41

just the right way to pass for him to

8:43

go and get the opportunity. Maybe the best one

8:45

would have been the one he tried to ask

8:47

for, cut back for Silva. You know, forgive him,

8:49

shoot into a narrow angle. But the way he's

8:52

finished is two goals. If you're heading that way,

8:54

a left-wing wall, running about Craig Gordon's feet, can

8:56

go through the legs. Again, that was

8:58

a good chance to get a shot off. But again, like John

9:00

Cena, he's probably done the right thing. He's put on a plate

9:03

for his teammate to go and knock the ball into the empty

9:05

net. And Fabio Silva fluffed

9:07

his lines. But it's a strong performance with

9:09

Deasers, you know. He's got his two goals.

9:11

For me, Todd Campbell in

9:14

the positions he picked up were the difference within

9:16

the game. Hart never got to grips here. And

9:18

we talked about Pronath's way since three, four minutes

9:20

in. They just never ever dealt with it. And

9:22

even with the change, slight changes to the second

9:24

half, it was strongly able to affect the game

9:27

too much. And Hart was always chasing back, trying

9:29

to get last-thirds things on to stop him

9:31

creating or scoring. Again, it just never happened.

9:33

And then eventually created that second goal, which

9:35

was the deciding moment. Yeah,

9:39

Fabio Silva. That moment where, I mean,

9:42

I was thinking back to the Celtic

9:44

game where he got the injury, it

9:46

would appear, and the cartwheels and somersaults

9:48

and triple salcos. And eventually it

9:50

all settled down. I thought probably that would be the most

9:52

incredible thing I'd ever seen him do in a football pitch.

9:55

But he trumped it the first half. I mean, he's just

9:57

so used to diving in the box that he just... Are

10:00

you suggest you try setting up a way that out

10:02

of a. Theory

10:05

as a david lot more was a little have

10:07

various ages Cp with mister studies and in a

10:09

book we will nail and he was it that

10:11

the was sick of it all went missing lawful

10:13

good and own said that of a the game

10:15

a bill for as a. Funny landed on

10:17

on the ball off or the saw it

10:20

on the ball and is and put a

10:22

really sluts. Subordinate were mine workers there for

10:24

for face and will loosely translated not on

10:26

the newly help know that I target of

10:28

residents of the reasons why does. Or

10:32

does with awards or but us airspace over of

10:34

of this range of side with as it if

10:36

you're. Free of played

10:38

associate. let's go away absolutely absolutely School to

10:40

wonderful goals. He could have had more Annie

10:43

and he's he's more my he would say

10:45

the some fans love him. So far as

10:47

new suitable Bees is been a maternal city

10:49

spot. He's how the typical

10:51

this was performances school to kiss would five

10:54

five to silver keyboard should a couple bucks

10:56

a call it is got unbelievable was pretty

10:58

just a slut this is infinite opportunity and

11:00

he hits the heels of and see that

11:02

he just wants gone north and then a

11:05

chance. A chance to get that

11:07

he just wants buckle insane to less

11:09

domains and see Luke known walk in

11:11

producing these big games and they that

11:13

happens and you thought of a me

11:15

i'm not on social media Thorburn I

11:17

would imagine that will be the subject

11:19

of many means I repair ago to

11:21

going for and are unquestionably a meme.

11:25

Silver five years ago to the wool

11:27

from current well you both parts in

11:29

his room of good as he he

11:31

just he really got the idea that

11:33

the receives obviously some says something him

11:35

of divorce. a game of find him very

11:37

very frustrating with as i'm six a things

11:39

work while he was that yeah sometimes is

11:41

available just wasn't quite the abyss wouldn't embark

11:43

he made over the course of the give

11:45

it was our think a lot of into

11:47

signs it also forces and terms of the

11:49

want to see are more often you know

11:51

a nice the yes there are some things

11:53

game set yourself up the a lot of

11:55

we have to have faith that for me

11:58

thought combo is awesome show the energy, something

12:00

that George Grant never in the first half

12:02

when he was in a similar position. You

12:04

need to move, you need to

12:06

be really aware of where the space is and

12:08

then fill it and be available for the through

12:10

pass. Todd Campbell done that really, really well. But

12:13

Haas never ever got the press, right? They were

12:15

taking George Grant out of the game, they were

12:17

leaving the midfield to Devlin and Benigna may overloaded

12:19

the Loonstrom Diamandit and Campbell was the beneficiary of

12:21

that because he was just staying off the back

12:24

because Benigna may was going on to Loonstrom and

12:26

you had Devlin was trying to get in the

12:28

area Diamandit and there was just passes through and

12:30

he told Campbell who could take the ball back

12:32

foot and go and attack the Haas back line

12:34

and he did it on a number of occasions

12:36

in the first half and he still was getting

12:38

in the second half even though there was a

12:40

flight to eat there. So he was the one

12:42

that influenced that game the most in an attacking sense. There

12:45

was no one, no one else who got the goals and

12:47

he could have had more and he deserves the credit for

12:49

it because you still need goals, I mean the

12:51

guys always got the credit but Todd Campbell was

12:53

the one who was providing Rangers with that opportunity

12:56

to go and build the attacks. That's

12:58

the thing at the moment Richard, Kenny made a point

13:00

there about Cantwell and we all see the same that

13:03

he frustrates Rangers fans because you can see

13:05

the quality he's got, the position he takes

13:07

off and that final. But see if you

13:09

look at the entire Rangers forward line, you

13:11

could see exactly the same. The SS

13:13

frustrates the living daylights out of you. Matondo

13:15

frustrates the living daylights out of you. Seema

13:17

at times, I think he

13:19

was a bit more consistent. He frustrates

13:21

on the guy, he can't well in behind him.

13:24

Warren's when he comes in and plays in behind him as well.

13:27

McCausland's a wee bit more steady, he's steady and actually

13:29

they're a very very good shift for Rangers today and

13:32

as Kenny said, completely different player

13:34

to Seema where he goes in

13:36

and engages players, goes passing with

13:39

trickery and goes into the box

13:41

but if Rangers top

13:43

four, whoever they are, the top four guys up the

13:45

pitch, really got their act together

13:47

and really got their consistency levels together then

13:49

Rangers could be a real threat

13:52

to anybody but that's the final

13:54

piece of the jigsaw. You're looking at thinking,

13:56

oh I'm not sure and as

13:58

you saw John Suiter, switches off, gives the

14:01

heart an opportunity to go through and

14:03

Vargas takes their own option. Then

14:05

they get through with Oda, takes their own

14:07

option. That's what let hearts down today.

14:09

They just didn't have that

14:11

on the little amount

14:14

of chances that they did creating the

14:16

last third, they didn't work the goalkeeper

14:18

enough. And even the one opportunity that

14:20

Oda did get on target, actually it

14:23

is down the middle but my goodness, what a save and

14:25

what a strong hand from Button. You

14:28

know his best save was the save on the first

14:30

half. Now we all know now that it would have

14:32

been rolled out for offside but Jack Butland didn't know

14:35

that and what a save it was to save from

14:37

Kent and react. And then the

14:39

second as you see it's probably Yarti's right

14:41

and he's got a big strong hand up

14:43

there and butted it away but

14:45

again you need to, you need to, right listen

14:47

if that goes in, with two minutes

14:50

the normal time it would go in, three minutes at a

14:52

time, five minutes injury, you don't know what can happen when

14:54

there's but Butland, you know you look

14:56

at the one Butland that stood up all season,

14:58

he's been one of Rangers best players, there's no

15:00

doubt about that. Tavenu's been

15:02

up there as well, I've got to, again I know we

15:04

were talking about, I thought Balagun

15:08

was outstanding today as well. For a

15:11

guy you come in who's had very

15:13

few games, very few minutes as

15:15

Philippe Clermont likes to say and

15:17

the big call, the big surprise pre-match was go

15:19

sit out, Balagun in, well I'll tell you what,

15:21

what a decision that was in the end. John

15:25

from At Hart's point of view, that's going to

15:27

be a disappointment obviously, Lorne

15:29

the Shanklin, I mean he did a couple of

15:31

half chances in the box, he had one very

15:33

good chance at the bat post where he headed

15:35

wide, it just wasn't his day was it? No

15:38

I think, I think Lorne says performance

15:40

or Lorne says lack of opportunity, he kind of

15:42

summed up Hart's performance in it, they couldn't get

15:44

him that clear cut, I think at

15:47

Hart's created the chances for Lorne's that Rangers created for

15:49

Deathors then yeah of course it's going to be a

15:51

different story, he had one

15:54

that didn't quite sit for him in the first half that was blocked,

15:56

the second half the headers his big chance

15:58

I think. I would expect everybody thought

16:01

he was going to hit him and when we saw the net ripple

16:03

we thought he'd scored there was another one

16:05

that was blocked they just couldn't quite get

16:07

him into the position that they required and I'm

16:09

sure that had the older chance built the launch,

16:12

he may well have scored that because a

16:14

shot from 14 yards you'd have expected to do it but

16:17

Steve will be disappointed today because he knows

16:19

his team can play better there's absolutely no doubt about

16:21

that he knows his team can play better but

16:24

they just didn't quite have the quality that was required to

16:27

trouble him just today sorry we're just on the

16:29

screen Steve Bavi for silver dive on top of the ball wow

16:37

yeah yeah just in terms of Shanklin I tell you

16:39

there was one thing that also really struck me

16:42

today at times John and it was just because of

16:44

the way play was developing he's

16:47

such a brilliant player he's made a magnificent contribution for

16:49

Hartshman you know we're all fans of Lawrence Shanklin but

16:51

that lack of pace and there were a couple of

16:53

times where he just couldn't get to the ball and

16:55

then the right hand side there was the one the

16:58

four and three if he did a bit more facing

17:00

and actually got it got up he might have been

17:02

in a position for the pass for me it's a

17:05

it's a tricky conundrum for Steven because once

17:07

you need Lawrence Shanklin in the box yeah

17:09

so you've either got a decision to make

17:11

of the player partner up front with him

17:14

and he becomes one of a

17:16

pair so he's got a foil up there

17:18

like you look at his last season he

17:20

had Gianelli now Gianelli was lightning quick and

17:22

could stretch people beyond and Lawrence knew when

17:24

he'd go up and when he'd stay off

17:26

and move about there and Steven is

17:28

I think during the season he's played a

17:30

3-5-2 which allows someone

17:33

to go up Vargas to go up and play with

17:35

with Shanklin as a pair so that

17:37

he can he doesn't have to do so much running

17:39

into the channels because in the first half both

17:42

Grant and Shanklin were coming short yeah but they were

17:44

you could see what they were trying to do because

17:46

Forrest on one side and Vargas in another were trying

17:48

to sneak onto the shoulder the inside shoulder the Rangers

17:51

feel back hoping that ballad gunner shooter was dragged out

17:53

and they could go in behind but Rangers were too

17:55

cute for that they were saying well if you want

17:57

to put into their feet their wheel will close up

18:00

from behind when the ball goes in and we'll

18:02

get our defenders, Loonstrom etc. and

18:04

the humanity close from the other side. So

18:06

that's the conundrum is he's not going to

18:08

run away from people. So you either

18:10

have to play him up front with a partner or

18:13

you play as he did in the second half.

18:15

He was a wee bit more than the game

18:17

set up because Vargas was stretching shooter than Balaguin

18:19

and Chaitlyn was doing to a lesser extent what

18:21

Cantwell was doing for Rangers getting on the ball

18:23

and try to feed people through. Listen,

18:25

you play Lord Chaitlyn and

18:27

get him in the box, he will score you goals, he's proved that.

18:30

Yeah, I mean I

18:32

guess if he had absolutely everything to

18:34

go with the finishing that he had,

18:36

he wouldn't necessarily have been it. Yeah,

18:38

there was an interesting conversation downstairs in

18:41

the media with James and

18:44

Kenny there as well. You talk about

18:46

the other striker that we've been loading

18:48

this season, Bozia Miowski. He's

18:50

the opposite of Chaitlyn in terms of he

18:52

has got real pace to burn and he'll

18:54

run in behind and cause you that. You

18:56

saw that threat yesterday, Aberdeen two or three

18:58

occasions got in with that ball, Miowski going

19:00

in behind. Chaitlyn's the more composed

19:02

finisher I think and a better finisher, a

19:04

sort of box in the box but

19:07

I know it can also come and link

19:09

up play better than Miowski but going the

19:12

other way, Miowski is an unbelievable threat in

19:14

behind and they're both key votes going goal.

19:16

So I would imagine and

19:19

Aberdeen fans and heartswans will not work

19:22

but there will be a lot of interest in

19:24

both those players you'd imagine in the summer hopefully

19:26

Aberdeen and heart can hang on. Swap

19:29

them, Jonny. No, no,

19:31

we'll stick with Lornis, you're alright.

19:34

We'll get reaction to come from both

19:36

hearts and Rangers. There's Rangers who are

19:38

through, it is remarkable Kenny

19:40

to think, I mean obviously Rangers have had their trouble

19:42

through a period of time there but 22 years since

19:45

the last time Celtic and Rangers met in the Scottish

19:47

Cup final. That is, it's incredible and it's one everyone

19:49

will be looking forward to now. Obviously there's a lot

19:51

of league duty that we'll be dealt

19:53

with between now and then but again all eyes on

19:56

the showpiece at the end of the season and say

19:58

that how special the competition is. You've

20:01

now got your two biggest, the two

20:03

best teams in the country are going to

20:05

be going head to head. Again, we'll be

20:07

treating five old fun games this season which

20:09

is always exciting. There will be

20:11

a big one that's helped the park in a couple of

20:13

weeks as well. But like I say, it's the end of

20:15

the season trophy. It's the Scottish Cup final. I remember growing

20:17

up kind of waiting for that and getting

20:19

ready to watch it as a young fan and

20:21

it's a game when you've got those two teams going

20:24

at it. Again, when you get there, someone's going to

20:26

be disappointed. Someone's not going to have lost the league.

20:28

They've got a chance to bite back in the cup.

20:30

Absolutely. We'll chat more about that. Let's get down to

20:32

Carradine live with Steven Naifman. Steven, just

20:34

how much does that hurt? Yeah,

20:36

it's really frustrating. Got off to a

20:39

terrible start which is

20:41

not good enough in that respect. But then I think from

20:43

that moment to the second goal we were good. We played

20:45

a lot of good stuff. We

20:47

created chances, created more chances within the

20:49

semi-final before. And

20:52

then another moment that kind of takes the tie

20:54

away from you and when

20:56

we were probably at a chance of

20:59

putting them under a lot of pressure, we had some good chances.

21:02

I think on the day we gave up poor

21:05

goals. But I think the bigger thing was

21:07

you could tell our maturity in the final

21:09

third, the decision making. Three

21:12

or four, probably five good situations we were in.

21:14

We never made the right choice, whether it be

21:16

the pass, the finish. We've got to make the

21:18

goal, save it, score a goal or hit the

21:20

target. And that's

21:23

probably the part that let us down today. Yeah,

21:25

I think we even discussed that pretty much. It

21:27

didn't make that calmness in the box that was

21:29

just missing at the key moments for you today.

21:31

Yeah, that's it. It will come with experience. From

21:36

the summer till now we've came a long way. We've

21:38

changed the way we play. We're doing a lot of

21:41

things differently. And we've made good progress. That

21:43

calmness comes in big

21:46

moments. You need it. Today wasn't our

21:48

day to have it. But the players are well from

21:50

it. We're a young squad. We've

21:52

done loads of good stuff. These

21:54

moments hurt because we feel

21:56

it's a missed opportunity. Yes, it is.

21:59

That's the opportunity. to get to

22:01

a final and the ones missing for

22:03

the season I think is a statement

22:05

run against Rangers you've done pretty much

22:07

everything else this season. Yeah and

22:09

that's what I'm saying that we can

22:11

be really frustrated and disappointed at the moment

22:13

but at the bigger picture is we've made

22:15

good strides and it's small. We came

22:18

up against one of the best teams

22:20

in the league we played some good

22:22

football we break them down and get opportunities

22:24

and then it's decision making playing a ball

22:27

across the face earlier than we do taking

22:29

a touch and having your shot taking too many touches

22:31

or whatever it may be that that's the thing that's

22:33

probably been the biggest thing that cost us today the

22:36

two goals we lose are cheap

22:38

and poor from your point of view but

22:40

the reaction after the first one was good

22:42

and so yeah we're

22:44

just just really frustrated because it was a good

22:46

opportunity. Is that the general feeling in the in

22:48

the dressing room that frustration and disappointment and what

22:50

do you say to the the heart's fans who

22:52

came here and big numbers can you see that

22:54

silverware coming for you at some point soon if

22:56

you keep the current trajectory keep the progress that

22:58

you're making. Yeah listen to

23:00

the get 50-50 split of the crowd

23:03

it showed today the atmosphere is good

23:05

even to the dying minutes

23:07

of the game the fans were with us so we really

23:12

appreciate that we understand it the thing to give

23:14

back is to get their wins to get some

23:16

silverware but as I said from the summer to

23:19

now we've made big strides we're on there. At

23:22

some point again going upside down European football and

23:25

we can finish a job off next

23:27

week so there's loads to be positive of it

23:29

but we're hungry we want to be successful and

23:32

that comes with the frustration and the disappointment

23:34

that today's led to. That's fine

23:37

margin doesn't that a brilliant save from the

23:39

actually two billion saves from the goalkeeper if

23:41

I think about it. Yeah and that's where

23:43

that's the positive that we get the chances

23:45

and we we didn't sit and we defended

23:47

for our probably start off again the last

23:49

elite Cup semi-finals today we did create a

23:51

lot of chances and opportunities

23:54

but you've got to take them that's a difference that's

23:56

a calm moment that's a calmness to have to put

23:58

the ball in the back and hit which which change

24:00

the whole dynamic of the game. If we get

24:02

that goal, it's a

24:04

one each, 10, 15 minutes to get a goal, we've got

24:06

the momentum. So yeah,

24:09

it's just frustrating and disappointing. It's been

24:11

a fact-free time. Thank you. Yeah,

24:14

frustrating and disappointing. I

24:16

think Tom English is still composing. Yeah,

24:19

you can spare us a few. I can take a break.

24:21

Of your words. Take a break. Can you use all your

24:23

words on the screen? No, I have

24:26

a few to go, but

24:28

a lot of them are about serial decers.

24:30

I kind of assumed you were still probably

24:32

finishing off yesterday's color piece. I

24:34

could have written a lot more. I

24:36

probably wrote too much, but hey, what are you

24:39

going to do when you have a belter like

24:41

that? It's hard to stop writing. Like frustration, disappointment,

24:43

that's got to be, as he said there,

24:45

that's exactly the overriding feeling for hearts right

24:47

now. Yeah, like

24:50

that, you know, the never go, obviously

24:52

they didn't score a goal, they didn't really put it up

24:54

to Rangers to that extent. They made it 1-1. That

24:58

would have been interesting to see what Rangers would have found

25:01

under pressure like that. But

25:03

they were just never accurate enough. You

25:06

know, they had a lot of ball, a lot of

25:08

possession. They had moments,

25:10

but they just weren't clinical in

25:14

what they were doing. The passes, as Stephen Nash was saying,

25:17

passes just arrived, decision making was arrived.

25:20

And I think they will be frustrated by this

25:23

because there will be an element of, not

25:25

that they didn't turn up, but that they just didn't

25:28

deliver, deliver their best

25:30

stuff, nothing like their best stuff. And

25:32

I think Rangers are absolutely worthy winners. They

25:35

could have won by more. Had

25:39

Fabulous Silva not done. I don't even know what

25:41

the words are to describe that. I'm

25:43

supposed to be half real. You

25:45

know the word? I'm supposed to know

25:48

some words. Like Donald Trump, I know loads of

25:50

words. But

25:53

I'm not sure if I got the words for that. It really

25:56

Was extraordinary. It's

26:00

not enough to office of the described by

26:02

I'm It was a belly flop wasn't just

26:04

stay on the double. Yeah

26:06

that was here. Have a copyrighted

26:09

you can have it yell cancer

26:11

risk of I am I needed.

26:14

A will you know what are the game of

26:16

as interested in a that point. The

26:20

dancers must have been extremely frustrated. Surprised

26:22

the boys are surgery could he could

26:24

have got observe their on might have

26:26

scored but he plays at a he

26:28

feels he plays it is okay. As

26:30

a certain gone I've got two goals

26:32

and assists in a Scottish Cup semifinal.

26:34

That's a great is where Auto. Save

26:36

yourself a solidly space. So

26:39

it's yeah. Great day for rangers,

26:41

greater for testers. Not such a

26:43

great day for silver, but overall

26:46

deserved a dusters. You know, much

26:48

maligned character, but there's you look

26:50

at. I'm trying to do that.

26:52

A researcher for the piece of

26:54

do not desert price. There are

26:56

not that many, so he's got

26:58

nineteen those in authority as the

27:00

season. There are not many to

27:03

take out the two years in

27:05

the lower leagues. They're. Not that many

27:07

tears over the last twenty years. Who

27:09

scored nineteen? Go for ages in one

27:11

sees more. Kenny Miller has any Miller's

27:13

waters boy has Kris Boyd how seems

27:15

to have an ear have uncovered some

27:17

psycho civil rights? Just get us to

27:19

just strikers. They

27:22

there are five Nacho novo did of the

27:24

I was my last most of her Morello

27:26

some of these us for us for and

27:28

at a to might be would have one

27:31

more. More

27:33

more under his desk. So you would

27:36

you take a are you to put

27:38

him in a company puts a bear.

27:40

Statistics say that this guy is by

27:43

in in numbers.are really only soda six

27:45

games this season. To go to get

27:47

higher level with the best season indicates

27:50

a yellow The child who's out of

27:52

a player advises yes he's level with

27:54

a big dogs though. That's

27:57

what you bring, I know. So listen to say that was

27:59

on the scene. After you more seen

28:01

us the given numbers on the on the face

28:03

of a of good you know some good the

28:05

tone and let me say this sort of i

28:07

don't have is good he will restart to go

28:09

mark of does not have a boat us of

28:11

his these fat. By. Says that

28:14

the race the servers again I swear

28:16

in or late in the stations all

28:18

the messages or or them as controls

28:20

all it'll those just for the something

28:23

you know and may be and the

28:25

house. And I'm like some of this

28:27

the we get judged because it seems

28:29

overly foot from a Goose Horton prospectus

28:31

is going to get through essentially twenty

28:34

Two twenty three. I would say over

28:36

the next seventy six games that will

28:38

probably go the sonos, useful goals and.

28:41

At in August Twenty two twenty Some of this

28:43

season by of as yeah exactly or exactly higher.

28:45

Mine and of are going to see the particles

28:47

opposite causing me to thought let's get back then

28:49

the of go the know live with the leap

28:51

slam on your friends mods or with me live

28:54

in the com leaders you to handle the guys

28:56

were just discussing city or best was in her

28:58

will he play today for you for the big

29:00

take away from us Despres double to do. That

29:04

again this Christmas may not playing

29:06

all digital against them. Diesel you

29:09

need to look at circumstances. Will

29:12

have done elo with a

29:15

really bad injury for all

29:17

seasons. Demographer has been injured

29:19

also almost all seasons. We

29:23

needed Fabio on the wings because

29:25

we had injuries death so pseudo

29:27

played a lot a lot a

29:29

lot of minutes these last two

29:31

two months and he he missed

29:33

may the the lawsuits related businesses

29:35

so that was back to the

29:38

in the and image really big

29:40

impact on. Not only him

29:42

the rest of the to Molson and

29:44

it's a good feeling in his. it's

29:46

what I said serve because people were

29:48

speaking more that it was not scoring

29:50

goals any most the are you are

29:52

you need to keep on pushing and

29:54

I think. The

29:56

last six months out of this month

29:58

of serious career. now and we will

30:00

keep on pushing with him to make it better

30:02

and better. Yes, I'll come to the rest of

30:04

the team in a moment, but today was a big

30:07

day for Rangers for the club, a big day for

30:09

Dessos and he gets a double, nearly gets a hat-trick,

30:11

he's quite unselfish at the end. What are the qualities

30:13

that you like? He's a player that some people find

30:16

frustrating because he has lots of chances, but he's already

30:18

nearly at 20 goals I think this season. He's

30:21

honest, he works really hard for the team,

30:23

he's always available, doesn't have

30:25

injuries, plays a lot of minutes, he's getting

30:27

stronger and stronger in the duels and he's

30:30

scoring a lot of

30:32

goals. Also now, can he make more goals?

30:34

Yes, but

30:36

I don't know any striker in the world to score on

30:38

every chance also. Can

30:40

he be more agnostic also? I

30:42

think at the end it was better maybe to shoot

30:44

himself and to score this third

30:47

goal, but that's also serial. He's

30:49

giving everything every day for the team

30:52

and that's also a really important quality. This

30:55

was a big day for the club, wasn't it?

30:57

You're through to a final against your big rivals,

30:59

but this will give you huge amounts of energy,

31:02

of confidence once again. How big is

31:05

this for you today? It's a very

31:07

important thing because we had two knocks this week about

31:11

Ross County, I was totally not pleased about.

31:14

Dundee, I think we

31:16

missed some luck in that game and also

31:19

on a normal surface you have another kind of

31:21

game like you see today that we play better

31:26

so we continue what we've been doing all

31:29

these months. That's why we are where we are. We

31:31

are in a title chase, we are in a cup

31:33

final and we are really

31:35

hungry for more trophies. And I think everybody

31:37

in Scotland will be really happy that there's

31:40

a really

31:42

excitement around that about trophies

31:45

that there's a real challenge. And

31:49

you will feel, I think from today's performance,

31:51

that you can recapture the level you had

31:53

before in order to make things work out for

31:55

you this season because a treble is still

31:57

on. Your three points behind the title, you've

31:59

got The company decided to close. It

32:01

has also in. Everything is slow

32:03

there but I only look at the

32:06

next game and and to perform them

32:08

and it's been a really difficult season

32:10

in that we did old in a

32:12

injuries that a d met an older

32:14

games that replace. We were also the

32:16

only team up later after January Europe

32:18

also for example we were to the

32:20

also the only team who played. A

32:24

game during the week before this Gop

32:26

semifinals saw. You need to take all

32:28

these things also in accounts. I

32:31

had the response to Little

32:33

on Wednesday. To. Get them fit

32:35

for to deal sign. It's been a puzzle

32:37

now. We go in a periods where we

32:39

have one game a week. Only

32:42

the last week it will be than

32:44

than three games in a room with

32:46

a midweek him. So it's a it's

32:48

a different situation and there are players

32:50

coming but out of injury. Reading

32:53

that eleven. Pushing. To

32:56

be our to the to go into

32:58

the team so more competition there in

33:00

the trainings more competition to be in

33:02

the starting eleven or in this once

33:04

saw like these only the the level

33:06

charismatic something that the level of performance

33:08

some fans or about winning butts are

33:10

well geez I get you play the

33:12

and also was uninjured concerned with a

33:14

with a see my up to take

33:16

him off alley he of course if

33:18

you take care of their of that

33:20

early that's that's because of an injury

33:23

we will see these week. How

33:25

serious it is and make a good assessment

33:27

around? that's I hope. It's

33:30

nothing too bad, but we will see.

33:33

And about the game we saw the

33:36

quality on the ball. Letting the dismay

33:38

the the difference to the the players

33:40

play the really good sir technical and

33:42

tactical game to find the right places

33:44

to make the right attacks to finals

33:47

of the right move move the right

33:49

moment to attack we were against on

33:51

the two months in or Us also

33:53

because of the field. That it

33:55

was difficult to play get a

33:58

good passing for both for. The

34:00

was much better today. And then you see the real says of

34:02

this. Robin Credulous. They can

34:04

get Sansa very happy a d

34:06

They're very satisfied with his team's

34:08

performance. on the outcome of course,

34:10

sorry just three to the Scottish

34:12

go finally touch them and game

34:15

the other the freshness element some

34:17

good. He feels that that's been

34:19

beneficial. I'm semi from serial versus

34:21

point of view and he sees

34:23

clearly he's happy. I'm much happier

34:25

off the back of our performance

34:27

and he has been a philosophy

34:29

yeah, so that goes with her

34:31

said in the forms. Of Bengal Result:

34:33

Fill a home and sit. There is no

34:36

good enough reason to see a common here

34:38

today. Alloy questions will get a sauna. Has

34:40

her Monday's team there and terms of I

34:42

will hold of a would it's a lot

34:44

today and an hour and a semifinal. That

34:48

opportunity gets have finally consultants or of a

34:50

lot of answer the questions and elisa not

34:52

just to the that that is Oh and

34:54

the fact that in the final of us

34:56

with please privileges the sub base the eagles

34:58

have come to love spells it again the

35:00

got the seal to the love wait to

35:02

see the could have been more for a

35:04

nice Assad forces course ruble of of a

35:06

themes of of a suitable devastate of was

35:08

born own on a couple occasions as your

35:10

saw the the normal charles and have play

35:12

the part in this game had the to

35:15

the mormons the could have other other baritones

35:17

again the for yourself with for we come

35:19

on over the lead to the east team

35:21

of us issue of today to be the

35:23

performed the goals of have scored the chances

35:25

of the creed because that some fun of

35:27

he told to do a canopy game devices

35:29

no fee too many opportunities away on the

35:31

last and these last two games. that have

35:33

that the feel sore and so today we

35:35

have sued the way is a good reason

35:38

for this will see thought we the fitness

35:40

of interesting to see if the freshness equal

35:42

both it'll come straight back and as a

35:44

senior degrees here for a chair other our

35:46

suggest maybe nos bird different awfully Obama going

35:49

anywhere but I'll say it. is

35:51

useless and three come on ruthie it he

35:53

scored since the money is keen on only

35:56

have we really overseas actually movie stock sale

35:58

low but more of our of of

36:00

a settled starting line up, but when you've got a

36:02

squad, then he always talks about players coming out of

36:04

injury and getting the minutes into the

36:06

leg. You know, he's got a squad there for a

36:08

reason, and when you go, like he says, when you

36:10

go Sunday and you go Wednesday and then you go

36:13

in a semi-final, your only team is playing within

36:15

the Madrid, you're going to mix up a little bit,

36:17

but that's when you've got a squad, that's when you

36:20

assemble players who, whoever you select to play, you trust

36:22

them that they can go and get the result. Well,

36:26

they've certainly got the results this

36:28

afternoon, the victory for Rangers serial

36:30

desers with both the

36:32

goals. Rangers have got that

36:35

final to look forward to 25th of

36:37

May. It's going to be a big one,

36:39

isn't it, Celtic, against Rangers,

36:41

Clemenceau, also, of course,

36:44

hoping that his

36:46

side can push on and

36:48

have a real impact in terms of the

36:50

last five championship matches. We'll get to that

36:52

shortly, can I look at the post-split

36:55

fixtures? But Tom,

36:58

there's going to be a bit more spring in his step,

37:00

I suppose, him and the players off the back of that.

37:02

I suppose, just before you

37:04

talk about that, I was just going to

37:06

update folk in the FA Cup semi-final. Manchester

37:09

United, two-and-a-lap at halftime through McTominay and

37:11

Maguire against Coventry City. They went three-and-a-lap

37:13

just short of the hour mark through

37:15

Bruno Fernandez. They're about to

37:17

kick off in extra time. A

37:20

three-and-a-lap slip. Ellis

37:23

Sims and then O'Hare, and then Wright

37:25

scoring from the penalty spot in the fifth

37:27

minute of Stauberstam. I actually remember they played wolves

37:30

was at the previous round, and

37:33

were dead and buried, and Covance scored twice

37:35

deep and deep in Stauberstam. So

37:37

that's going to, that's going to

37:39

go to extra time. Go on, Trey. Ellis

37:42

Sims is recently of heart. Well, just

37:44

in to score here. Scored here. Yeah,

37:46

yeah, yeah, Pumper. Good

37:49

player. Wow. Eric

37:52

Tenhag. How long? How

37:54

long? That'll be another of those firsts.

37:57

I keep reading and putting into all these firsts that

37:59

the round says. have achieved under

38:01

it and had none of

38:03

whichever of a positive nature.

38:05

That is a fair play

38:07

to call it. That's astonishing.

38:10

Back to Rangers in a

38:12

better place off the back

38:14

of that to potentially move

38:16

on and have a successful

38:19

conclusion. No,

38:21

look the odds are still against them. In the

38:23

league, Celtic

38:26

hold a whip hand there I

38:28

think with that whole firm game

38:33

you'd have to make Celtic warm,

38:35

very warm favorites to win the league. That

38:39

Rangers performance was better, it was an

38:41

improvement on the last two for sure.

38:44

But still there was a lot in there

38:46

that Rangers fans, though delighted that they're in

38:48

the Cup Final and they'll have a crack

38:50

at Celtic, will still be a

38:52

little bit concerned about. It

38:54

wasn't flawless, they didn't blow hearts

38:56

away by any means. They

38:59

looked like a team that are trying to inch their

39:01

way back towards a confident place and they're

39:03

not quite there yet. So

39:06

they've got a couple of league

39:08

games before they play Celtic. The

39:14

middle fixture after the game. So win

39:16

both of them, win them convincingly, then

39:19

they go to Celtic Park and they will need to do that.

39:22

They will need to do that. Listen,

39:24

they thoroughly deserved, I felt they thoroughly

39:26

deserved the win today, but

39:29

there's still issues in this Rangers team. Right,

39:34

they've been more clinical going forward, more clinical,

39:41

defensively still not

39:43

100%. You can see

39:45

like, and I'm judging them against a possible game against

39:47

Celtic. And Celtic have

39:49

lots of goals in their team. Can Celtic

39:52

get out that Rangers team? Absolutely they can.

39:54

Still, Cantwell was very good

39:56

today, but Cantwell is inconsistent.

40:00

There is is inconsistent even. I'll give a great

40:02

place to de. Silva

40:04

is. I don't know what

40:06

Silvers, that's not say. ah

40:09

it's it's a thirty two

40:11

Betty. Return links

40:13

in this register. You know they might find

40:15

themselves a Celtic Park. They might. I think

40:17

you'll be upset if there were to win

40:19

that game. But at

40:22

least they would. this was the have another

40:24

cup final from afar were to and it's a

40:26

good day for major Sedona. Be really of

40:28

the parade here but if you ask. Me:

40:30

will this kind of fired of a had

40:32

to to go with the league I said

40:34

I did to see a lot more than

40:36

that Yeah I'm and I guess the question

40:38

of us who was would was is displeased

40:40

with a better position to be able to

40:42

take a and try to do that. I

40:45

would as you may be wouldn't mother he

40:47

said ago for be a wouldn't have been

40:49

holding up have much hope after losing the

40:51

point of it is he was asked them

40:53

the yeah no it does for a course

40:55

it does It's a when you know it's

40:57

afraid she's icicles protesters gets his confidence up.

41:00

And it kind of. It

41:02

doesn't put to bed the

41:04

Ross county of the Dodi,

41:06

the drop points, and probably.

41:11

Lose the title of the back it

41:13

up probably doesn't take away from that

41:15

point it's it does put the heading

41:18

of the right direction again for sure.

41:20

Added visa as trading next week move

41:22

will be a feast and be

41:24

positive or this assumption a former to

41:27

add a takes away kind are they

41:29

have the greatest. Of the questions and

41:31

press conferences which of the last week

41:33

or so I've always had a negative

41:35

devoted based on negativity face on Ross

41:37

County space to do this either I

41:39

didn't really by Phillip Lim on a

41:41

be very impressed by his his analysis

41:43

of the details that that so do

41:45

you are lucky that we're not looking

41:47

to thoroughly deserved a point that most

41:49

of the fed well as a said

41:51

while defending his part of the good

41:54

to have a really defended well unregistered

41:56

fired off shots I thought little hard

41:58

to say that to kind of. across,

42:00

he couldn't berate them again because he

42:02

was very critical of them after the

42:04

Ross County defeats. He couldn't be very

42:06

critical of them again because he

42:08

could destroy their confidence. Do you know Sterling?

42:10

He had to do something about that situation

42:12

because he was very animated in the press

42:15

about how bad they were. So he had

42:17

to count things down. By doing

42:19

that he sounded to me, he sounded, I

42:21

don't know, it didn't sound as

42:23

if he really believed

42:25

what he was saying there, but he had to

42:27

say it. He had to say it. And

42:30

today he'll be very pleased

42:32

with what he saw today. It's a win,

42:34

as I say, it's another clean sheet. And

42:40

you know, they have a cup final to look forward to.

42:42

I think that's the job done. Absolutely.

42:47

And what a cup final it is. It's going to be the

42:49

first, as I said, Liam was in the first Scottish

42:52

Cup final between Tiotrkin Rangers since 2002. Just

42:54

before we move on to one of the

42:56

other things to wrap the programme up, John,

42:58

just in terms of hearts, we heard from

43:00

Stephen Naismith earlier, talking about the game and

43:02

the missed opportunity, about the frustration, the disappointment.

43:04

But he also talked about the club having

43:07

made big strides this season and his first

43:09

full season in charge. I think that's

43:11

indisputable, isn't it? Yes. And I think that's what

43:14

the hearts fans leaving here today and the ones that are

43:16

watching on TV and listening on radio should

43:18

not be yet be disappointed.

43:20

Of course, yeah. But don't be disheartened

43:22

because semi final league cup, semi

43:26

final Scottish Cup and coasting

43:29

in third place at the moment and hopefully

43:31

climb start on Saturday at Kilmarnock. It

43:34

is a very, very good season, perhaps. Yes, the

43:36

lighter reached the league cup final. Yes, the lighter

43:38

reached the Scottish Cup final and when were there

43:40

those trophies. But remember, this is

43:42

Stephen Naismith's first season in the chat.

43:44

Last season, he started to cut

43:46

his teeth in the loading league. Now he's

43:48

mixing it with Philippe Clement, Brendan Rodgers and

43:50

he's come up very, very well. So a

43:52

lot to look forward to to

43:54

the end of the season and in the next

43:56

year. Yeah, absolutely. I've been a very strong campaign

43:58

indeed. Back down, take it away. He's been joined by

44:01

the Rangers at goal here at Serie A. Serie

44:04

A, two goals in a

44:07

national semi-final here at Hamden. Is this the best

44:09

day of your career? I've

44:13

scored two goals in a semi-final

44:15

in the Europa Conference League. I

44:17

think that was one

44:20

much better, but obviously I'm really

44:22

happy with the goals and

44:24

especially with the win today. That

44:26

was a beautiful day to do this in

44:28

Hamden, in front of our fans with this

44:30

atmosphere. It feels special. Yes, the manager says

44:32

you're playing some of the best football of

44:34

your career. Is he correct in that? I

44:39

think today I could have played better. I think I could do

44:41

better than this, but obviously when you score two goals in a

44:43

semi-final, you have to be happy with that. We

44:47

want more. We don't want to stop here. We don't want this, only

44:49

this. We want to get more and we want to win the final

44:52

as well. Yes, there's everything

44:54

still there for Rangers, isn't there, this

44:56

season. How big a win is that today,

44:58

given that you're still in a title race

45:00

and you've now got a Scottish Cup final

45:02

to look forward to against your title rival,

45:04

Salford? Yes, like I say, we

45:07

have six more games and everything to play

45:09

for. I think we have to do it

45:11

as a new league starting next weekend. We

45:14

know what we have to do to

45:16

win the title. I

45:19

think we've got everything to do that as well. Hopefully

45:21

we can execute it on the pitch as well. Does

45:24

that feel like a reset, that

45:26

this is such a big win for you

45:28

that it can give you the injection

45:30

of energy that you need for the last

45:32

six matches? I think

45:35

so, yes, because obviously the pressure

45:37

is rising after the week we had. Then

45:41

to do it in the big moments like today

45:44

at hand, against a good team, a very

45:46

good team, they gave us some difficulties as

45:48

well today. I

45:50

think we can be happy with this performance and with this

45:52

result. We can look with confidence

45:55

to the next games. These are big

45:57

goals today. How happy were you with them?

46:00

you took them pretty calm, pretty collected? No,

46:03

obviously, to score in a semi-final

46:05

for Rangers feels very good. But

46:08

like I said, I want more

46:10

goals, I want more wins and hopefully more

46:12

trophies as well. Yeah, and so do the

46:14

fans. There's been a little bit of criticism

46:16

over the last couple of games which I'm

46:18

sure you know about because Rangers may be

46:20

dipped in form a bit, but what's your

46:22

message now? How seriously can you target this

46:24

treble? If you look

46:27

at the last months, we showed what

46:29

we're capable of and I think it's

46:31

just the thing to find this vibe

46:34

back and if we can find that rhythm

46:36

back, I think then we're the best team

46:38

in the league and hopefully we can show

46:40

that in the next games. And

46:43

yeah, it's not only us, 11 or

46:45

15 on the pitch, no, it

46:47

will be with everybody together, players,

46:50

staff, especially fans, everybody in and

46:52

around the club and I think

46:54

altogether we can do this. Well

46:56

played today and thank you for your time. Thank you very much, haven't I?

47:01

One nice guy just comes across so well.

47:03

I feel terrible for criticising with various points

47:05

during the season. Do you know what? That

47:07

immediately crossed my mind, Tom, that you should

47:10

be. I feel like a bad person. You

47:12

are a bad person. Everyone knows that. They

47:14

do, that's nothing new. That was interesting, actually, saying, you

47:17

know, I think if we find the rhythm, we are

47:19

the best team in the league and you're

47:21

part of that team, you've got to believe that, you've

47:23

got to have yourself believe, yourself confident. Of

47:26

course you have to believe it, but you don't have to say

47:29

it out loud. And the succession

47:31

of Rangers players and managers, going back a

47:33

good few years now, have said this, with

47:36

zero evidence, very

47:38

little silverware to back up that assertion

47:40

that they're better than Celtic, I

47:43

think Cyril Dettler has put his foot in it

47:45

there. We can do this,

47:47

he said. Why

47:49

say it out loud? Just go

47:51

into the dressing room and say it to them. I

47:54

think he's well though, on that tournament,

47:56

and Kenny's played in both sides of

47:58

the old forum. I think

48:00

that you've got to be saying that,

48:02

you've got to be saying no, we're better than Celtic. But

48:05

you have to back it up. Yeah, and they

48:07

call you and they call you and they call you and they call you and

48:09

they call you. You have to back it up. He can't

48:11

come out to him and say, oh no, we'll no catch

48:13

Celtic now. We can't beat them because

48:15

they're better than us and they've got more experience. He doesn't

48:18

have to go near us. He doesn't have to go near

48:20

us. I think he's asked a question, he's got to answer

48:22

it. He can't just say, oh no, no, no. I think

48:24

that's what he said there. I mean, to be fair, he

48:26

wasn't asked, are you the best team in the league? You're

48:28

definitely going to offer that up. I

48:31

totally get the point you're making to him, you have

48:33

to be able to back it up and the Celtic

48:36

players will say, well, just come and have a wee

48:38

look in our trophy cabinet for the past 10, 12

48:40

years. So Celtic, so when that

48:42

gets out and that probably be written up, and

48:45

that could be in the newspapers tomorrow, and

48:47

the Celtic, everyone at Celtic, we look at them

48:49

and go, oh, is that right? Yeah,

48:52

you're better than us. Really? You

48:55

couldn't beat Ross County. You couldn't beat

48:57

Dundee. So

49:00

it's just, I think it's needless. Rangers

49:03

have been very, very good under Climmel not to

49:05

go down this road. Michael

49:08

Beale did it, his assistants did

49:10

it. His assistants compared him to

49:12

Michael Beale, to Ancelotti and Pep

49:14

Guardiola and Thomas Schuckel. Crazy stuff.

49:17

Succession at Rangers Fair, as I said, going back

49:19

a number of years now, I said,

49:22

oh, we're better. We're better than Celtic,

49:24

and instead of just obliterating them in

49:26

the league. No good will come of

49:28

this. No good will come of this.

49:31

It's all absolutely perfect for

49:34

serial testers and all these players to say

49:36

it in the inner sanctum, and to believe

49:38

it in the inner sanctum. But

49:40

to throw that out to the media, it

49:44

tends to boomerang back and hit them

49:46

square between the eyes. And here was me just wondering, what were

49:49

we going to talk about for a long time? Buddy

49:52

played very well, and he sounds

49:55

like a smashing fella. And I

49:57

still feel guilty about criticizing him

49:59

at times. I don't think you're the only

50:01

one. Right, let's just pick up

50:03

on that then, just in terms of where

50:05

we are now. So the post-split fixtures kick

50:08

off next weekend as it stands.

50:10

At the top of the table, let's just look at

50:12

that. So it's Celtic 78, Ranger 75. Celtic

50:15

have five goals better off. They've

50:17

scored eight more goals. So there is an

50:19

advantage there in terms of both the goal

50:22

distance and goal score. And obviously right

50:24

now a point advantage as well. Celtic

50:27

kick off away to Dundee

50:29

at three o'clock next Sunday before then.

50:31

It's similar against Rangers, which is

50:33

the lunchtime kick off. You're

50:35

then into the

50:38

fourth of May when Celtic are at

50:40

home to Hearts. And Sunday the fifth,

50:42

Rangers are at home to Comeannic. And

50:44

then it is that game that they

50:46

were talking about. I mean, it's normally

50:50

the SPFL jumps

50:52

through hoops to try to ensure that

50:54

there is no chance of it being

50:57

a title decider. They clearly went banking

50:59

on Rangers initially losing to Ross Cooney

51:01

and certainly dropping the points against Dundee

51:03

when they penciled it. Not penciled, inked

51:05

it in for the third

51:07

last fixture of the season. And

51:10

I think everyone immediately went, oh, if

51:12

Rangers drop anything and Celtic don't

51:14

between now and then, then it's a

51:17

title decider. Yeah, potentially. And you look,

51:19

you can't second guess these things. It's

51:25

never going to be the first game and it's never going to be the last game.

51:28

So you, and it's not going to be

51:31

the midweek game. So that's really, you've only got two

51:33

slots out of the five. So

51:36

pick a, pick a, pick a horse. Can

51:38

you probably pick the earlier one if you

51:40

were, if you're trying to avoid

51:42

a title decider, you pick one as early

51:44

as possible, don't you? That's the thing that

51:46

you know, why not make a title decider?

51:48

Well, I joined, I've spent 30 years having

51:51

this discussion and being, let's

51:53

have title decider. The point is

51:55

we're going to have a Rangers, Celtic, Scottish, got Fido in

51:57

the last game. So

52:00

why don't you just feed it in the computer, give

52:02

them no variation, just feed in the computer and see

52:05

when the Celtic Rangers or Rangers game pops out. Could

52:07

be, could be. Could be over the cider. Might not

52:09

be. Who knows? We'll find out.

52:11

I didn't think Ross County would beat Rayne. No,

52:14

absolutely. And Seesons gone past

52:16

the first game this flight would have been a

52:18

title this either. Yeah, well Seesons gone past the

52:20

title, it would have been done before we got

52:23

to the split. Yeah. And

52:25

in terms of that, I mean

52:27

clearly, clearly Celtic going

52:30

to the post split pictures as a

52:32

firm favourite, Kenny, three points advantage and

52:34

that goal difference plus. And

52:37

the fact that the last old firm games at

52:39

Celtic Park with the 60,000 fans there, there are

52:41

no Rangers fans. Yeah, there's

52:43

no doubt that they've stepped into the

52:45

title, into that position of the favourites

52:48

now. Again, Celtic

52:50

fans were saying that they threw it back into

52:52

Rangers by drawing points and Rangers fans are kind

52:54

of now saying that we've gifted Celtic the upper

52:57

hand by drawing points. Listen, Celtic and I've had

52:59

to win the games to get ourselves back into

53:01

it. Celtic have done their better than Rangers. I

53:03

think Felique come on and say that after the

53:05

game on Wednesday, they've

53:07

not taken care of their own business. So it's

53:09

as simple as that. So Celtic, definitely favourites. And

53:12

I think also the way they play,

53:14

the way they've actually approached the old firm games as well,

53:16

I mean, as two wins and a draw from the old

53:19

firm game. It's all for Rangers to

53:21

do now. They're going to need to go to Celtic

53:23

Park in a couple of weeks time and they're going

53:25

to need to go in one. And you know what,

53:27

in other games, they're actually going to have to maintain

53:29

a level of consistency that they've maybe not shown of

53:31

late and probably score a few goals as well if

53:33

they're wanting to get back into this. It's

53:35

more than actually just as big

53:37

a task as to go to Celtic Park and one. They're

53:39

probably going to have to start dealing with the rest of

53:42

the teams as well with a little bit more convincing than

53:44

what they have done of late. Yeah, they have to win the

53:46

other games. Then go

53:48

to Celtic Park. Now, if

53:50

you're a Rangers fan, you'd be looking at Celtic and

53:53

Celtic gave up three

53:56

goals against Rangers. They gave up

53:58

three goals yesterday against Aberdeen. that

54:00

defence looks shaky. So

54:03

if you're trying to create

54:06

reasons to believe in Rangers winning

54:09

this title, that self-defense has

54:11

given you a little bit of optimism,

54:13

I would say. So if the

54:15

Rangers defend you, three goals at North County, and the

54:17

sciences they created that, two shakes at North County, two

54:20

shakes at North County. I

54:23

mean, you could be looking at a situation where Rangers

54:25

win all five games, of course, and still don't win

54:28

the league. Just simply because

54:31

it depends what happens. The goals that are

54:33

scored in our games, if Celtic win their

54:35

other four matches, they could end up winning

54:37

the title on goal difference.

54:40

Celtic, it was last weekend, wasn't it? Brendan

54:42

Rodgers talking about the fact that this is the time of the season

54:44

when my team comes alive. This is when we

54:47

show every we are the winners that we

54:49

have been for a period of time. Maybe

54:52

we didn't quite do that yesterday in terms

54:54

of the overall game, but got through, got

54:56

the job done. They just

54:59

about got the job done, defensively

55:03

very frail. Liam

55:06

Scales had a bad day in the office

55:08

yesterday. Wasn't the only one. A

55:11

few other Celtic players really didn't turn up, but

55:14

they got through. Penalty

55:16

shootout doesn't really matter. They

55:18

got through. And they're

55:21

on a good run to form, Celtic. You know,

55:23

they're getting players back at Tate, McGregor will be

55:26

better for the minutes he got yesterday. And

55:29

I think you'd have

55:31

to make Celtic favorites, although they're

55:35

not hugely convincing right

55:37

now. So that's why

55:39

I say it ain't over. I still make Celtic hot

55:41

favorites to win, but I don't

55:45

think it's over quite yet.

55:50

Well, inevitably it wouldn't be Scottish football unless there

55:52

were a few twists and turns along

55:54

the way that we will be. Whatever

55:57

happens, of course, it's covered with us here on SportsCenter.

56:00

on BBC Radio Scotland in England Liverpool

56:03

have just gone in fronting us Fulham

56:05

2-1 away from home as they

56:08

look to get back on track

56:10

after last weekend's disappointment

56:12

and in that Scottish

56:15

Cup sorry in the FA Cup semi-final half-time

56:18

and extra time has come and going it's

56:20

still 3-3 between Contre City

56:23

and Manchester United right the bottom of

56:25

the table in Livingston how well they

56:27

could be done in Dusted this coming

56:29

weekend at their home to Rose County

56:31

and so it's Livingston 18 points Rose

56:33

County 30 St. Johnson 31 Aberdeen

56:35

35 is

56:38

it down to those three teams County St.

56:40

Johnson Aberdeen for that relegation playoff place it's

56:42

not a couple of points to mother

56:45

well another couple of points beyond that the

56:47

heads both those sides are over they safe

56:49

as far as you're concerned yeah

56:52

you would say so you know we're talking about how

56:55

big is it for rain just to win the title

56:57

being three points behind Celtic you know Hibbs and mother

56:59

wall or was it seven and eight points clear

57:01

or six and seven seven and nine seven and

57:04

nine they're not going to get caught it only

57:06

requires really one win for

57:08

either those sides to be okay Aberdeen

57:10

next next down the league

57:13

the Richard they need an early win I

57:15

think an early win for Aberdeen winning one of the

57:17

first two games will see Aberdeen move

57:19

away from there and then then the dogfight

57:21

begins I think you know St. Johnston Rose

57:24

County Rose County will be

57:26

hugely frustrated that they've had to

57:29

wait a fortnight before

57:31

playing again after Rangers because they would have loved

57:33

the momentum to do that so

57:35

we had that conversation actually what would

57:37

they like and they go they go in the

57:39

way from home it's

57:42

Livingston's last hurrah they've got it they've got

57:44

to win to officially stay up but you

57:46

know Rose County if they can if they

57:48

can nick another three points there and

57:51

depending on say Aberdeen's result and St.

57:54

John's result it could it

57:56

could be very very close indeed but I

57:58

think and I'm basing this again on what

58:00

we saw yesterday I think Hibbs, Motherwall and Aberdeen

58:02

will move away and it will become a straight

58:05

fight between Ross County and

58:07

St. Johnstone for the playoff spot

58:09

and ultimately we will

58:11

see in the championship who

58:14

prevails between Wraith Rovers, Patek

58:17

Thistle and Eadry. Yeah, we'll get to that

58:19

in just a moment or two. Just in

58:21

terms of the bottom there then, Ross

58:23

County out at Livingston and St. Johnstone against

58:26

Eadryan. Actually St. Johnstone, you can

58:29

feel that they need to find a way of scoring

58:31

goals again can it? It's all been a bit of

58:33

a struggle in recent weeks. And this is similar discussion

58:35

you have season after season with the St. Johnstone team.

58:39

Struggle to score goals, down

58:41

there fighting for relegation or relegation

58:43

playoff spots and I

58:46

just think at this moment off the back of that

58:48

result and again the way the fixtures have went, I

58:51

think it's really really important like

58:54

Robbo says for Aberdeen to get an early

58:56

one. They've got

58:58

back to back home games against Munnable and St.

59:00

Johnstone. But if they were to lose against

59:02

Munnable, you know it just drags them in. I

59:04

personally think St. Johnstone will be the team

59:06

that will fall into the playoff spot. I think

59:08

Ross County, for what I've seen, sometimes

59:11

it's dangerous to judge a team

59:14

how they've played against their Rangers or their

59:16

Celtic because they're raising their game and they're

59:18

just playing with a different kind of energy

59:20

which again is crazy to say that but

59:22

they are and they were absolutely outstanding against

59:24

Rangers last week. Could have

59:27

scored more goals, looked a real

59:29

threat, Kang looked great, Sims was great, Simon

59:31

Murray up top, Danda was absolutely

59:33

outstanding. If they can recreate that performance

59:35

in the spot on six, I've absolutely

59:37

no doubt that they'll get the results

59:39

required to move away from the playoff

59:42

spot. The big question is

59:44

can they actually do it and if they did

59:46

do it, that would leave St. Johnstone in a

59:48

real tricky situation. Another thing that might help them

59:51

Kenny is that under Don Curry they're unbeaten at

59:53

home. Yes. They've gone five games unbeaten at home

59:55

which at this stage of the season is

59:57

going to be, it could be huge in fact that they could.

1:00:00

St. Johnson not got a great

1:00:02

home record at the moment. Aberdeen, Richard, not a

1:00:04

particularly great home record. So, and the fact that

1:00:06

they've got home games right away, unless you're right,

1:00:08

Ken, St. Johnson could dig out a win against

1:00:11

Hibbs. If Aberdeen dig up a

1:00:13

win against Motherwole, then

1:00:15

suddenly, if Rosemary

1:00:17

don't take full points at Livingston, then that

1:00:19

might be the wee break they need. But,

1:00:21

you know, again, we're in for a real

1:00:23

bun fight of a finish. And

1:00:25

at this stage of the season, hey, there's

1:00:28

some strange results. Oh, yeah, totally. Good job

1:00:30

playing the country when there's relegation and relegation

1:00:32

playoffs and titles on the line. So, I

1:00:35

think we're kind of talking about a bit of logic. This

1:00:37

little logic goes out the window at this stage this year.

1:00:39

Right, right now, in terms of the championship, Ray

1:00:42

Throbert are going to finish it in second place.

1:00:45

Thistle in pole position

1:00:47

for third right now. Three points better

1:00:49

off. Ten goals better off.

1:00:51

Couple of games to go. So, like

1:00:53

the hood is, it's Adrianians against Parik Thistle. And

1:00:55

then it's the winner of that against

1:00:57

Ray Throbert. And then the winner of that against whichever

1:01:00

team, of course, finishes in 11th place. Will it be

1:01:02

County? Will it be St. John's? Will it be Aberdeen?

1:01:04

All will be revealed over the next few

1:01:06

weeks. I think what we can say, John,

1:01:08

is congratulations to Dundee United, barring

1:01:12

a mathematical avalanche.

1:01:14

There are 36

1:01:16

goals better off in terms of goal difference.

1:01:19

So, congratulations to Jim Goodwin to Dundee United,

1:01:21

scenes of celebration at Timonese. I mean, that's

1:01:23

a huge relief for them. Because as I

1:01:26

said, Richard, the last eight years there's been

1:01:28

at least one outstanding team,

1:01:30

big team, in the championship.

1:01:32

We saw Rangers win it, Harts win it, Hibbs have

1:01:34

won it, Dundee United won it twice, Dundee, Kilmarnock have

1:01:36

all won the title. It looks

1:01:38

like Dundee and I are now final to the line. Ray Throvers have

1:01:41

done terrific. I was at the game

1:01:43

for BBC on Friday. Inverness absolutely

1:01:45

battered them, fattered them. But Ray

1:01:47

managed to sneak a 1-0-1. And

1:01:49

if you look at that, United going up, possibly

1:01:52

Livingston coming down, the

1:01:54

championship next year is going to be

1:01:56

unbelievable because you've got a big club

1:01:58

in my eyes, Fokker. coming up. Livingston

1:02:01

drop down, there is no outstanding candidate next

1:02:03

year. It could be one, I know we're

1:02:05

looking ahead with the lowest points to ever,

1:02:07

because I think every single team, there'll be

1:02:09

no part-time teams in the championship

1:02:11

next year, unless of course one of the

1:02:13

League One teams, Kove,

1:02:15

Aloha, Montrose, Hamilton,

1:02:20

unless they can shock whoever finishes in

1:02:22

the playoff spot at the bottom of the championship, it

1:02:24

could be the first time ever I

1:02:26

can remember a full-time, all every

1:02:28

single team in the league could be full-time,

1:02:31

with no massive club actually

1:02:34

down there with finances to blow everybody else

1:02:36

away. I've got to say, having seen them

1:02:38

this season, seen plenty of them, that current

1:02:40

Falkirk team it would easily be a top

1:02:42

four side in the championship. Or a bomb

1:02:44

too, the way the championship is. Well potentially,

1:02:47

honestly, John, they're a head and shoulders. They're

1:02:51

a good side. Considerable head and shoulders above

1:02:53

anything else in League One, and

1:02:55

you've got to imagine that Falkirk will strengthen. I mean,

1:02:57

it would be incredible. The thing is, Richard, as well,

1:02:59

you see it, you've seen it firsthand. They

1:03:03

should never be in League One in that respect.

1:03:06

They bring in four and a half, five and a

1:03:08

half, six thousand fans, easy at home. They're going to

1:03:10

be in and they say, if it

1:03:13

finishes as the way we think it is, and just

1:03:15

say the teams that are in the playoff

1:03:17

spot stay in their league. You've got

1:03:19

Dunfermline Race and Falkirk right away, which are

1:03:21

three, they can't extend each other those three

1:03:23

teams. Then you've got Livingston, then

1:03:26

you've got Inverness, then you've got Airdrie, Eyre,

1:03:28

Queen's Park, you know, Morton.

1:03:31

You just look at it and go, wow, wow,

1:03:33

wow. You cannot, for the

1:03:35

first time ever, you cannot look at

1:03:37

that league and go, ah fancy them, you just

1:03:39

don't know. I mean, that's for next season, remember

1:03:42

England, that season's sort of everything. But there is

1:03:44

so much, there's still so much to unfold. I

1:03:46

mean, already, like, since tennis, we are congratulations to

1:03:48

them. Falkirk, Dunford United,

1:03:51

all wrapping things up in terms of titles.

1:03:53

Edinburgh City, Longsons going down. It's an almighty

1:03:55

battle at the bottom as well to avoid

1:03:57

the pyramid playoff place. You've

1:04:00

got a massive old club. Well

1:04:03

that was the thing about the church, because Friday night, Inverness

1:04:05

played really, really, really well. The Borovskia are

1:04:08

two of the best saves you'll see all

1:04:10

season. Incredible saves. They hit the woodwork five

1:04:12

times. And Wraith got a Wraith well

1:04:14

at the park and stuck it away. And you're looking at that

1:04:16

Inverness going, what harm's this week now?

1:04:19

Inverness going to the film line. Yeah. Queens

1:04:21

par go to Arbro. And you're looking at

1:04:23

that going, you and Duncan and Louise say, oh, Arbro are down

1:04:25

two. He was trying to get the MG'd up and

1:04:27

try to get some of the Morten yesterday. So, you know,

1:04:29

Inverness will probably have to go to them filming and

1:04:32

win to keep their noses ahead of Queens Park. And

1:04:34

if that happens, suddenly there's another couple

1:04:36

of teams could be just hauled back into

1:04:38

it again. Yeah. And all

1:04:40

the way down the divisions, right? As I say

1:04:42

to the very bottom of League Two, that perimeter

1:04:45

of playoff plays. Clyde, Sonar, Bonnie and Ray grows

1:04:47

all battling to try to avoid that. And congratulations

1:04:50

to Bucky Thistle, who won the Lowland

1:04:52

League yesterday. Incredible drama.

1:04:54

It always seems to be in the Highland League right at the

1:04:56

very end. But they did enough. They

1:04:59

will take on Eastco Bride and that in

1:05:01

itself will not be an easy task. I

1:05:03

think a lot of people with Eastco Bride

1:05:05

is clear favorite for that one.

1:05:07

There's so much still to be dealt with

1:05:09

in terms of Scottish football and

1:05:12

the remainder of this season. And of

1:05:14

course, it will all be live with us here

1:05:16

on Sports and what a weekend. It

1:05:19

has been dominated by those

1:05:21

Scottish Cup semifinals. Remarkable drama

1:05:23

yesterday as Aberdeen having

1:05:25

taken that early lead,

1:05:28

looked dead and buried, came back to get the draw

1:05:30

only to lose out on penalties. And

1:05:33

it's Rangers who have set up a final against

1:05:35

their old rival Celtic at Hamden Park on Saturday,

1:05:37

May the 25th. Serial decers

1:05:39

with a double as Rangers beat hearts by

1:05:41

two goals to nil. From

1:05:43

me, Richard Gordon and the rest of

1:05:46

the team, enjoy your Sunday evening. This

1:05:48

Scottish football podcast from BBC Radio... Do

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