Rangers will not give arch rivals Celtic a guard of honour when the Scottish champions visit Ibrox Stadium for Sunday’s Premiership match, interim boss Barry Ferguson has said, keeping the fierce rivalry very much alive.
Celtic clinched a 13th Scottish Premiership title in 14 seasons last weekend when Brendan Rodgers’s side took an unassailable lead with four games to spare.
Celtic also drew level with Rangers on 55 Scottish league titles each, a feat that will sting the blue half of Glasgow ahead of the Old Firm Derby.
“It (guard of honour) has never happened in the past and there’s been this huge clamour about it,” Ferguson told Sky Sports. “If I put myself in the shoes of a champion, it wouldn’t really bother me.
“I think if you ask any of the Celtic players, I don’t think it would bother them either. It’s always been that way. Let’s just continue that way.”
It was the same case when Steven Gerrard’s Rangers clinched their 55th title in the 2020-21 season, with Celtic’s then-interim boss John Kennedy saying they would not even clap their rivals who denied them a 10th straight title.
“But one thing I will do is I will shake Brendan’s hand and say, ‘Well done for being so dominant,’ as there’s no doubt that’s been the case this year and that’s got to hurt,” Ferguson added.
“It certainly hurts me and the staff and it’s got to hurt the players as well.”
Celtic’s manager was relaxed either way about a guard of honour.
“It’s not in the rules that you have to do it. I think that when two clubs and the rivalry’s so emotional, it’s always difficult for the team that comes up short,” said Rodgers, who has won four Premiership titles with Celtic in two stints.
“I always think if you’re a champion or not a champion, showing that humility to the other team, whatever the rivalry is, it’s a mark of respect.
“Celtic-Rangers is an emotional rivalry and if you come up short quite a lot then it can be a challenge for you and to justify that with your supporters. But, as I said, I’m a traditionalist.”
England, however, will stick with tradition.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca confirmed on Friday that his side would give newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge when they meet on Sunday.
