Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers appears to be blaming Rangers solely for the lack of away fans at Old Firm derbies.
Sky Sports shared his “passionate” retort on their X account on 16 August after news emerged that the first two derbies of the season will go ahead without away fans.
This has been the precedent for the past few years and will continue at least for the first set of matches.
Rodgers said: “Celtic has been working on it for a number of months. I know that. A lot of work has gone into it. But you can only do that if the agreement is upheld with both.
“Nothing of this was Celtic’s issue. It’s not a Celtic-Rangers thing. This is a Rangers thing.”
Brendan Rodgers cannot only blame Rangers and not talk about Celtic’s part in it
Rodgers’ assertion that the absence of away fans at Old Firm derbies is solely a “Rangers thing” oversimplifies a complex issue.
While Rodgers points to Celtic’s efforts in facilitating away fans, the reality involves mutual responsibility.
Both clubs must agree on and implement safety measures, ticket allocations and logistical arrangements.
Celtic’s role, despite Rodgers’ claims, cannot be entirely absolved as they are part of the negotiation process where agreements on fan allocations are made.
Furthermore, Celtic’s decision to withhold tickets for Gers fans in previous games, citing safety concerns or other reasons, indicates their active participation in the issue.
Rodgers’ statement neglects the shared history of both clubs’ actions influencing the current situation, where both have at times contributed to the breakdown in traditional fan arrangements for these high-stakes matches.
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