‘I’m rubbish anyway’ – Rangers ace axed by Clement issues ‘Mental’ Celtic clash admission

Connor Goldson admits the pressure of performing well for Rangers in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox is “mental”.

The Light Blues defender explained on the Talking Transitions podcast (23 April) that he is more concerned about team performances and results in Celtic clashes than he used to be, rather than how he plays personally, as being on form in a defeat is of no benefit when losing to the Hoops means “I’m rubbish anyway”.

The 31-year-old has struggled for form this season and was part of a poor defensive performance in the 3-3 derby draw on 7 April, having long been the top option at his position at the club.

Goldson said, via the Daily Record: “It’s difficult, not difficult, but if I sat here and said you don’t feel any of the pressure I would be lying. When I first came I wanted to play well myself, thinking about my own career and myself, just ‘okay focus on you, play well’, now, all I care about is winning, if I play good, if I play bad, obviously you want to play well don’t get me wrong, but all I care about is the result at the end of it, if you win it’s amazing, if you lose it’s horrendous.

“Especially now, as you get older, you realise the prizes that you win as a team is more important than you. If I play well in an Old Firm and we lose, you lose the league, i’m rubbish anyway. if I do bad in an Old Firm you win, and win the league, you’re amazing, the result wins because the Old Firm, realistically, it’ll decide a season. The four of them if you do well in them obviously you’ve got a big chance to win the league, if you do bad in them then you’ve got a big chance of losing the league…

“At home you know your fans demand you be on the front foot and they demand tackles, a tackle in an Old Firm is a goal, if there’s a 50/50 tackle in the Old Firm it’s a goal. As if you lose it, at home, the place will literally boo. That’s how mental it is, they just want passion and you to show your committed. That is their life.”

Rangers defender replaced by Leon Balogun for Hearts win

Goldson has been on the receiving end of plenty of criticism in recent weeks as the Light Blues’ form fell apart following an imperious run through January and February.

The centre-back’s performances this season have been short of his best, but once James Tavernier’s own form dipped and Ridvan Yilmaz’s injury absence at left-back disrupted Philippe Clement’s selections it contributed to a run of results that almost proved disastrous to the title race.

It required a fightback to rescue a point at Ibrox in the derby this month, where the pressure Goldson has spoken of appeared to effect the back line from the first minute.

The initiative has been handed back to Celtic, but after Rangers got back on track in a 2-0 win over Hearts in the Scottish Cup semi final with Goldson dropped for Leon Balogun the former may be set for a spell out of the side.

His importance on and off the pitch over recent years shouldn’t be overlooked, and he has been tipped to remain in the squad into next season despite expectations of a major clear out by the manager.

But despite being a relatively constant presence at the heart of the defence in recent seasons, with the likes of Balogun, Ben Davies, John Souttar, James Sands and Leon King all cycling through beside him, he needs to respond to being dropped to the bench.

Souttar has arguably outperformed him this term, notwithstanding the Scot’s own calamitous showing in the cup win at the weekend, and Balogun was impressive on his return to the line up, so they may now get the chance to form a partnership over the coming games.

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