Danny Rohl and his dangerous Rangers game and the reason Celtic fans' proposed boycott is doomed to fail

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Celtic have been at war with their fans all season - and now Danny Rohl has had a pop at the Rangers supporters.

Okay, it might not quite be on the same scale but the German's disappointment at the boos at half-time of Wednesday's eventual Premiership romp over Kilmarnock just highlight what's at stake.

Oh, and Derek McInnes also told Hearts starlet James Wilson he was wrong to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Academy in a shock deadline day move.

That's the three clubs fighting out for the title all feeling a different kind of pressure and it's only going to increase as we reach the business end of the season.

Record Sport duo Michael Gannon and Gavin Berry sit down to tackle all three issues and much, much more from Scottish football and beyond - from Livingston to LIV Golf this week - in our latest Game On podcast. And it's all in handy bitesize chunks as they make their point before the whistle blows.

Is Danny Rohl playing a risky game by having a go at the Rangers fans for hitting the boos?

Michael: 5-1 winners. The scoreline maybe wasn’t the full reflection. Killie down to 10 men. There was a bit of tension int he air. It was a a gentle pop at the punters. Dangerous game?

Gavin: It’s always risky when the manager criticises the fans in any way but he’s in a strong enough position that he can get away with it. However drab the game was, he’s got them into a position that no fan believed they would be in after the disastrous start to the season. He has credit in the bank, unlike Michael Beale who I remember had a go at the fans when they jeered after a narrow win against Motherwell. And he was out the door the next week! He couldn’t get away it but Danny Rohl can. But he will also have to understand those are the demands. They lost at Porto and were drab against Hibs in the goalless draw so the frustration came from that. They went 1-0 up early on and the fans keep waiting to see a big performance and that was the opportunity but it didn’t come… until later in the game.

Michael: I think it’s a smart move, not dangerous, to have a nudge at the fans. The club are trying things with the campaign to get fans to stay for 90 minutes, or even come to the game. To get to this point where they are three points off top spot with 13 games to go is remarkable. I think Danny Rohl is right. He’s trying to mobile the troops a wee bit and plead for patience because when things aren’t going great you need the fans on board.

Do you think the majority of Celtic fans will back the proposed boycott of Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie against Dundee?

Michael: Boycotting games is quite an extreme measure. This one is a game not on the season ticket so you won’t get that big of crowd in relative terms.

Gavin: Would fans not have bought tickets already and that could be a factor?

Michael: Possibly, yes. The way it is with these games not being on the season ticket, you can walk up so people might have decided to go as a family and then suddenly there is a boycott. Celtic fans have made their feelings known and the board have been getting battered all season. They know there is anger.

I just think we’re getting to the business end of the season and the players and manager need the backing of the fans. For all the nonsense this season, there’s still the chance of a double and they’re still in Europe. And it’s Martin O’Neill in charge. At some point they have to park their anger. This could end up being one of the most remarkable seasons in Celtic’s history. Martin O’Neill going for a title 20 years after he left. It might, dare I say it, be enjoyable. It used to be ‘back the team, sack the board’. A boycott affects the team.

Gavin: A lot of fans are tired of it. They just want to go and enjoy the game. They can’t be bothered with boycotts.

Do you agree with Derek McInnes that James Wilson made the wrong move in joining Tottenham?

Michael: He was bang on. Derek McInnes gets a bit of unfair criticism for not playing as many youngsters. Kids have to take their own responsibility. I don’t blame James Wilson for taking the opportunity because it’s Spurs, it’s that level. But what has he been doing for the last eight or nine months? This is a kid that burst onto the scene, has been in Scotland squads, and looked like he would be our version of Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney and then nothing? Make his mind up for the manager. He should be in training every day, banging the goals in and banging on the door. He’s obviously not impressed enough to get a game.

Gavin: Arsenal had been sniffing around earlier on deadline day, then you’ve got Tottenham. Can you imagine it when the phone goes?

Michael: But if you’re saying to him to go down there and if you do well you will get a deal down there, why have you not been doing that at Hearts? I’m not saying he hasn’t been working hard but he’s got talent and young players make it impossible for the manager not to put them in the team because managers are cautious creatures

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