Steven Gerrard has used last week’s Celtic celebrations at Pittodrie to give himself a break for celebrating too much after December’s derby match at Celtic Park, The Mail on Sunday report (23/02 print edition, page 115)
The Rangers boss infamously celebrated wildly after his side’s victory, as if the league had been won.
It drew criticism from pundits such as Chris Sutton, who labelled his antics as ‘a touch embarrassing’ (The Daily Record).
Admitting he questioned himself and his behaviour, Gerrard now claims that due to Celtic’s celebrations in Aberdeen, he feels better about it all.
As quoted by The Mail On Sunday (23/02 print edition, page 115), he said: “I’ll never apologise for being authentic. I am passionate after a win. I don’t think people on the outside understand the pressures you are under in that moment.
“I do ask myself if it was too much but then I think Celtic beat Aberdeen last weekend, and 11 players and Neil Lennon are jumping about and celebrating with the fans. I’m totally fine with it.”
Expecting managers not to celebrate big wins is obviously a bit daft, but there’s a difference here.
Gerrard screamed down the throat of the camera as if they’d won a trophy when the reality is they moved to within two points of Celtic.
They didn’t even leapfrog us at the top of the table. They started the match in second-place and ended it there despite their win.
No doubt at the time it was a big victory but Sutton was spot on with his assessment.
In the time since it’s been proven how little progress they actually made in terms of the title race.
Last week in Aberdeen Celtic had opened up a 13 point gap ahead of Rangers’ home match against Livingston, with the manager paying tribute to travelling fans braving harsh weather conditions as much as anything. It’s a different level.
Gerrard is entitled to celebrate victories, as are Celtic, but the comparison here doesn’t ring true and perhaps he should save the theatrics for actually making tangible progress and winning a trophy rather than comparing himself to the Hoops.
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