Double awards for Rangers striker Youssef Chermiti
Youssef Chermiti has been named the Scottish Premiership Player of the Month for February and also picked up the Goal of the Month award after his breathtaking overhead kick against Celtic. The Rangers striker and has been under the microscope since joining the Light Blues for £8 million last summer from Everton. The 21-year-old has bagged a total of nine goals in 29 appearances for the Ibrox club and scored a brace against the Hoops in back-to-back Old Firm games. Chermiti scored his first professional hat-trick in the Gers’ 4-2 victory over league leaders Hearts last month. Speaking to the Rangers club website, the Portugal under-21 international spoke of his delight after picking up two awards. “I am delighted to win both awards. “My first goal against Celtic is something that will live with me forever. As a striker, you want to play and score in these games, and thankfully, I have been able to do that several times this season. “But I couldn’t have achieved anything without my teammates and the staff here at Rangers, who have helped me settle at the club. “Now I want to repay them and the supporters by continuing to score goals and help us win matches.”
Robbie Keane Emerges as Celtic Frontrunner as Three Man Shortlist is Drawn
Ferencvaros gaffer Robbie Keane is the reported favourite to take the vacant Celtic managerial position at the end of the season. The former Celtic loanee is said to be the frontrunner of three preferred candidates, alongside Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou and Wales head coach Craig Bellamy. The news was broken by Ewan Murray of The Guardian last night, and it is the first concrete piece of news Celtic fans have heard since Martin O’Neill’s interim return two months ago. Bellamy and Keane both enjoyed prolific six-month loans at Parkhead in 2005 and 2010 respectively, with the former’s situation being more awkward with a potential World Cup with his homeland Wales. As for Keane, the Republic of Ireland’s top scorer has won domestic titles in both Israel and Hungary with Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ferencvaros, yet is a potential replacement for interim Spurs boss Igor Tudor, a club where Keane spent the majority of his playing career. Martin O’Neill took temporary charge for a second time this season after the ill-fated reign of Wilfried Nancy in January, and countryman Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation in October. However, with the Northern Irishman being 74 years of age, the understanding was that his tenure would not be going beyond this summer. His backroom staff Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham both remain in contention to stay next season, despite O’Neill’s departure. Motherwell’s Askou has received plaudits for the Steelmen’s style of play this season, having his side in fourth and an outside bet to win the title, but there is reservations about prior experience and the ability to make the leap to a club the size of Celtic. He has the chance to show the Celtic hierarchy what he is capable of this Saturday, as Motherwell make the short journey to Glasgow to take on the defending champions.
‘Yes it would be a shame for all of us’ – Danny Rohl fears Rangers and Celtic away ban
Danny Rohl admits that he doesn’t want to see away fans barred from Old Firm games after the ugly scenes in last Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final. Celtic defeated Rangers 4-2 on penalties but the result was overshadowed as both sets of supporters stormed the pitch after the game. It was the largest travelling Hoops support at Ibrox in eight years but it’s safe to say that we won’t be seeing 7,500 away fans in this fixture anytime soon. The Light Blues have been granted an allocation of 2,500 for the final Old Firm derby of the season at Parkhead. The SFA have launched an independent investigation into the events from last Sunday and plan to ‘ensure’ it doesn’t happen again. In his pre match press conference ahead of the clash against St Mirren, Rohl fears that the away allocation could be cut altogether. “Yes, it would be a shame for us – for all of us. “Since I have been here, I have really enjoyed this game with the supporters at both ends. I think this is great. “If you are away or at home, it makes football exciting and hopefully it can carry on. But, of course, if such things happen then you have to be careful because it could be that there is a consequence. “I think that nobody likes to see this sort of thing. It was for over 120 minutes an exciting game with lots of big emotion, on the pitch, off the pitch. That’s what we want. “Then after, we only talk about the situation on the pitch that shouldn’t have happened. “I wouldn’t say it opened my eyes – that is the wrong word – but nobody likes to see this. “The emotional part during the game was great. It makes the atmosphere in the stadium. And I think everyone should take responsibility and that we can keep going with this. “I think there is an investigation and they will look for things. There will be some consequences but let’s see what this is.” There’s nine games left in the season for the Ibrox club as they trail league leaders Hearts by six points and the Gers head coach knows his side can’t afford to drop anymore points.
