For some curious reason, former Celtic star Eyal Berkovic (who hated his time at Parkhead especially the Israel-hating fans) has been talking about Rangers’ contentious managerial position, bigging up homeland boss Barak Bakhar as a replacement for Giovanni van Bronckhorst, while arguing Steven Gerrard had it pretty easy in Scotland as a trial for England.
Speaking to his own press, the playmaker said:
“Benfica is the best team in the (UCL) group in terms of football, the most balanced. PSG is more fun. Bakhar for Rangers? Scottish football is weak, two clubs. You are close to England and if you succeed you can pass like Steven Gerrard, but it is not easy to live in Glasgow with the children.”
Do we care what Berkovic says? He was never a typical Celtic player, he spoke later about how much he disliked their fans and during Old Firm matches felt like he was on the wrong side due to all the flags, so he probably isn’t as dislikeable as most former players from that part of the city.
But we don’t really have time for people poking their heads in at Gio and questioning his position – it’s rather unfair, and the calls for his head have calmed a little since the Livi draw – time has healed a little, even if many fans are unsure and don’t entirely trust the boss these days.
Barak Bakhar? We’re sure he’s a good manager, even if his Haifa side got stomped over in the UCL a bit like Rangers did, albeit they managed 7 goals and a win over admittedly hapless and falling Juventus, who are about the same level as Ajax these days. And yes, both of them are rubbish, it’s just Rangers and Haifa are even worse.
But replacing Gio with this guy – yes, it’s what you’d call ‘conjecture press’ whereby a site or individual proposes a player, a manager, and that suggestion then turns into an actual link by lazy press elsewhere looking for hits.
No, there’s no link between Bakhar and Rangers, but it is nice to see how much ex-Celtic people do keep talking about us.