Here we go again, Rangers supporters puzzled and tossing a bit of flak because the Ibrox managerial favorite happens to be Marco Rose. Yes, that Marco Rose, who apparently has a bit of a soft spot for Celtic. Can you imagine? The thought alone should send shivers down the spine of any self-respecting Rangers fan. It’s like installing your most despised foe as head of security inside your very own house. And yet, it is happening—or at least, that’s the expectation right now. And so, Rangers fans find themselves in a bit of a conundrum, along with the traditional managerial merry-go-round that usually accompanies this time of year.

Let’s not get it twisted—football is football. Managers move, and their allegiances shift with the speed of a winger blowing past a fullback on a breakaway. But what’s at stake in this move isn’t just a spot in the dugout; it’s something much more profound, something that goes to the very heart of what it means to be a Ranger. To their supporters, the idea of bringing in someone who might have once or could still in some part of their soul be a “Celt” is simply unimaginable. It’s hiring a guy who might, when he’s off the clock, be cooking for the wrong banquet.

The Major Issue for Rangers fans is that Marco Rose isn’t just a random name thrown into the speculation pot; he’s been linked with the job for some time now. Even given the club’s current financial predicament, it seems as if those in power at Ibrox are more than willing to pay whatever it will take to get the German to take the reins. And yet, in the last 24 hours, we’ve been hit with the bombshell that Rose is a Celtic fan. It’s fairly common knowledge that he’s very good pals with former ‘Bhoy’ Patrick Nevin. This is problematic for a couple of reasons: 1) It’s simply poor form for any manager to rock up at a club where they will be perceived as a supporter of the opposition, and 2) It’s not unreasonable for fans to wonder if Rose can handle the pressure cooker that is the Old Firm.

Rose’s arrival at Ibrox is so shocking that, even if he is able to put aside any old allegiances and focus purely on winning matches and trophies for Rangers, “could he build a team to challenge Celtic?” remains a question of some magnitude. That’s because, while Rose does indeed have an impressive track record—including a stint with Borussia Mönchengladbach, which he turned into a formidable unit and which he left to join Borussia Dortmund—Rangers is a different proposition altogether. The team he is inheriting from Steven Gerrard is one with a slightly reduced veneer of invincibility.

But really, can you fault Rangers fans for feeling a bit twitchy? Football loyalty isn’t just about numbers or strategies; it’s also about putting your heart into something. And once you’ve invested your heart into a decades-long fight against the enemy—an enemy that shares the city of Glasgow with you—it’s quite something to then have your own football club hire a guy for a key job who, even just a little bit, has ties to that enemy camp. That’s a lot to take in, even for a fanbase that’s used to having their emotions put through the wringer.