Chris Sutton declares Rangers boss Danny Rohl got ‘above his station’ before double Celtic gut punch

Chris Sutton declares Rangers boss Danny Rohl got ‘above his station’ before double Celtic gut punch

Chris Sutton believes Danny Rohl has been brought back down to earth after his bold pre-derby comments were followed by disappointment for Rangers F.C. in their recent Old Firm clashes with Celtic F.C..

The Rangers boss saw his hopes of silverware take a major blow when his side were knocked out of the Scottish Cup on penalties against Celtic on Sunday. That defeat came just a week after Rangers let a two-goal lead slip in the Scottish Premiership meeting between the two sides.

The results have left Rangers sitting third in the league table.
Speaking on the Record Sport Celtic Podcast, Sutton suggested Rohl’s earlier remarks had made him appear overconfident.

He said the German manager seemed to believe the growing hype around him and had unnecessarily involved himself in comments surrounding Celtic, including remarks linked to Luke McCowan and suggestions about how Martin O’Neill should approach European matches.
According to Sutton, such comments would not have impressed Rangers supporters, particularly given Rohl’s own poor European record.

He argued the manager would have been confident heading into the two derby matches at Ibrox, especially after Rangers performed strongly in the first half of the league encounter and for much of the cup tie.
However, Sutton stressed that results ultimately define success in Glasgow’s fierce rivalry.

He believes the setbacks against Celtic have served as a reality check for Rohl, adding that it is usually better for managers to let their teams do the talking on the pitch rather than making bold statements beforehand.

Despite the recent disappointments, Sutton has not completely ruled Rangers out of the title race. He said the team’s response to these setbacks will be crucial in determining whether they can still challenge for the championship.

Sutton also warned that both Celtic and Rangers face a serious task catching league leaders Heart of Midlothian F.C. in the title race.

Beyond the football, Sutton strongly criticised the ugly scenes that followed the penalty shootout at Ibrox. Celtic supporters flooded onto the pitch during their celebrations, while some Rangers fans broke through security barriers to confront rival supporters.

Flares and objects were thrown, a member of Celtic’s staff was reportedly attacked, and clashes broke out among sections of the crowd.

Sutton described the incidents as embarrassing for Scottish football, especially during a season that had otherwise brought positive attention to the game.

He stressed that fans should never enter the pitch, even during celebrations, and condemned the behaviour from both sides.

He also warned that the trouble could have consequences for future derby atmospheres. The return of Celtic supporters to the Broomloan Stand had improved the spectacle, but incidents like Sunday’s could lead to reduced away allocations again.

Sutton concluded that the majority of supporters understand the limits in such a passionate rivalry, but a small minority continue to spoil it.

He even questioned why some fans arrived wearing masks resembling comic characters, suggesting it hinted at trouble and something the authorities must address going forward.