‘I’m rubbish anyway’ – Rangers player axed by Clement issues ‘Mental’ Celtic clash admission

The pressure to perform well for Rangers in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox, according to Connor Goldson, is “mental.”

The Light Blues defender clarified on the Talking Transitions podcast on April 23 that he is less concerned with his individual play and more focused on the team’s performance and outcomes in Celtic matches. He believes that winning doesn’t matter if the team loses, and he feels like a garbage player regardless of his play.

The 31-year-old, who has long been the club’s best option for his position, has struggled with form this season and contributed to a subpar defensive effort in the 3-3 derby draw on April 7.

According to Goldson, who spoke to the Daily Record, “It’s difficult, not difficult, but I would be lying if I sat here and said you don’t feel any pressure.” When I first arrived, I wanted to play well because I was thinking about my career and myself. I was like, “Okay, focus on you, play well.” But now, all that matters to me is winning; it doesn’t matter if I play well or poorly; obviously, you want to play well, don’t get me wrong. But what matters most is the outcome; if you win, that’s fantastic, and if you lose, that’s terrible.

“As you get older, especially now, you realize that the team’s victories hold greater significance than your own. Even if I perform well in an Old Firm game and we lose, you still lose the league because I’m garbage. Since the Old Firm will, in all likelihood, decide a season, even if I perform poorly there, you win—you’re amazing—and the league. There is a good chance that if you perform well in any of the four, you will win the league; conversely, if you perform poorly, you will likely lose it.

“You know your supporters expect you to be aggressive and to make tackles when you’re playing at home; a tackle in an Old Firm game is a goal, even if it’s a 50/50 tackle. At home, the place will literally go boo if you lose it. That’s how insane they are; all they want is your commitment and your passion. That’s how they live.

 

Leon Balogun replaces the Rangers defender in the Hearts victory
In recent weeks, Goldson has faced a great deal of criticism as the Light Blues’ performance collapsed after an impressive run through January and February.

Although the center-back hasn’t played at his best this season, a run of results that nearly ended the title race came about as a result of James Tavernier’s own decline in form and Ridvan Yilmaz’s injury at left-back interfering with Philippe Clement’s selections.

This month’s derby at Ibrox required a comeback to salvage a point, as the back line seemed to be affected by the pressure Goldson has mentioned since the opening minute.

Celtic now has the initiative again, but Goldson may be headed for a spell out of the starting lineup after Rangers turned things around with a 2-0 victory over Hearts in the Scottish Cup semifinal.

It would be a mistake to undervalue his recent contributions, both on and off the field, and predictions are that he will be a member of the squad come next season even though the manager is expected to make a significant roster purge.