Mark Warburton takes his Glasgow Rangers side to Parkhead for the first meeting of the season after the international break.
Former Rangers striker David Healy
Former Rangers striker David Healy has told The Scottish Sun that Niko Kranjcar, Joey Barton and Clint Hill will not be overawed by the atmosphere that will greet them for the first Old Firm meeting of the season.
The Gers will travel to Parkhead for their first game following the international break. And while some of Mark Warburton’s squad will be remembering their triumph in the Scottish Cup semi-final, for many players – on both sides – the upcoming game will be their first taste of one of football’s most hostile rivalries.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton
But Healy has explained why he is expecting the trio of summer signings to have little problem adjusting to the special atmosphere that is created when the two giants meet.
“While a lot of the new players at Rangers have taken time to settle, they do have big-game experience to fall back on. Guys like Joey Barton, Clint Hill and Niko Kranjcar have all played in the Premier League,” he told The Scottish Sun.
Joey Barton
“Going to Parkhead won’t faze them – although they will probably never have encountered anything like the 100-miles-an-hour style which awaits them.”
In many ways, the Old Firm game may be the contest that the likes of Barton and Kranjcar have been waiting for.
The pair have arguably made lacklustre starts to their Ibrox careers. And while there may be several reasons for their slumps in form, it may be that featuring on the big stage is what they have needed as they look to prove exactly why Warburton brought them to the club over the summer.
Niko Kranjcar
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