STILIYAN Petrov claimed last night that Rangers have made a huge error by axing Kenny Miller – because they no longer have someone to perform the vital role that Tommy Burns did for the Celtic team he played in or Scott Brown does with the current side.
Miller has been suspended by the Ibrox club along with Lee Wallace pending an investigation into a dressing room bust-up with manager Graeme Murty following the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final on Sunday.
However, it is believed the 38-year-old, whose contract with the Ladbrokes Premiership club expires next month, will not play for his boyhood heroes again regardless of the outcome.
Petrov, speaking after playing in the John Hartson Foundation annual golf day at Trump Turnberry, believes getting rid of the lifelong supporter will backfire badly on a team who were thrashed 4-0 by their city rivals at Hampden at the weekend.
He recalled how the late great Burns – a man he refers to as Mr Celtic – drove home to him and his team mates what it meant to play for the Parkhead club on a daily basis.
The Bulgarian has no doubt his constant badgering helped them to enjoy great success in both Scotland and Europe under Martin O’Neill and then Gordon Strachan in the 2000s.
Petrov believes that Brown, the central midfielder and captain who once again bossed a game against Rangers on Sunday, does exactly the same thing with Brendan Rodgers’s men.
“I would keep guys like Kenny because they know how to lead and can explain what Rangers is all about,” he said. “You need guys like that.
“Celtic have that with Scott Brown. When I was there, we had Tommy Burns, Mr Celtic. Every game, he would tell us how important it was, what it means to the fans, what they’ll do if we win or lose. Every single day.
“When you have that history right in front of you, you know what you are playing for. As people say, if there is no history, there is no future.
“It’s a big problem for Rangers. If you don’t know your history, you won’t create a future. I was lucky to play for Celtic when it was explained to me every single day. If you have a history and legacy, let everyone know.
“I believe that most of the Rangers players don’t really know what it is to play for the club. You can see it.
“If you have the pleasure to play for a club like Celtic or Rangers, you really need to understand it. If you don’t, you are in big trouble. And I think Rangers are in big trouble.
“Players are signing for Rangers in an era when Celtic is just too strong. But sometimes you need to stand up and fight. And fight every single week. It looks as though when the Celtic games come, they are not ready to fight.”
Petrov added: “You can see the reaction of Kenny Miller and I am not surprised. I have played against Kenny and he is the kind of man who doesn’t like to lose. It hurts a lot – and will hurt for years to come – and Kenny knows that.
“He has been with Rangers through some tough times so he knows how important it is for the club to get back on their feet. I don’t know what has happened behind closed doors. A lot of things happen and there are always two sides to a story.”
Petrov, who won 10 major honours during his seven years with Celtic and was a first team regular during their unforgettable run to the 2003 UEFA Cup final, believes airing home truths in a dressing room is healthy for a side.
He has questioned whether Murty, who now looks unlikely to be kept on as manager beyond the end of the 2017/18 campaign, commands the respect of his players and can cope with the senior members of his squad voicing their opinions.
He saw John Barnes lose his job after a half-time rammy during the infamous Scottish Cup defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle back in 2000 and suggested Murty may suffer the same fare.
“When I played, we had strong characters,” he said. “We had guys who didn’t like to lose. The manager didn’t have to motivate us or tell us what we were doing wrong. We knew.
“We had arguments. Some things said hurt me, some things said hurt other players, but you leave it behind. It’s a bigger picture there.”
Petrov continued: “But we also had a manager who could control us, tell us when we were doing well and how to put something right.
“But as for Kenny, you need someone to get at and tell people the truth. Tell them what it’s all about. Do you know what? Some managers don’t like that these days.
“John Barnes didn’t recover. If you want to be a good manager, you need to be able to do it. These days, it’s how you control and lead your team.”
Stiliyan Petrov was speaking at the John Hartson Foundation annual golf day at Trump Turnberry. The event was for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. The Hartson Foundation aims to raise £1 million by 2020.
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