Kris Boyd demands Rangers answers from ex Everton duo amid criticisms as Celtic transfer fail bites again

Rangers and Celtic were both in action over the weekend in the latest game of their busy schedules.

The Hoops fired blanks again as they battled to a stalemate against Hibs, another 0-0 adding to draws with Kairat Almaty and Rangers by the same scoreline this season. They are two points off Hearts at the top of the league and face Braga in the Europa League on Thursday before returning to Premiership action against Motherwell.

Amid fan dismay over head coach Russell Martin, Rangers needed a second half stoppage time winner to get past Livingston. James Tavernier opened the scoring and Max Aarons cancelled out Mo Sylla’s Livi leveller. Next up is Sturm Graz in Europe before travelling to newly promoted Falkirk. Here are some of the latest headlines when it comes to both sides of the Old Firm.

Kris Boyd demands Rangers answers off ex Everton duo

Former striker Boyd wants to know what sporting director Kevin Thelwell and head of recruitment Dan Purdy really do at Ibrox. Both arrived from Everton in the summer and a £8m splurge rising to £10m on unproven Toffees forward Youssef Chermiti is being laid at their door amid recruitment criticisms. A tough start to the season wants Boyd seeing accountability across the board. He said on Sky: “Patrick Stewart’s got a lot to answer for, and the whole root and branch review of the football club is meant to be done. What are the answers to that? I don’t know. You then look at Russell Martin, he was out of work for a long period of time.

“It was between Russell Martin and Ancelotti to get the job. Russell Martin’s obviously managed a lot of games, but he’s going under a lot of pressure coming to Rangers, Ancelotti is a rookie, and that. I mean, he’s obviously coached for a long time. Why did it take that long to get to that stage? Kevin Thelwell came in as the sporting director. What’s his role in all this? I mean, he’s brought Youssef Chermiti to the football club, there’s no doubt in that, and he’s brought others.

“Dan Purdy, as well, the head of recruitment. So there’s other aspects of Rangers Football Club that are not functioning the way it should. Yes, Russell Martin’s the one that’s getting the blame for it, and that’s what happens when you’re the manager of a football club, but there are other aspects of Rangers Football Club failing right now as well, it’s not just the manager.”

Celtic transfer failure appears again

Stephen Craigan reckons it became clear on Saturday the lack of work Celtic have done in the striker department. Kelechi Iheanacho was scrambled in as a free agent after Adam Idah’s deadline day exit and he is still getting up to speed, with Kyogo not fully replaced since leaving in January.

The former Northern Ireland defender told Sportsound: “I looked at the stats. Any other day you win by three or four. Celtic at home, that amount of possession and those many chances, that's exactly what you're missing. It goes back to the centre-forward issue, doesn't it, when you talk about Kyogo, he's the kind of player, he wasn't replaced. That natural instinct as a centre-forward wasn't replaced.

I know Iheanacho has come in and he's done well and he'll get goals. But just when things are tight and things are compact and it's so congested in the penalty area, you need someone who can go and sniff a goal out and find themselves, in this case they probably shouldn't be able to get a goal. So that's exactly what they're missing, there won't be any panic from Celtic, they're still in a good place with regards to league. They still will fancy themselves absolutely to go on and win the title, but they'll be disappointed with their dominance they haven't managed to get three points.”