Danny Rohl acknowledges Rangers turnaround after comeback win at Celtic
Danny Rohl acknowledged his remarkable Rangers' turnaround following a sensational 3-1 comeback win over Celtic at Parkhead.
After the German's first game as Gers boss in October saw him having to apologise to the travelling Light Blues fans following a thumping 3-0 Europa League defeat by Brann in Bergen which dumped them bottom of the league phase table with no points from nine, as they sat sixth in the William Hill Premiership, eight behind Celtic and 13 behind leaders Hearts.
Rohl has transformed the Ibrox club's league season since and the win over their Old Firm rivals extended his record to nine wins, two draws and a defeat although that looked unlikely when South Korea international Yang Hyun-jun scored a terrific solo goal in the 20th minute as the home side dominated the first half.
However, in a breathless second-half, Rangers' much-maligned £8illion striker Youssef Chermiti scored twice in nine minutes before Mikey Moore added a third to take the Ibrox men level on points with second-placed Celtic with Rohl and his players taking the acclaim of the ecstatic 2,000-plus Gers fans in the corner of the stadium.
The former Sheffield Wednesday boss said: “Yeah, look back to my first game in Bergen, how it was there, I think it was a difficult moment.
"Now we have two and a half months later, a completely different moment.
"Our fans, our supporters celebrate single players, they support us as a group, but I know as well we are a demanding club, and it's not about enjoying it too long, it's about the next (game), and I'm hungry for more.
"My group is hungry for more, and let's continue our way, and we have a great second half of the season.
"I think for us it was a perfect game for a story. I think to come back after 1-0 down is not an easy way.
"In the first half the opponent deserved to be in the lead.
"We were more aggressive for 50-52 minutes. They were more on it than us, they played in behind.
“But then we turned it back to our side in the second half. We were incredible.
“And then the second story, of course, with Youssef, who scored. I think this is what we want to see.
“So big respect to my group of players. The belief was there in the half-time. We spoke just about tactical things, to change something in the pressing.
“And we were up in the first minute in the game in the second half."
Rohl was pleased to see Chermiti, heavily criticised since signing in the summer from Everton, double his Gers goal tally.
He said: “Yeah, it starts I think in the last couple of weeks.
"He worked for the group, he's smart. I think you saw today, he's also very aggressive with his body.
"He can keep the ball, he can carry the ball.
“Sometimes it's on the forward, you need this momentum.
“He was outstanding in one-against-one situations, but especially as a group in the second half, we were connected, we were organised.
"We played much more in behind to give them problems, and it was, for me, a key moment in the game.t"
“It will give him more and more belief.
"I think I saw from the beginning something on him, but it was more ups and downs, and now it's about consistency."
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