Rangers' routine victory over Hearts yesterday enabled the post-match talk around Ibrox to centre on just who will succeed Dick Advocaat rather than the match itself. The Dutchman admitted for the first time: "There will be a new manager but I don't know when. We will have to wait and see when we do it."
Advocaat is believed to be about to take on a new technical director's role at the club, leaving Hibernian's Alex McLeish, it seems, at the head of a queue to take over the Ibrox helm that also includes the former Germany and Holland coaches, Bertie Vogts and Louis van Gaal. A decision is expected at the club's a.g.m. a week tomorrow.
And so it was that rumour and counter-rumour overshadowed a match that Rangers had wrapped up in the opening 20 minutes. By then they were 2-0 up through a combination of Ronald de Boer and Russell Latapy, who exchanged passes for both goals.
First Latapy set up the Dutchman for a simple finish, and then the roles were reversed for Latapy's shot which deflected off Stevie Fulton and past Hearts goalkeeper Antti Niemi.
The visitors managed to get a goal back before half-time when Kevin McKenna's free-kick deflected off the defensive wall and past Stefan Klos. But, after 69 minutes, Rangers made the result certain with Shota Arveladze firing past Niemi after the Finn had saved a stinging Claudio Caniggia shot.
Rangers, however, may look to the Scottish Cup to stop another Celtic clean sweep after John Hartson scored twice for the Premier League leaders as they cruised past Dunfermline 4-0. Rangers will meet the Second Division strugglers Berwick, while Martin O'Neill's side were matched up with Alloa after the third-round draw was made yesterday.
Knocked out of the UEFA Cup on penalties by Valencia on Thursday, Celtic sent out an ominous message to their rivals that there would be no let-up with a four-goal feast in Fife. Bobo Balde put them one up after eight minutes and Hartson - who also hit two in the 3-0 win against Hibernian eight days ago - struck his first to put the home side 2-0 by the break.
The former Coventry striker headed his second from a corner on the hour and Alan Thompson blasted home a 30-metre volley to complete the rout two minutes later. Celtic's domination was such that they also struck the woodwork on four occasions.
DUNFERMLINE: Ruitenbeek; MacPherson (Skinner 45), Skerla, Scott Thomson, Ferguson, Hampshire, Mason (Dair 63), Nicholson, Petrie (McGroarty 71), Bullen, Crawford. Subs Not Used: Harrower, Nish. Booked: Mason, Ferguson.
CELTIC: Douglas; Mjallby, Valgaeren, Balde, Lennon (Sylla 66), Lambert (McNamara 47), Thompson, Guppy, Petrov (Maloney 73), Hartson, Larsson. Subs Not Used: Gould, Smith. Booked: Balde, Hartson, Maloney. Goals: Balde 8, Hartson 20, 60, Thompson 62.
Referee: A Freeland (Aberdeen).
RANGERS: Klos; Wilson, Amoruso, Vidmar, Ross, Ricksen, Latapy, Numan, de Boer (Hughes 71), Caniggia (McCann 73), Arveladze. Subs Not Used: Christiansen, Moore, Flo. Goals: de Boer 7, Latapy 20, Arveladze 70.
HEARTS: Niemi; Maybury, Pressley, McKenna (Boyack 74), Mahe, Flogel, Simmons, Gronlund (Kirk 85), Webster, Fulton (Wales 74), Fuller. Subs Not Used: McKenzie, McCann. Goals: McKenna 40.
Referee: K Toner (Scotland).
