Martyn Waghorn can’t escape flak from Celtic fans.. even at the park with his son

[ian1964 10,596]

MARTYN WAGHORN can handle criticism.

 

The Rangers striker insists he will take all the flak that flies his way.

 

And for those 90 minutes he’s at work each week, he’ll accept abuse from opposition fans.

 

But Waghorn insists a line has been crossed when it starts to affect his family life.

 

He knew life in Glasgow could be pretty intense, but he wasn’t banking on the bile spat his way in the wake of Gers’ 5-1 defeat to Celtic last month.

 

In the week video footage emerged of pal Kenny Miller being taunted in a supermarket, Waghorn, 26, revealed he too has suffered at the hands of a mindless moron.

 

Reflecting on the madness of the Old Firm rivalry, he said: “It can affect you.

 

“It’s mostly people in the street, or it could be when I was in the park with my little boy.

 

“He’s coming up for four, and after the previous game Celtic fans were coming up and having a pop. I just think there’s a time and a place for it, but it’s one of those things.

 

“You have to deal with it and if you react to it then they have won, haven’t they? I just laughed it off, but it just shows how crazy it is up here.

 

“It’s on a different level, but it’s Rangers and win, lose or draw against any opposition you are scrutinised — and it’s part and parcel of playing for a huge club.

 

“I’ve got used to it, I’ve learned how to deal with it and we have as a group as well.

 

“Good or bad, it’s going to be big and it’s important how we react to it.”

 

Waghorn knows a win for Gers at Hampden tomorrow would go a long way to silencing those critics.

 

Although he only came on as a sub, the striker still shared in the shame and embarrassment of THAT 5-1 drubbing.

 

But he’s warning it’s a different animal the Hoops will face at Hampden.

 

Waggy stressed: “It’s been important we didn’t dwell on the Celtic game too long.

 

“We didn’t approach the game the right way last time – but the way we lost hurt the team as a group and as individuals, and we’ve gone back to basics and kicked on from there.

 

“We gave Celtic more time than we should have, we were not in their faces and pressing them. Maybe that was the new faces, but it could have been a number of things.

 

“A standard has been set and we know as a group we can be better.

 

“We took it on the chin, we accepted it and it hurts. But we looked at the negatives and the positives, and as a group we are encouraged to speak.

 

“We all had our opinions on it, and we all spoke about what we could do better, and what wasn’t so good, and we’ve really benefited from it.”

 

Waghorn was crocked and missed the Scottish Cup win over Celtic last season, now he’s desperate to dazzle at Hampden.

 

He said: “I was disappointed to miss the semi last season through injury.

 

“Then the result wasn’t great a few weeks ago.

 

“But we’ve learned a lot and changed as a team from that game at Parkhead.

 

“We have developed, and a few little issues have been sorted.

 

“The little bits were to do with how we pressed as a team. One or two were maybe off the boil that day, and it was just bits and bobs that were tightened up so we can play on the front foot.

 

“Overall defensively we’ve been solid, we’ve pressed and worked and as a group, we’ve developed over the last few weeks.”

 

Waghorn recognises Celtic start the match as favourites.

 

Yet he believes that if Gers match the intensity of their performance last April then they can progress to the final.

 

He added: “The intensity of our play in the last cup semi-final against them when we won was right. We were brave on the ball and played out from the back. I don’t think Celtic were ready.

 

“At Parkhead the tempo was down for a number of reasons – it just wasn’t us.

 

“We’ve learned to play high energy and tempo, that’s what Rangers are about, that’s what the gaffer has instilled in us, and we learned a lot about ourselves that day.

 

“It’s important how we get the ball forward.

 

“The way we play from the back is brave, and when it comes off you get the rewards.”

 

Waghorn is likely to start alongside Miller — the man who hit his 100th goal for Gers last week.

 

Waggy said: “Kenny’s been fantastic from the first minute I came in.

 

“He’s guided us through playing for Rangers. He’s an experienced guy who’s been here and done that, I’m delighted for him.

 

“He deserves it for the work he puts in, day in and day out on the training pitch.

 

“It’s no surprise he’s still going on stronger than ever. He’s some guy, and for a team with such a young squad it’s important we have someone like Kenny around.

 

“I’ve nothing but good things to say about Kenny.”

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/7251079/Martyn-Waghorn-cant-escape-flak-from-Celtic-fans-even-at-the-park-with-his-son.html

[scotjo 19]

MARTYN WAGHORN can handle criticism.

 

The Rangers striker insists he will take all the flak that flies his way.

 

And for those 90 minutes he’s at work each week, he’ll accept abuse from opposition fans.

 

But Waghorn insists a line has been crossed when it starts to affect his family life.

 

He knew life in Glasgow could be pretty intense, but he wasn’t banking on the bile spat his way in the wake of Gers’ 5-1 defeat to Celtic last month.

 

In the week video footage emerged of pal Kenny Miller being taunted in a supermarket, Waghorn, 26, revealed he too has suffered at the hands of a mindless moron.

 

Reflecting on the madness of the Old Firm rivalry, he said: “It can affect you.

 

“It’s mostly people in the street, or it could be when I was in the park with my little boy.

 

“He’s coming up for four, and after the previous game Celtic fans were coming up and having a pop. I just think there’s a time and a place for it, but it’s one of those things.

 

“You have to deal with it and if you react to it then they have won, haven’t they? I just laughed it off, but it just shows how crazy it is up here.

 

“It’s on a different level, but it’s Rangers and win, lose or draw against any opposition you are scrutinised — and it’s part and parcel of playing for a huge club.

 

“I’ve got used to it, I’ve learned how to deal with it and we have as a group as well.

 

“Good or bad, it’s going to be big and it’s important how we react to it.”

 

Waghorn knows a win for Gers at Hampden tomorrow would go a long way to silencing those critics.

 

Although he only came on as a sub, the striker still shared in the shame and embarrassment of THAT 5-1 drubbing.

 

But he’s warning it’s a different animal the Hoops will face at Hampden.

 

Waggy stressed: “It’s been important we didn’t dwell on the Celtic game too long.

 

“We didn’t approach the game the right way last time – but the way we lost hurt the team as a group and as individuals, and we’ve gone back to basics and kicked on from there.

 

“We gave Celtic more time than we should have, we were not in their faces and pressing them. Maybe that was the new faces, but it could have been a number of things.

 

“A standard has been set and we know as a group we can be better.

 

“We took it on the chin, we accepted it and it hurts. But we looked at the negatives and the positives, and as a group we are encouraged to speak.

 

“We all had our opinions on it, and we all spoke about what we could do better, and what wasn’t so good, and we’ve really benefited from it.”

 

Waghorn was crocked and missed the Scottish Cup win over Celtic last season, now he’s desperate to dazzle at Hampden.

 

He said: “I was disappointed to miss the semi last season through injury.

 

“Then the result wasn’t great a few weeks ago.

 

“But we’ve learned a lot and changed as a team from that game at Parkhead.

 

“We have developed, and a few little issues have been sorted.

 

“The little bits were to do with how we pressed as a team. One or two were maybe off the boil that day, and it was just bits and bobs that were tightened up so we can play on the front foot.

 

“Overall defensively we’ve been solid, we’ve pressed and worked and as a group, we’ve developed over the last few weeks.”

 

Waghorn recognises Celtic start the match as favourites.

 

Yet he believes that if Gers match the intensity of their performance last April then they can progress to the final.

 

He added: “The intensity of our play in the last cup semi-final against them when we won was right. We were brave on the ball and played out from the back. I don’t think Celtic were ready.

 

“At Parkhead the tempo was down for a number of reasons – it just wasn’t us.

 

“We’ve learned to play high energy and tempo, that’s what Rangers are about, that’s what the gaffer has instilled in us, and we learned a lot about ourselves that day.

 

“It’s important how we get the ball forward.

 

“The way we play from the back is brave, and when it comes off you get the rewards.”

 

Waghorn is likely to start alongside Miller — the man who hit his 100th goal for Gers last week.

 

Waggy said: “Kenny’s been fantastic from the first minute I came in.

 

“He’s guided us through playing for Rangers. He’s an experienced guy who’s been here and done that, I’m delighted for him.

 

“He deserves it for the work he puts in, day in and day out on the training pitch.

 

“It’s no surprise he’s still going on stronger than ever. He’s some guy, and for a team with such a young squad it’s important we have someone like Kenny around.

 

“I’ve nothing but good things to say about Kenny.”

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/7251079/Martyn-Waghorn-cant-escape-flak-from-Celtic-fans-even-at-the-park-with-his-son.html

 

Sums them up right now, if I saw one of their players out and about with family or not I wouldn't even acknowledge him.

[aweebluesoandso 290]

Creepy obsessed manky vermin, and that's being nice to them.

[StuGers 477]

The thing you've got to worry about is this: if this is what they are like when they are winning, how bad is it going to get when they are losing again?

[jhunter 0]

they are the scum of the earth.

[Norris Cole 0]

To paraphrase Brendan Rodgers, they are strange human beings.

 

Last week it was Kenny Miller being abused in Asda, now another of our players being accosted while out with his wee boy.

 

What kind of sub-80 IQ mentality does this sort of stuff? As a previous poster said, I wouldn't give a toss if I saw, say, Scott Brown in Tesco.

 

But hey, this is the atmosphere in Scotland in 2016, with the full congruity of the powers that be.

 

Am I being paranoid, or has the atmosphere in Scotland gotten nastier since the SNP won a majority in the Scottish Parliament?