Celtic hero urged Rangers star to avoid Ibrox move as Hoops could do with ace he told 'you can't go there'

Aiden McGeady played with Dan Neil at Sunderland and was impressed by his ex-teammate who scored two in Sunday’s 3-0 Old Firm victory for the Ibrox side. It’s sent them into the Premier Sports Cup semi-final stage and another derby awaits this Sunday at Celtic Park on Premiership business.

Rangers recruited Neil in the summer after his contract at Sunderland expired and admits he told the midfielder not to join Rangers. McGeady - who made 245 Celtic appearances - feels Hoops boss Martin O’Neill lacks a midfielder in Neil’s mould.

What Rangers star is suited for Celtic?

The 40-year-old explained: ““It's funny how football changes in the space of a few weeks because Dan Neil was getting criticised left, right, and centre for the last four or five weeks. It was only after the Motherwell game last week that people started saying that was probably his best game.

“I'd been saying this about Dan Neil because I played with him at Sunderland. I actually text him when I heard he was linked with Rangers and said, ‘Nah, you can't do that. You can't go there, mate.’ And he was like, ‘I don't know what's going to happen.’

“But he signed, and to be honest with you, I think he's one Celtic could have done with. He's a player who can transition from playing deeper to getting forward as well. He passes forward, he's really progressive, and he makes really good use of the ball. Not that I wanted it to happen for Dan Neil at Rangers, obviously not against Celtic, but he showed what I've been saying about him for a long time, and now people are seeing it.

“He played very, very well on the weekend, had fantastic finishes getting forward, and controlled the game, to be honest with you.”

Aiden McGeady on Rangers 3-0 Celtic

McGeady added on the game: “Rangers have been poor up until the last four games, but they've managed to find a way to win without really playing well. At the weekend, to be honest, it was an embarrassing performance from Celtic.

“It was passive and slow on the ball, just far too easy to play against. Rangers just looked hungrier. They had everybody fighting for every ball, winning most of the duels and second balls. Going forward, the 3-0 scoreline probably flattered Celtic, if I'm being honest, it could have been six. Having no away fans can sometimes play into Celtic's hands because when Rangers aren't performing, the crowd can get on their back and make them play with fear.

“But on the weekend, the crowd was fully behind them because of how they started. They started so well, and Celtic just couldn't find a way back. Celtic were really poor all over the pitch and offered very little going forward, creating hardly any chances. They just looked shell-shocked. Everyone going into this game thought Celtic would brush Rangers aside, but it was the complete opposite.

“Celtic have a big game next week against them again to try to change the narrative. They need to change what everybody's been saying, because that was probably one of the poorest performances I've seen from Celtic against Rangers at Ibrox in the last five or six years.”

McGeady was speaking in association with Boyle Sports |18+ | Gamble Responsibly