Exclusive interview with Alan Hutton: “I can’t compare the North London derby to the Old Firm.”

Speaking exclusively with FootballPredictions.com, former Scotland and Rangers defender Alan Hutton has discussed the Premier League, Scottish Premiership and more.

Hutton has given his thoughts on Rangers’ chances of a domestic treble after their back-to-back wins over Celtic and Max Dowman’s loan links away from Arsenal.

Other topics include comparisons between the North London derby and the Old Firm derby, Roberto De Zerbi at Spurs, Sebastian Pocognoli with Scotland and more.

Alan Hutton on Aston Villa

Bojan Jovanovic: What does Alejandro Garnacho need to change to turn things around at Aston Villa after Unai Emery’s comments?

“It’s a strange one with Garnacho. I even thought when Villa moved to bring him to the club, I wasn’t so sure because technically he wasn’t coming off the best seasons before at Chelsea, so it was a bit of a strange one.

“But I know how Unai Emery works. You have to be dialed in one hundred percent focused, giving everything in training to get into the first team first and foremost. So that obviously has to be better because he’s only played thirty-one minutes of football and he’s openly spoken about how he likes Alysson, Johan Manzambi, George Hemmings, these guys are ahead of him.

“So there’s a lot of work to be done. There’s no doubt in his quality. I think there’s a player within there, and Unai Emery feels he can get it out. He’s only twenty-two years of age, so there’s a lot more to come, but he needs to one hundred percent focus on everything he does.

“When he gets the minutes on the pitch, he’s only had thirty-one so far, but he has to do better.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Zion Suzuki got rave reviews against Spurs, can he go on to be even better than Emi Martinez was for the club?

“Huge shoes to fill for Zion Suzuki. Emi Martinez has been absolutely tremendous at the football club and he’s moved on, he’s got the move that he wanted. So Suzuki coming in, of course, not many people knew about him coming from Parma.

“He’s only twenty-four. And from what I’ve seen so far, I think he’s been brilliant from his distribution to his saves. I think he’s only going to get better with time and he totally fits into Unai Emery’s way of playing.

“He has to be good with his feet. He needs to play with the back. He needs to be brave on the ball. And he’s all these things at such a young age. So I think he’s gonna be a top goalkeeper for Villa moving forward.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Nicolas Jackson is playing like he has a point to prove, can he be a real threat in the Champions League this season?

“Nicolas Jackson has been very positive. I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. He’s been that focal point for Villa. What Unai Emery did well with previous strikers like Duran and Watkins, he wanted them to play as an out and out striker.

“Don’t worry about going out wide and dropping back. Even though he does technically do these things from time to time, he uses these attributes, running forward, getting in behind, using his pace and the skill set he’s got, that’s what he has to focus on.

“I do believe that Unai Emery will give him that confidence to do that and we’ll see more goals from him. I think that was the question mark. He gets himself into good positions, but he doesn’t necessarily take everything.

“I just feel so early on he’s got a good understanding with the players around him and he’s showing real quality. So I feel he’ll go from strength to strength. There’s some big games coming up and I’m sure he’ll thrive there.”

Bojan Jovanovic: When both are fit, will it be very hard for Aaron Wan-Bissaka to take Matty Cash’s place in the first-team?

“Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matty Cash? I think you always need competition to drive each other. It’s always a main factor when you go to big clubs, there’s going to be a lot of games.

“If you look from previous seasons, for example at left-back, when Digne was there and Maatsen was there, depending on the team that they were playing against, kind of opposition they’re up against, do they need somebody that’s a little bit more attacking or a little bit more defensive?

“I think that’ll come into play. Yes, I still feel Matty Cash is the number one right-back at this moment in time. But depending on what the manager needs in a game plan, I think that’s who he’ll choose.

“So there’ll be opportunities for both of them to play a large number of games this season.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Looking at Man Utd defensively, would Victor Lindelof walk back into that team? Was letting him go a big mistake?

“Victor Lindelof is an international player and he had a long spell at Manchester United. You just look at that back four at the moment in time. It’s been there for a number of seasons.

“They are leaking goals. Would there be opportunities if he stayed? Yeah, probably. I still think he’d be in that rotation where he wouldn’t necessarily be your first-choice centre-back, but he would still play games and he could help them along.

“So I think he’s done well at Aston Villa. I think it’s probably the right move. He’ll get more game time there.

“But you still see the frailties at Manchester United at this point in time. So you would think if he was at the club he would still get a chance.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Is there pressure on Taylor Harwood-Bellis at Aston Villa? How will he feel having missed out on the Champions League squad?

“I think Taylor Harwood-Bellis has got bags of potential. They’re of course looking to the future as well. He will get game time. He missed out on the Champions League squad which obviously is a shame for him, but there will be opportunities to play. I think it’s about learning how Unai Emery wants to play out from the back, being brave on the ball.

“He will be devastated by the Champions League call, you’ve just signed for a club for thirty million, you’re a young guy, you want to go there and show your ability and stuff and you don’t quite make it, but there’s plenty of time.

“I just feel like he’ll need to understand the way Villa play and you need to be dialed in with it, because if you get it wrong you can make mistakes. So it’s going to take him a little bit of time to get up to speed with it.”

Alan Hutton on Rangers

Bojan Jovanovic: On current form, would you make Rangers favourites to go and beat Celtic to the title this season?

“Are Rangers favourites? I think Celtic fans will be worried at this moment in time because they have seen what the Rangers team are capable of.

“The thing with Rangers is can they do that consistently? They’ve shown the level that they can get to, but you need to be there week in, week out.

“Celtic have done it for a number of years now, and yes, they’ll be a little bit nervous, but they’ll still feel that they can go the distance. They’ve only played seven games, thirty-one to go, plenty of football, so Celtic will feel they can.

“I think Celtic will be slight favourites, even at this moment in time, after the kind of two defeats to Rangers, one in the cup, one in the league. But Rangers, if they get to that level consistently, can definitely challenge.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Can Derek McInnes lead this Rangers side to a domestic treble?

“Rangers will want multiple trophies, absolutely. I mean, it doesn’t matter whether Rangers are in bad form or whatever, or whether the team at the start of the season doesn’t look great.

“Fans go into the new season stating ‘treble’. That’s the bar. Celtic have won it for a number of years so that’s the bar for the two Glasgow clubs.

“Unfortunately, Rangers have fallen short. I think this is probably a real sense now from this Rangers team that they can go and do something like that. It’s easy to say it, it’s harder to go and do it.

“They’ve got their foot in the semi-final. Again, the fans will feel that they should go on and win that. It’s not going to be easy, but there’s an opportunity there.

“Without European football, you’ve just got the domestic side to really focus on. That’s what they’ll be aiming for, this hasn’t changed since I was there. So it’s always going to be the same. The pressure’s there, it’s whether they can deal with it or not.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Kevin Kelsey wasn’t a cheap signing, will fans be expecting big things?

“Fans will expect goals from Kevin Kelsey. It doesn’t matter who wears that shirt, who’s playing up front, the number nine for Rangers should be getting a number of goals per season.

“I think it still needs a little bit of time. He’s come straight into the team without really knowing his teammates and stuff. So it’s going to take a little bit of time to adjust.

“With Youssef Chermiti being out long term and Lawrence Shankland out for around three months, there’s going to be a heavy load on his shoulders.

“The quicker he can get up to full speed the better, but there have still been some very good signs from him early on.”

Bojan Jovanovic: With no European football to contend with, can that be seen as a positive for Rangers?

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s a massive disappointment. I mean, that’s what Rangers and Celtic are built for, to be in European competition. For Rangers of late it’s been difficult, and this season the exact same.

“But I think you have to try and take the positives from the negatives, where you’re not playing Thursday-Sunday, it’s just kind of game by game and you need to focus domestically.

“If they can get the first cup under their belt, which again is going to be difficult, but if they can, they can build on that confidence, that momentum into the league and into the Scottish Cup.

“So not many people will say it, but deep down they’ll be thinking Rangers should be challenging for a treble. I know that’s a massive thing to say this early, but that’s just the expectations of this club.

“It might help them that they haven’t got European football this season.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Martin O’Neill has said that he will consider his future, do you feel like he is running out of the enthusiasm he had for the role last year?

“Martin O’Neill is mid-seventies now, he came in last season and did incredibly well over two stints. He’s ended up winning the league, which was a crazy season for everybody involved.

“I think it’s going to come down to if he feels he can do it. I mean, he’s had backing from the board. They want him to stay, they feel that he can get the team out of the situation they’re in. So it’s really going to be down to him.

“Nobody’s questioning what he’s done in the past. He’s been an exceptional manager over the years. So it’s really going to come down to him if he feels he can turn the ship around, ’cause it is a difficult period.

“He’s probably not had many of them over his Celtic career, so it’s really going to be down to him. But he’s definitely got that about him that he can do it if he wants to.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Cameron Carter-Vickers was quite strong in his reaction, is it a concern?

“When you get asked certain questions right after defeats, it can be difficult. I mean, the emotion’s there, and part of me understands it as an ex-professional. Sometimes you just need to take a beat, sit back, relax, and then go in and answer the question.

“That’s something that should be kept in-house personally. Carter-Vickers shouldn’t really be telling the media that sort of stuff.

“If he’s got questions for the hierarchy or the backroom staff, then you say it behind closed doors and then sort it out that way, because it then just becomes a big problem if it’s out in the open and everybody’s talking about it. So it’s not ideal.”

Bojan Jovanovic: You played for Rangers in the Camp Nou against Barcelona, what does the club need to do to get back to those days?

“Playing at the Nou Camp was special and growing up through my Rangers career, that’s what it was always about. It was always built on being good domestically, but wanting to do well in Europe.

“I think with how Rangers have been over a number of years now, they need stability. That’s the big thing for me, stability within the club. The constant changes of managers and players, rinse and repeat, it doesn’t help.

“So stability within the club, which I think Derek McInnes will give them, the consistency then of winning games and winning trophies domestically can lead to having success in Europe.

“I think that’s how it has to develop. And it might take a number of years, but to build on that stability and consistency, that’s how you become a better team overall to compete with the bigger teams.

“It’s going to take a number of seasons, I would think, but they’re trending in the right direction just now.”

Bojan Jovanovic: How would you compare the Old Firm derby to the North London derby having played in both fixtures?

“Obviously I’m going to be biased because I’m from Glasgow and I grew up in and amongst it, and as soon as you’re born you’re either one or the other and that kind of lives with you forever.

“So I’m always going to lean towards that. I just remember playing in games, whether it be Celtic Park or Ibrox, where it wasn’t even a song you heard. It was more of a noise, like a buzz. That’s all it was, like a ringing in your ears, that’s all you could hear.

“You couldn’t speak to the player next to you because it was so loud, and just with everything the way I grew up, it meant so much to me, of course.

“The North London derby’s big, and I was fortunate enough to play in it. We were always the kind of underdogs going into the games, whereas the Celtic ones more often than not are fifty-fifty.

“So I think that kind of gives an added hype as well. But I’m always going to be a little bit biased and pick Rangers vs Celtic.”

Bojan Jovanovic: You spoke in the past about how you initially resisted leaving Rangers, do you wonder how your career would’ve been different if you had stayed?

“I don’t tend to look back on my career and think ‘what if’ or if I’d done something different, I’m happy with the way it panned out. But it’s probably the one thing for me, leaving Rangers in January 2007. I should have stayed till the end of the season.

“I was under a lot of pressure to go from both sides, Rangers and Tottenham, and I eventually made my decision.

“But looking back now, I think if I’d stayed till the summer, of course Rangers got to the Europa League final as well that season. It would have been something I’d have played in at Manchester City as well.

“So it would be something that I would have loved to have been part of. So it’s probably one of the only things that I look back on and think, maybe I could have changed that.

“I mean, it went on for pretty much the whole of January. I was getting told I had a plane arriving to take me down. I didn’t turn up for it. I was saying no at one stage, like, ‘That’s it, absolutely not, I’m not going.’

“I spoke to Daniel Levy a few times, which is a bit strange for a player moving from one team to another, and they kind of talked me round into what they were trying to do, how they were moving the team forward, and I thought, look, there’s an opportunity to go and play in the Premier League, it’s difficult to turn down.

“But yeah, I wish I’d just waited until the summer.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Celtic and Rangers are among a long list of sides keen on a January loan for Arsenal’s Max Dowman, would that be great for his development?

“Max Dowman is a top, top talent. I mean, he’s got the world at his feet. The thing for him is doing the best for his development moving forward, and he needs to pick the right club that suits his profile of player. So would he do well at Rangers? Yeah, of course.

“Celtic are also playing in European football. Domestically it’s a tough league, it’s definitely tough and physical. That being said, I think teams still look at Scotland and think it’s maybe a lower level than what he could maybe go and play down south.

“The list will be as long as your arm to take him on loan. So it’s an interesting one to watch and see how it develops, because he’s a top, top talent, no doubt.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Defender Olwethu Makhanya has impressed since joining Rangers, is he a bit of a maverick?

“Olwethu Makhanya is a Rolls-Royce of a defender. He never looks like he breaks a sweat. I think he’s going from strength to strength. He’s probably right now Rangers’ best signing, I’d probably say, in terms of the quality that he gives game by game.

“He’s very consistent, and at the weekend there, he was excellent. He’s been asked at this moment in time to play in a back three, which is really quite wide, so defensively he has to be on point in terms of his 1v1 defending, but not only that, it’s when he’s breaking forward, he’s doing it with confidence, he’s breaking the line, he’s making passes.

“I mean, the problem with that is he’s playing at such a high level that you understand that other teams will be looking at him. I mean, he’s only just arrived at the club, but that’s the feeling that you get, that he’s only going to get better.

“So he’s had a great start to his Rangers career and let’s just hope it can continue in this vein.”

Alan Hutton on other Premier League developments

Bojan Jovanovic: Can Sunderland beat teams like Juventus and Milan to go and win the Europa League this season?

“Sunderland can dream. I mean, you just have to look at Aston Villa last season and what they went through and what they achieved. It’s more than possible. Is it going to be hard? Of course it is. I mean, the bread and butter is going to be the league.

“They want to be consistently playing at a high level in the Premier League. But that’s what I think helps them, should I say, because week in, week out, you’re getting tested by top opposition. I think it’s the best league in the world.

“And no disrespect to the Italian league or the Spanish league or whatever, I just don’t think it’s at the level that it used to be. So I don’t think they should fear any of these teams.

“Yes, there’s some big opponents within that competition, but I don’t think they should fear it. They’ve got off to a great start, so why not dream?

“I mean, they’ve not been there for goodness knows how long, so go and dream and try and get the results that they need to get as far as possible.”

Bojan Jovanovic: If Spurs lose to Man Utd after the break, should that be the end for Roberto De Zerbi’s time at the club?

“Man Utd vs Spurs It’s such a big game already. I mean, to spend the money that they’ve spent, over three hundred million, do I think they’ll get it right with De Zerbi? I do. I genuinely do think they will get it right. I think that the squad is too good.

“They need to become a team. It looks like individuals at this moment in time. They have lots of possession, move the ball around, but then it gets to the final third and it’s like they run out of ideas. I always thought they needed a top, top striker to elevate them to that next level.

“It goes with the territory. Will he be under pressure if he doesn’t win? Absolutely, yes. I mean, I’m pretty sure he signed like a five-year contract, so it’s not going to be easy to get him out of that.

“But if the results don’t come… It’s a results-driven business, and if you don’t get them then you’re always going to be under pressure. I think he will get it right. I do think he will get it right, but it’s been a very difficult start.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Harvey Elliott didn’t get many chances while on loan at Aston Villa, what will he find hard about Spanish football this season?

“I went through a difficult time at Villa for a number of seasons and I went on loan to Spain and it was as if I just forgot about everything that had happened before. I really enjoyed my football. It’s technical, it’s different from the Premier League, it’s not as physical.

“I think it will definitely suit Harvey Elliott’s attributes because he does want to get on the ball, he wants to get in pockets of space, he wants to make things happen and score goals. So it’s about playing games and getting that confidence back.

“We all know he’s a good player, he’s just had a difficult couple of seasons. So even if he learns the language, if he gets in and about the different culture, you can just have a total change of mindset with a view to possibly coming back and doing something back in England.

“I had other opportunities out in Spain after my short spell there to go there full-time, so it opens up different doors for you moving forward, and I think he’s probably at a crossroads where he needs to end up making a decision and go somewhere where he feels the love, where he can play week in, week out.

“I think it’s a good move for him, especially with the style of player that he is. I think he’ll really fit into the Spanish league.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Is it just a matter of time before Nottingham Forest come good under Oliver Glasner’s leadership?

“It’s just a matter of time before Nottingham Forest come good under Oliver Glasner. It’s not been the best start. I think it takes a little bit of time to get your philosophy and your ideas across.

“There’s been a lot of change within that club, a lot of different managers, a lot of different ideas, and I think it’s about having that reset, getting the team playing how he sees it should.

“It doesn’t happen overnight. I mean, at times when they’re at home and they’ve maybe not had the best performances, can they go and break teams down?

“It took a little bit of time at Palace, but you look at what he’s done. I mean, they won the Conference League, the FA Cup, the Community Shield. He has won trophies at a team that you’d maybe think has punched above their weight a little bit.

“So I believe there is a top, top manager within there that gets the best out of players and I do feel eventually, if he’s given the time, he can do it at Forest.

“The only problem with that club at this moment in time is they change managers really quickly. So he’s going to have to get going, but I do believe he’s a top manager.”

Bojan Jovanovic: If Everton fans want to get back into Europe, will Jack Grealish be the key?

“If Everton want to get back into Europe, Jack Grealish will be the key but they’ve got some really good, talented players within their squad.

“If they can get Jack to the level that he’s capable of, it’ll be a massive plus for them. I mean, he’s a guy that when the chips are down, if you’re struggling, you can give him the ball and he makes something happen.

“That’s just how I’ve known him throughout my whole footballing career and then even after that, again, he’s been a guy that’s had a difficult couple of seasons, whether it be not playing or dealing with injury.

“But there’s no doubt about his talent, it’s always been there and when his confidence levels are high and he’s playing week in, week out, he can do some incredible things.

“For Everton to make it to the highest levels, I think guys like Jack have to be at their best. So I’m sure David Moyes can get it out of him, and Jack wants to be at that level again. So if he can, yeah, he can definitely improve them.”

Bojan Jovanovic: While at Everton, is it an almost impossible task for Jack Grealish to be a starter in the England team?

“Jack Grealish for England? There’s so much talent. It’s so difficult to get into that national team. When you think even in the summer of the likes of Cole Palmer and people like that not even getting into the squad, it’s always going to be difficult.

“Jack, when he was in the England squad and doing really well, was when he was flying at Manchester City. He’s more than capable, but I feel that his main focus right now will be on club football, getting back to the level where we know he can play, being fit, and being ready week in, week out.

“That’s where he’s getting to at this moment in time. If that comes after, then brilliant. If not, I think he’s what, thirty-one now? He’ll understand that.

“But of course, any player wants to play at that level. So it’ll be interesting to see how the season moves on for him and develops.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Having played alongside him, do you think Gareth Bale is the greatest British player of all time?

“People will go all the way back to Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Gazza, like all these types of players, and then you move it forward to Giggs, Rooney, Lampard.

“So it just really depends what kind of era you were into. I think Bale, not just because I played alongside him, but just in general for what he’s done in the game, five Champions Leagues, he’s won La Liga like three times, and everything else that he’s done as well.

“He’s won something like twenty-two or twenty-three trophies, I think. And at one stage he was probably the most talked-about footballer on the planet. So he was that good.

“He did have a little dip, which I found strange at Real Madrid when the fans were on his back. But overall, as a British player, he’s definitely in the conversation.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Luka Modric is a part owner at Swansea City, could he still do a job in the Championship next season after his contract is up at Milan?

“Luka Modric probably could run games for Swansea at 41. I still remember him when he first came to Tottenham for about sixteen million and it took him a little time to kind of bed in and things, but when he got going, I’ve never seen a player like it.

“So comfortable, so cultured, outside of the right foot, left foot, he could do everything. And to still be playing, with everything that he’s done in his career to this point, to still want to be involved is quite incredible.

“Do I think he’ll go and play with Swansea? No, I don’t. That’s my honest opinion. But to be invested in a football club, I hope that he would have a say in it because he’s got so much to give in terms of his knowledge and what he’s done in the past. So it’s brilliant to see.”

Alan Hutton on international news

Bojan Jovanovic: In appointing Sébastien Pocognoli, have the SFA taken a huge risk or do they have nothing to lose?

“I always think it’s a risk when you go in a different direction. But I’m not scared of that fact. I think Steve Clarke did an incredible job in terms of getting us to the Euros and the World Cup. It was just when we got there, it felt like they weren’t getting to that next level. They weren’t showing their best ability, I felt, the way they did in the qualifying campaign.

“I think somebody new coming in with fresh ideas, new thoughts, you see the difference in the squad. I think there are fourteen different players from the World Cup squad already.

“So he’s pulling in a different direction. I think it’s time for that. I mean, this is the moment, you’re starting the new Nations League, you’re going to go into the Euros qualifiers.

“This is the time to do it. So of course I want him to do well, and I just want him to free up the players that we know have their quality and can make the difference. So I’m interested to see how it goes on Saturday.

“Of course there’ll be pressure on them. There always will be after what Steve Clarke’s done, but it’s about getting to the next level now, going and competing at the highest level when you’re in tournament football. So yes, it’s a risk, but I think it’s the right moment to do it.”

Bojan Jovanovic: With Slovenia up first, does this feel like a huge game for Scotland to set the tone for their new era?

“It’s a big game in terms of setting the tone. Sebastian Pocognoli wants to play on the front foot, he wants to be aggressive, he wants to create opportunities, probably like a lot of managers now, wants to build from the back. So there’s been a lot of change.

“But implementing that style quickly, and can he do it? I think this is ideal for him because we’ve never really seen an international break this length. So he’s going to have a lot of time on the training pitch with them to get across his ideas.

“It’s how quickly they take that on board and put it into games. So it comes round really quick, but a good opportunity for them to start something against Slovenia.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Switzerland come after, will that be the toughest game for Scotland in their Nations League group?

“The Nations League was brought in to take away just random friendlies, so I think they’re competitive games. That’s what you want to move your team forward. Switzerland’s going to be difficult.

“I think they’re ranked something like fourteenth by FIFA, and they went to the quarter-finals of the World Cup. It’s not going to be easy. But these are the teams you want to test yourself against.

“You don’t want it to be a walkover, it very rarely is now in international football, but you want your team to develop against top sides so when you move on to the Euros you’re ready, you know the system, you know how you want to play, and you’re ready to go.

“So it’s a good opportunity for this team moving forward.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Does Scotland not qualifying for a home European Championship not even bear thinking about?

“Scotland not qualifying doesn’t bear thinking about, absolutely not. They’ve done so well previously to get to the Euros and the World Cup.

“The problem is when they get there, they’ve kind of been a little bit like a deer in the headlights. Maybe the pressure’s got to them a little bit, so it’s about getting over that.

“The last games at Hampden weren’t great, so if they were to qualify, I think they’ve got a great opportunity to qualify, it’s about taking it to the next level. You can’t even think about not getting there.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Several players have pulled out of the England squad, do you think it means more for Scottish players to represent their country?

“I’m not sure. I mean, look, it’s definitely a huge pool for England with the amount of talented players they’ve got playing at a high level, it’s very difficult to get into that squad.

“Is Scotland a little bit different? Maybe. I always loved playing for my country, I can only talk from my experience. The only reason I would pull out is if I was injured.

“But the flip side to that coin is I understand that nowadays players can be playing seventy games a season, it is a lot and maybe to a fan they kind of think, it’s just a game of football, but it is a lot on your body, and if you have got nagging injuries, coming from the World Cup in the summer straight into pre-season and back into tough, tough games week in, week out in European football, it can kind of pile up.

“So only they’ll know individually what they’re carrying and what the problem is. But I do understand that there is a heavy workload.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Josh McPake has earned his first ever senior Scotland call-up, can you see him back at Rangers one day?

“It’s brilliant for Josh McPake. Everybody thought he was going to be a star when he first came through at Rangers. Sometimes that scrutiny so young can be difficult, and he’s had to take a step back to then come forward.

“His real breakout season for me was last season at St Johnstone, where he scored a number of goals, had Player of the Year performances, played at a high level, got his move to Hearts, and he’s really kicked on again. I mean, you even see him physically.

“He’s built up, he’s become bigger, stronger, he looks quick, and rightly so, he’s in the Scotland squad. So his momentum is definitely going forward, definitely moving on the up.

“You feel that we’re starting to really see the player that we saw in his younger years with the potential, but he’s actually fulfilling it now.”

Bojan Jovanovic: How exciting is it to see Robbie Ure getting his first call-up?

“Robbie Ure’s call-up is great. It’s an area where Scotland maybe over the years have been lacking a little bit, a guy that you know is going to consistently score.

“Robbie Ure, I saw him at Rangers when he was a young boy, maybe eighteen, and you could tell that he had ability. It’s funny, I was actually just listening to an interview that he gave and he spoke about how at eighteen he didn’t feel he was good enough to play with Rangers at the time.

“That’s a massive step, to step away from that but back yourself as well, that you can be good enough. That’s exactly what he’s done. Anderlecht, then moved to Sevilla for huge money, I think it’s eight or nine million. His confidence is high. So getting a guy into the squad like that, I think, is excellent for the national team moving forward and for himself.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Are you pleased to see Oli McBurnie back in the squad after missing out in the summer?

“It was definitely a strange one because Oli McBurnie was in the Scotland setup for a long-time. I don’t think he’s played in maybe about five years. I don’t know exactly what happened in terms of the breakdown maybe between himself and Steve Clarke.

“I know there were conversations between them. He had a great season last season with Hull in the Championship scoring goals and providing assists, and now he’s playing in the Premier League.

“I think he’s about thirty-ish so he’s still got a lot left in him. I think it’s an area where Scotland needs more. They need more options and he definitely gives you that.

“He’s definitely confident in his own ability. But I’m happy that he’s now been given another opportunity, he just now needs to go and grab it with both hands.”

Bojan Jovanovic: At the moment, how many Celtic players would get into Rangers’ starting XI? Is there a case to say Rangers now have the best players in Scotland in every area of the park?

“To be totally honest and only going on form at this moment in time, I would say no Celtic players get into the Rangers XI. If you’d asked me this question a month ago, it would have been a lot different, because Celtic started the season well, Rangers didn’t.

“There were a lot of new players that were trying to bed in. So going on just form, I don’t think there’s any that would get into the Rangers team at this moment in time.”

Bojan Jovanovic: Assessing Rangers’ transfer window, how would you rate it out of 10 and why?

“It’s taken the new signings a little bit of time, and I always thought there would be such a big transition from last year, especially with the manager and then I think it’s fourteen players that have come in.

“I was a little bit worried at the start of the season, but now I’m looking at it with the likes of Kim Min-su, Makhanya, Penrice. Shanklin was scoring goals before his injury. I think things are starting to look up.

“I’d probably rate it round about seven out of ten. I think there are still players within the squad that need a little bit more time to adapt to a new culture, a new environment, the expectations of the team.

“But overall, I’d say about seven, it’s starting to come good now. We’re actually seeing Derek McInnes’ side.”

Bojan Jovanovic: After back-to-back derby drubbings, should Celtic fans fear this Rangers team? Do you think the balance of power is shifting in Glasgow this season?

“I think there will be a worry at Celtic after the previous two games. If you look at Celtic as a whole, the bigger games that they’ve played in, the likes of LASK, Ferencváros, the double against Rangers, they haven’t been to standard.

“I think over X amount of years Celtic have been miles in front. So they haven’t really had to worry so much about Rangers, but this is probably a moment in time where going into the international break, they’probably a little bit fearful.

“Having said that, they’ve been through the course multiple times, have won so many trophies, they’ll feel that they can still claw back, but I think there will be a small amount of trepidation moving forward at this moment in time.”

Bojan Jovanovic: After the way last season ended for Derek McInnes at Celtic Park with Hearts, how sweet will that have been for him at full-time on Sunday?

“He wouldn’t say it out in public, but Derek McInnes would have absolutely loved it after what happened to Hearts last season. I know that for sure.

“Rangers were also going into these two games under pressure. They were, especially after the exit from European football. These were two huge games. So to get through to a semi-final against Aberdeen, the winner plays one of the two Edinburgh clubs, he’ll feel that he can go the distance in that.

“As well as the way last season finished, obviously it was very difficult at Celtic Park. So to then back the league after the cup and win away at Celtic, it’s very sweet for him, I’m sure.”

About Alan Hutton

Alan Hutton is a former Scottish footballer who played for clubs including Rangers FC, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, and the Scottish national team during his active career (from 2002 to 2014).

Throughout his career, Hutton played over 400 official matches, winning titles such as the Scottish Premiership and the English Football League Cup. Alan Hutton, also known as the ‘Scottish Cafu’ or the ‘Scottish Pitbull’, played as a right-back and was known for his incredible work rate, stamina, and aggressiveness in physical duels.

Today, Alan Hutton works as a football analyst and media expert.