The Old Firm Derby is a kind of fixture that still sends shivers down the spine owing to the animosity that exists between Rangers and Celtic. While the former are a side rebuilding itself after a huge fall off their perch in the recent years, the latter have developed themselves as a formidable side facing whom the fellow Scottish top tier outfits consider a nightmare.
The latest derby between these two sides saw them sharing the points and intriguingly, an unlikely hero on the day at the Celtic Park was Clint Hill. The fixture got inked in the pages of history as another memorable clash of these two gigantic outfits as the former Queens Park Rangers defender bagged a late equaliser to spoil the Celts’ party and save his side’s blushes. But owing to the contributions he has made so far for the Gers, is it high time for the board to hand him a new contract?
The 38-year-old was welcomed at Ibrox Stadium in the summer and he has only seen an upward trajectory in his form so far. With 21 appearances across all competitions, Hill carved a name for himself in the starting line-up on a regular basis by being rigid at the back. Frankly speaking, Celtic’s Moussa Dembele was kept quite in the derby by the resilience of Hill as he marked him well throughout the game and gave the sensational Frenchman very little space to work on.
When Mark Warburton was at the helm, he was well aware of the value which Hill provided and was plotting for an extension of his contract which expires in the summer. However, he concluded his association with the club last month and as a result, Pedro Caixinha has been handed the reins of the club. Nonetheless, it is required from the Portuguese to take a similar stance with respect to his veteran defender’s contractual situation.
The central defender hasn’t only been a reliable commodity for the Light Blues this campaign but has arguably also been their best performer as well. The 38-year-old might make Caixinha contemplate on dishing out a new deal considering his age, but his performances have definitely given evidence that he is still capable of plying his trade at the top level. He might not be a long term solution but he can definitely assist Rangers to construct a platform from where they could reclaim their status once again in the Ladbrokes Premiership.
