Beyond the obvious sense of euphoria that came with the 3-0 win over Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup last weekend, you could understand if Ivor Pandur also felt a slight sense of disbelief.
The Rangers goalkeeper surely could not have expected to be so inactive and redundant over the course of the 90 minutes.
Such was the paucity of Celtic’s performance, there were long spells of the game when Pandur may as well have been sat in the stands watching it all from afar.
It should, in theory at least, be a different story away at Parkhead this afternoon. The expectation is that Celtic will be much-improved on what they produced at Ibrox.
Even accounting for a 3-1 defeat to Ferencvaros on Thursday night, the idea of Martin O’Neill’s side turning in another feeble display in an Old Firm derby would surely be unthinkable.
In any case, Pandur is ready for it. He is acutely aware that this is the fixture — and the venue — where Rangers goalkeepers can write their name into club folklore.
Ivor Pandur kept a clean sheet as Rangers beat Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup
Quite simply, this is where Rangers goalkeepers are forged. Andy Goram did not become ‘The Goalie’ solely on account of what he produced at Ibrox.
He made his reputation by pulling off some astonishing saves against Celtic at Parkhead during the nine-in-a-row era. Almost year after year, Goram would outdo himself.
For all Rangers were the dominant force at the time, there were some Old Firm matches where they were clearly second best, only to be bailed out by Goram’s heroics.
Tommy Burns jokingly asked for the line to be carved on his tombstone: ‘Andy Goram broke my heart.’ That is the currency of this fixture.
Allan McGregor, now back at Rangers as goalkeeping coach and the perfect mentor for Pandur, built a similar legend.
Huge saves at Parkhead, penalty heroics, the ability to stand tall when the rest of the team was under siege.
Stefan Klos and Chris Woods were another two Rangers goalkeeping greats who defied Celtic at various points over the years.
All of these keepers made saves that swung title races, that killed momentum, that sent 60,000 home muttering about the injustice of it all.
Pandur is grateful for the fact he can tap into McGregor’s knowledge. If he is to make a success of himself at Rangers, this is the fixture in which he needs to excel.
‘I would love it,’ said the Croatian when asked about the chance to deny Celtic in the same manner as McGregor, Goram and Co.
‘I will for sure give my best to help my team and do everything that’s needed for me to do. The only thing I can control is to give my best and support my team-mates in any way possible.
‘I think I am really lucky that I came here and to have him (McGregor) as a coach. He can give me some of the advice and experiences that he had playing for this club.
‘He has been through it all so I always have someone to ask. If there’s something I want to know or I don’t understand, I think it will help me really to have him by my side.
Andy Goram dives at the feet of Henrik Larsson during an Old Firm Scottish Cup tie in 1997
‘I think he was probably more stressed now than when he played! No, he was good. He’s a calm guy, doesn’t give too much information because he just wants to help and training is enjoyable. I can only say good things.
‘People can tell you about this derby, but when you step on the pitch and you hear the sound and feel the energy, it’s something different what I have experienced in my life.
‘So I am truly grateful that I was able to experience that at Ibrox last week. We know it will be different this week, but we are ready.
‘It’s big. We obviously know the games against Celtic are the biggest – you have the most to win and the most to lose. I have played in some derbies in Croatia and Holland, but nothing comes close to this.
‘But every game for us is equally important because it’s three points. Even against St Mirren or Motherwell that we played, those tough games, we managed to win.
‘We want to win, we give our best and everyone is here to win trophies. We know that’s our goal, our ambition, we will do everything we can.’
On the back of a resounding 3-0 win over their rivals last Sunday, a number of the Rangers players were pictured out enjoying a coffee together in midweek.
Derek McInnes spoke about the growing bond between his players and how it’s something that should be the hallmark of all good teams.
Especially given the scale of the turnover in the squad during the summer, and with so many new arrivals, Pandur stressed the need for a strong team spirit off the pitch.
A victory over Celtic on Sunday would see belief and togetherness grow even stronger if Rangers could close the gap on their rivals to just two points.
‘We have good togetherness, everyone knows what they need to do,’ added Pandur. ‘There is no one who is like a bad guy.
‘Everyone is supporting each other in good and in bad moments, which we’ve already had this season. The togetherness is really strong and hopefully we can show that.
Pandur claims a cross during last weekend’s Premier Sports Cup tie at Ibrox
‘I think we like each other because we are mostly young guys, far away from home. A lot of us who are living here alone can spend some time with each other, we don’t mind it.
‘It’s a really good group of boys and people, players. We are happy to have this. It helps, 100 per cent. I think in the beginning we still didn’t know, there were a lot of new players – me included.
‘So it takes some time for everyone to fit into the system, the way we play. Hopefully now everyone knows what they are doing and it is much better.
‘I like it in Glasgow, my friends and family and my missus they come all the time and they enjoy it. So most of the time there is always someone with me.
‘But also we spend a lot of time with each other outside so there’s never a moment when you are bored. There is so much to do and the city is good, so I am happy.
‘Coming here, every day, everyone comes with a smile. We enjoy training, enjoy the matches, enjoy playing in front of our fans and away.
‘Everything is starting to click and when you have good things outside, then you can be good in here.’
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