Kris Boyd’s Celtic Prediction Exposes Remarkable Rangers U-Turn Just 13 Days After ‘Pub Team’ Rant

Kris Boyd appears to have undergone one of the quickest changes of heart in Scottish football.

Just 13 days ago, the former Rangers striker was tearing into his old club after their humiliating European elimination against Jablonec.

Boyd labelled Rangers a “pub team”. He described their Conference League exit as an “all-time low”. He even questioned whether the pressure of the Rangers job was becoming too much for Derek McInnes.

Now?

Apparently, everything is rosy again.

Kris Boyd suddenly fancies Rangers against Celtic

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, Boyd has predicted a 2-1 Rangers victory over Celtic.

Fair enough. Pundits are paid to make predictions.

However, it is the remarkable change in narrative surrounding that prediction which deserves examination.

Discussing the consequences of a Celtic defeat, Boyd said negativity could quickly return around Martin O’Neill’s side and added: “The Celtic board will get it in the neck.”

Boyd even acknowledged Celtic’s “unbelievable start in the league” while constructing a scenario in which one cup defeat suddenly brings the pressure flooding back.

There is something almost comical about it.

Celtic entered Wednesday night with five Premiership victories from five, 15 points from 15 and a goal difference of plus ten. Rangers sat fourth with ten points.

Yet listening to Boyd now, you would think Rangers had undergone a footballing revolution since that dreadful night in the Czech Republic.

They haven’t.

What exactly has changed since Boyd’s ‘pub team’ verdict?

Rangers have won three league matches since their European exit, beating Aberdeen, Falkirk and Motherwell.

That is an improvement. Nobody should pretend otherwise.

But Rangers remain completely out of European competition this season. UEFA records show Jablonec eliminated them on penalties after Rangers managed to surrender their first-leg advantage.

Boyd’s reaction that night was extraordinary.

He called Rangers a “pub team”, labelled the result an “all-time low” and warned about McInnes’ position.

Then, days later, Boyd was again hammering Rangers’ recruitment, describing their transfer turnover as embarrassing and unsustainable.

And now we’re supposed to believe Rangers are suddenly in such rude health that Celtic should fear them?

Come on.

Celtic will certainly face a difficult match at Ibrox. Derby games don’t respect league tables, and nobody should treat Rangers lightly.

But Boyd cannot spend one week portraying Rangers as a shambles and questioning whether their manager can cope with the job, then rapidly transform three domestic victories into evidence that McInnes has turned everything around.

Most amusingly, Boyd appears ready to discuss the potential Celtic fallout before a ball has even been kicked.

Perhaps Sunday will prove him right.

But if Celtic knock Rangers out of the League Cup, somebody should probably remind Boyd exactly what he was saying about McInnes and his “pub team” less than a fortnight earlier.

His own words might make uncomfortable reading.