A week is a long time in football and what a week it has been for Celtic captain Scott Brown! Ordered off for blowing on Kyle Laughatme at Ibrox on Sunday but then national hero on Wednesday when he netted the winner in Craig Levein's first match in charge of Scotland.

Scott Brown celebrates ©Getty Images

I don't want to start this Celtic blog off with a list of excuses for Celtic's latest defeat at Ibrox as it would really just sound like sour grapes and that is the last thing I would want, especially as it would only add to the already huge grins on the faces of the Gers support who might stumble on the site.

Going into last Sunday's Old Firm match at Ibrox the club knew that this was a must win match and that is why manager Tony Mowbray gambled on the fitness of on loan striker Robbie Keane and the gamble almost paid off if it had not been for "front page headline grabber" Allan McGregor making a couple of fine saves.

Celtic went into the match at Ibrox with an inexperienced centre of defence with young Thompson and Rogne and apart from early nerves they coped well with the best partnership in Scotland since Fran and Anna-Boyd and Miller!

Coupled with the fact that Braafheid, Kamara and Keane were new to this stage it was a huge gamble by the manager.

The Hoops could have taken the lead in the first 33 seconds when Robbie Keane watched as Allan McGregor blocked his effort.

The usual frantic pace of an Old Firm game was to be expected after this early chance for Celtic and the home side would not just sit back and admire their opponents attack minded approach.

Rangers had their first sight at goal when Kris Boyd tried the breach the Celtic defence but the on rushing Artur Boruc forced the striker wide and his shot could only find the side netting.

Early exchanges were proving fast and frantic and it was no surprise that Robbie Keane came in for particular attention from the Rangers defence and in particular Madjid Bougherra who was paying very close attention to the Irish striker on more than one occasion and after a crude foul on Keane from behind the Rangers defender went into the book of McDonald and this was only after 6 minutes of play!

You would have thought then that the big Rangers defender would have to watch his step for the rest of the game but not the case.

I was thinking to myself as I watched the game, this could be one of those days when cards could be coming out all over the place and I didn't need to wait long for the next one to come out as Fortune was then booked for a hand ball.

As the clock clicked towards the ten minute mark, McGeady was fouled by Bougherra-foul number one after being booked by the big Rangers defender.

Both sides seemed to be cancelling each other out with no quarter given or asked in the first half and it was no surprise that chances were slow in coming, which is more than can be said about the injuries!

Rangers lost Lee McCulloch after what looked like a knock from his own player Kevin Thomson and he was replaced after 26 minutes by Maurice Edu, another Super Mo?

Well almost for the Gers as with his first touch he found the back of the net but lucky enough it was ruled out for a hand ball against Kenny Miller.

The one thing that was a disappointment as far as Celtic were concerned was the injury to the excellent Rogne who was replaced by O'Dea on 31 minutes after the young Celt went down holding the back of his leg.

There was much at stake for both sides but extra pressure on Celtic to try and chip away at the Rangers lead so going in at the break on level terms with Rangers would have been considered a result that could have been taken advantage of.

Much as was the case in the first half, Robbie Keane coming in for some crude challenges and again it was Bougherra who made the challenge-foul two by the big Rangers defender after his yellow card.

Rangers by now were putting more pressure on the Hoops defence and Steven Davis, the man who scored the winner at Ibrox in the game last season, had his effort saved by Boruc.

O'Dea is caught by a challenge by Miller and the Rangers man is next in the book.

After an hour, Tony Mowbray decides on a change and takes of the ineffective McGeady to replace him with Samaras, not a change that the Celtic support might have expected but the Irish winger was not at his best v Gers and players like Sasa Papac and Steven Whittaker coped easily with the Irish winger.

Soon after the change came the moment that would change the match in favour of Rangers as both Kyle Lafferty and Scott Brown clashed as they went for the ball and the Irish forward fell to the floor as it looked as if the Celtic captain had put his head into the Rangers striker's chest.

In my view both should have received a yellow card each but this was not the case as referee McDonald decided to give the Celtic captain a red card and totally ignore the part played by the Rangers striker.

Tony Mowbray and his team felt that they had been dealt a very harsh decision indeed and tried to get this card over turned as the SFA throughout their appeal and now Scott has a further two match ban.

This meant Celtic would be under pressure for the remainder of the match, a match in which they dared not lose.

Soon after another Celt would go into the book as N'Guemo fouled Boyd but the Celtic defence cleared the danger.

But the home side put Celtic under pressure with again Davis trying his luck but the Celtic number one was in fine form and again he blocked the effort.

As the clock ticked down it was clear the worse or maybe the best that Celtic could hope for was a point but as the clock ticked by 90 you had this horrible feeling that something was going to happen as Rangers started putting more pressure on the Celtic goal.

Sasa Papac broke free in the box and had his shot saved again by Boruc but at the expense of a corner.

Rangers swung the ball in again and Boruc blocked from Boyd from close range but it fell to Edu who poked the ball home to win the match and possibly the championship for Rangers in one of their most difficult of seasons.

For Celtic they must look to their next match and that is away at Falkirk on Sunday and by that time the club could be 13 points behind Rangers.

Many words have been spoken since Sunday by fans of both clubs and many have said that Scott Brown should never have been given a red card but somehow McDonald saw different?

Could Celtic's beef with the SFA earlier in the week when the Parkhead mole decided to release that kind of statement about strange decisions that have been the club's undoing this season.....maybe but was this the time to bring it out?

As Walter Smith pointed out after the match, "It would be nice if they were going to criticise the referee then they come out of the closet and do it, rather than do it in an anonymous manner."

I know big Billy said in a national newspaper that Celtic have suffered this kind of thing for years some I remember and some which I have been told this week by my big Celtic mate Joe who said he remembered that the Celtic team nearly walked off at Ibrox after another strange decision but were told by Jock Stein, "We have to be bigger than this!"

I know all team gets decisions against them and Rangers fans will point to loads also but sometimes you really do wonder?

In my opinion I think it worked against Celtic and if the club wanted to bring this up with the SFA then they should have left it till the end of the season.

I could not end the article on the Old Firm match without a comment or two about the fools who shamed both sides by shouting during the minutes silence for Gerry Neef, is it too much to ask to pay respects to a former player for one minute? Should we go back to the applause? Maybe that way no one can show their ignorance during that!

Also why oh why was a Celtic fan waving an Argentina top when Simon Weston was attending the game? Many human beings have given their lives during wars over the years, all creeds, all colours and that man has had more suffering since his time in the Falklands, is it too much to expect a little respect for him? I don't want this to turn into an anti-army rant either!

Anyway Scott Brown became everyone's pal again after ending Scotland's jinx in friendly matches when he netted the winner v the Czech Republic in Craig Levein's first match in charge of the national side.

I must say the Czech were easy on the eye to watch but the Scots may adopt the winning ugly or hard to break down approach in the future and if that gets them to the Euro Championships then I would be quite happy.

Other International results of note
England 3 Egypt 1
Rep of Ire 0 Brazil 2
Albania 1 N.Ireland 0
Wales 0 Sweden 1

Scotland will play Sweden on August 11th in another International friendly

Scotland's win under Craig Levein saw the return of Kris Boyd to the International scene after his desire not to play under George Burley, when he took the "its ma baw and yer no playing" attitude but now he is back and I must say it was a mixed reception when he appeared no matter what anyone said and I think the Scotland fans still have reservations about anyone turning their backs on their country and not just because he is a Rangers player, if it was anyone say Wayne Rooney did not want to play under Sven but returned under Fab, I think the English would have reservations about that.

Before I sign off for the week, a few things to bring up: Hope for a speedy recovery to Aaron Ramsey at Arsenal; that was a horrible injury for the youngster and hopefully he will make a full recovery.

And thoughts and prayers for the family and friends of Keith Alexander who died suddenly at the age of 53.The Macclesfield manager who managed Lincoln City and Peterborough United among many other clubs and played for Kettering, Stockport and many other lower league clubs and St.Lucia on the International front, will be sadly missed by all who knew him as he was thought of in very high regard by all, God Bless him and may he Rest In Peace x

Remember all the hatred and fall out from last week....football is just a game we all love and have opinions on, it’s when we lose sight of that and the bitterness and hatred takes over then it is just not worth it.

Too many loud mouths and not enough characters in the game, Keith was a character and he will be a huge loss to the game.

Enjoy your football and each other’s opinions no matter who you support!