Monday 30 April 2018 17:21, UK
Rangers manager Graeme Murty has been "thrown to the garbage", according to Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers hit out at the treatment of Murty in the wake of his side's 5-0 victory over Rangers, which saw them seal a seventh consecutive Scottish Premiership title.
Chairman Dave King cast fresh doubt earlier on whether Murty would have his contract renewed in the summer shortly before Rangers' 4-0 defeat to Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-finals.
It then emerged that Steven Gerrard was the front-runner to take over in the build-up to Sunday's match.
After being asked about Gerrard, Rodgers told talkSPORT: "I'm a wee bit reluctant to talk on it too much purely because Graeme Murty has been put in a job.
"Last year he was under-20s coach and everyone was saying 'he's a good guy and he's doing very well'.
"And now because of a couple of defeats and it hasn't quite worked out, he's just been thrown to the garbage really and I think it's very, very discourteous.
"The guy went in there and he's done his very, very best in what looks like, from the outside, to be very, very trying and difficult circumstances."
The former Liverpool boss added: "Whatever direction Rangers want to go in, whether it's Graeme or someone from the outside, of course that guy will want some assurances. From Stevie's perspective, I know he has always wanted to manage.
"He started his badges along with Kolo Toure when we were all working together at Liverpool, and certainly it's something that will happen in the future. I'm sure one day he will go on and manage Liverpool.
"But it's all about timing for Stevie. If he feels this is the right opportunity then I'm sure he'll look at it, but I haven't spoken to him on it."