QUESTION AND ANSWERED

Rohl: We should never speak again about the mentality of this team... because they showed they've got character ín spades

- BY SCOTT MCDERMOTT

DANNY ROHL inherited a group of Rangers players who have constantly faced questions about their character and mentality. But the German boss says those accusations should STÓP after yesterday's defeat to Celtic at Hampden.

In his first Old Firm derby since taking over, Rohl suffered a heartbreaking loss in the Premier Sports Cup semifinal.

Left with 10 men after Thelo Aasgaard’s red card, Rangers defied the odds to take Celtic to extra-time thanks to James Tavernier’s late equaliser.

In the end, his side ran out of gas - their legs had gone by the time Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand put the tie to bed and sent Martin O'Neill's men to the showpiece.

At full-time, Rohl was dejected at the result but not by the performance.

He hailed his team’s courage in the face of adversity and claimed they looked favourites to win the match at 1-1, despite being a man down.

Rangers fans will point to the ropey display of ref Nick Walsh as to why they lost but Rohl will only focus on the positives.

Before, these players might have crumbled in a derby when a goal behind with 10 men.

And Rohl believes the fact they didn't fold gives him huge encouragement for the future.

He said: “Consistency is the next step for us. The last two results went in our direction but after a 3-1 defeat, everything isn't nice. It's still a defeat.