BERT KONTERMAN was at the eye of the storm. The calm never came for Rangers.

The Dutchman’s first taste of the Old Firm occasion was a whirlwind experience, his side humbled on the park and under-fire off it.

But, within weeks, Konterman was a derby hero. A 6-2 defeat had been turned into a 5-1 win, the pain at Parkhead replaced by euphoria at Ibrox.

Even by the standards of this famous fixture, the first two meetings of the 2000/2001 season were remarkable.

Dick Advocaat’s side were three down inside eleven minutes and a Claudio Reyna effort just before the break only gave the travelling Gers support a false hope.

Come the end of a frantic afternoon, Celtic had scored six, Barry Ferguson had been sent off and a Billy Dodds penalty was rendered meaningless.

“It started at half-time in the dressing room and the Scottish boys were angry at the continental players,” Konterman told SportTimes.

“They said ‘yeah, imagine what our neighbours will do, what our friends and family will say’.

“They said it didn’t matter to us because our families weren’t there and those kind of things.

“They were blaming us and I understood that because they had pride for the club. It was a wake-up call but for us it was too late and we couldn’t make it right in the second half.

“The following week, the papers were blaming me, Fernando Ricksen and another couple of players.

“Everyone was focused on the next match and what we would do. We had to win.”

Having clinched the double the previous season, there were high expectations on Advocaat’s side as the Dutchman continued to overhaul his Ibrox squad.

Konterman had finalised a £4.3million move from Feyenoord just week before the Old Firm showdown and was pitched into a game he had heard all about but had never experienced.

The 90 minutes at Parkhead was bad enough, but the fall-out was intense as Rangers attempted to haul themselves back off the canvas.

“We were new players so the pressure was on and the expectation were even higher at Ibrox after such a match before,” Konterman said.

“The fans were hoping for another championship so we had to put things right.

“It was not easy and I remember that it really touched me. You are walking around the city and left and right you hear things.

“It wasn’t nice but it is part of the game and you have to cope with that.

“After a few weeks, it became less and less and then before the game at Ibrox it started again so it was nice to win that game the way we did.”

Rangers had travelled to Parkhead with four Premier League wins on the board but it was Martin O’Neill’s side who emerged with an unbeaten record intact.

Defeat on derby day could have been a body blow from which Advocaat and his players never recovered but they didn’t have to wait long to get their revenge.

When the teams met again in November at Ibrox, it was the Light Blue legions who had the bragging rights as goals from Barry Ferguson, Tore-Andre Flo, Ronald de Boer, Lorenzo Amoruso and Michael Mols clinched a memorable 5-1 win.

“The first match at Parkhead was overwhelming,” Konterman said.

“It was the beginning of the season and a lot of players were getting used to the game in Scotland.

“We knew what the game meant but this one was extraordinary so we were surprised a bit by the intensity and the fighting spirit on the pitch I think.

“After that defeat and all the fall-out, it was a nice revenge to get the win at Ibrox.

“Everybody was so focused and concentrated to get a good result and we played very well.

“We spoke a lot in the dressing room the week before. We knew exactly the way Celtic were playing and everybody wanted to change things after the defeat at Parkhead.

“We were talking about how we should play and Advocaat changed it a bit and played three at the back.

“We went into that match knowing that we would beat them and it was only a case of what the score would be.

“It was a big score. There was a four goal difference at Parkhead and four at Ibrox.”

It is 16 years since Advocaat and his players bounced back from derby defeat to claim their own place in Old Firm folklore. The same challenge and opportunity now faces the current crop of Ibrox stars.

The 5-1 loss Mark Warburton’s side suffered last month is the lowest point of a campaign that has had few highs so far for the Light Blues.

Rangers head to Hampden this weekend with their sights set on a Betfred Cup final spot, but also with a chance to right a wrong and prove a point.

Konterman said: “They have to have confidence in themselves and the team. They have felt how it feels to play at Parkhead and they know how strong Celtic are.

“That doesn’t mean that they can’t beat them and the difference is not as big as the first game showed. I think they were a bit overwhelmed and surprised but now they know what happened.

“They have to learn their lesson and stay focused on what the team can do well. They are a good team, they have good players and now they have to prepare better than they did at Parkhead.

“It is just confidence and the results in the last couple of weeks have been consistent. They should have no worries and they can get a result.”