Bert and his Rangers rocket that Arthur Numan draws parallels with task facing Beale and Co

Bert Konterman spent his first few months in Glasgow being battered from pillar to post.

But with one mighty swing of his right boot, the big Dutchman struck the blow that eventually helped Rangers knock Celtic off their perch.

And he’s exactly the kind of unlikely hero that Konterman’s friend and Gers legend Arthur Numan believes Michael Beale could do with as he prepares for Sunday’s potentially season-saving showdown at Hampden. Konterman’s screamer in the 2002 League Cup semi-final came as much of a surprise to Hoops goalkeeper Rab Douglas as it did his own team-mates and their supporters.

He may have been a Dutch title winner with Feyenoord before moving to Scotland but Konterman's early performances after joining Dick Advoccat’s side had the Ibrox faithful scoffing at the £4.5million fee the Little General had splashed out on the defender. But all that changed with the priceless winner he fizzed past Douglas at Hampden to kick-start Gers’ resurgence under Alex McLeish.

The 25-yard wonderstrike ended Hoops hopes of back-to-back Trebles and while Marton O'Neill's team did go on to claim their second straight SPL crown, it was McLeish’s team that stormed to another stunning Hampden triumph in that year’s Scottish Cup Final - a victory that proved to be springboard for an Ibrox clean sweep the year after.

Now Numan is keeping fingers crossed that Sunday’s Scottish Cup last four showdown can provide Beale’s Light Blues with a bounce of their own.

He said: “When I assess things right now, I can see some similarities between what we faced when I was a player in the 2001-02 season. Celtic had won the Treble the previous year under Martin O'Neill. They were on course to win the title again quite comfortably.

“Change was