CELTIC MUST REMAIN CALM AMID RANGERS TAKEOVER HYPE AND BLUSTER
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Yesterday’s announcement of new owners at Ibrox caught many, myself included by surprise.
However, it’s done now, and the over-hyping, the totally unrealistic expectations, and of course the totally misplaced delusions of adequacy have already taken hold amongst the Ibrox loyal fanbase.
Yesterday's Radio Clyde Phone-in was as hilarious as it was pathetic.
As Rangers Takeover Rhetoric Reaches New Levels of Ridiculousness, Celtic Maintain a Dignified Silence
What should Celtic do about all this? Do they need to do anything? What are we likely to see from Celtic in response to all this hype around our reanimated rivals?
Most important of all, for both the Celtic board and the Celtic fans is that calm, cool heads prevail.
Also, let’s be honest in Brendan Rodgers and Dermot Desmond, we have two leaders equally potent in their own fields, but also equally prone to having their egos bruised.
Neither will appreciate the overwhelming sense of arrogance and expectation emerging from Rangers and their compliant mouthpieces in the media since yesterday.
Indeed, it was, apparently, a similar outburst of hubris in the directors’ box following a 2016 Scottish Cup semi-final win for The Govan One Pound 49ers, or whatever they’re calling themselves now, that prompted an angry Desmond to get the cheque book out in the first place and bring Brendan Rodgers to Celtic the first time around.
One has to wonder if Rangers have, inadvertently prodded that same bear (no the best choice of words, I know) once again.
As the image above suggests, I think Rangers may have just brought the proverbial sword to a gunfight, and the Celtic Board may just be about to pull the trigger.
The Celtic Board are many things, but stupid is not one of them.
They’ll have been keeping tabs on this Rangers takeover business for some time, and I am sure they will have a suitable response in the works.
Or at least, I hope they will. The fans have said it, the media has said it, and the manager himself has said it. Celtic need a refresh and yesterday’s news only makes this even more essential.
Like I said, we’re not suddenly going to be plunged into bidding wars for players with Rangers. I expect a great deal of financial pain is headed their way. Afterall, the only investment that has been confirmed so far, is 20 million via another share issue, which won’t even come close to clearing their existing debt, let alone bring in any new players.
If Celtic and Rangers both want a player, Celtic will get him, because we will always be able to pay far more than Rangers in their current financial state, new owners or not.
However, it won’t necessarily stay this way long term. Assuming that Cavenagh does have the logistical support of 49ers Enterprises, even without any inward investment, a more professional approach to everything at Ibrox will, naturally, lead to them bringing in more money, and probably using it more wisely.
A competent Rangers side, not a good one, just a competent one, would have run Celtic close for the league title last season. They utterly collapsed from February onwards, which allowed our own serious dip in form since the turn of the year to go largely unnoticed outside the Celtic support.
However, as I said a moment ago, this isn’t a time to panic. It is though, a time for Celtic to rethink their own operations. We need to be better in our player recruitment. We need to get business done in a far more timely, more professional manner.
For me, that starts with extensions for Brendan Rodgers and Daizen Maeda. Those two actions alone would be a serious statement of intent for the summer transfer window to come.
Rangers don’t even have a manager yet, and they will, in all likelihood have to sell before they can buy, bar one or two moderately expensive additions to pacify the hoardes.
I still believe Celtic can and will outspend Rangers considerably in the transfer market this summer.
I believe we will remain in command of our own destiny in Scotland, and I believe, assuming we get the players in in a timely manner, that we will make the Champions League Group Stages once again.
Rangers will have to navigate three qualifying rounds to do the same. Realistically, they’ll probably end up in the Europa League again, which to give them their due is a competition they seem to do quite well in these days.
Celtic still hold all the cards here, in terms of finance, personnel, and management. However, how we play those cards, over the next couple of months will ultimately determine how strong a hand we have, compared to our closest challengers at the start of next season.
I expect some kind of action from Celtic in the next week or two. Maybe not a big money signing, but something. Something to reassure the fans, and remind our enemies that we are still in charge as far as Scottish football is concerned.
Interesting times await. We welcome the chase.
