Celtic wrapped up an eighth consecutive league title with two games to spare when they swept Aberdeen aside at Pittordie earlier this month. They have already clinched the league cup and they can secure a third domestic treble in as many seasons if they beat Hearts in the Scottish Cup on May 25. To the casual observer, it might look as though Celtic’s domination of the Premier League has created a woefully stagnant competition. But if you scratch beneath the surface a little, you will see that the Hoops’ hegemony is in serious danger of fading.
Glasgow dominance is nothing new in Scotland. Celtic and Rangers have governed the division ever since Alex Ferguson won a second title with Aberdeen in 1985. Between them they have 104 titles, while Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs have seized just four apiece. Celtic’s dominance over the past eight years is a result of the 2012 ruling that saw Rangers placed in the Third Division after the club was plunged into administration as a result of financial mismanagement. Gers had won three league titles in a row between 2009 and 2011, but suddenly they were cast adrift into the wilderness.
That is what created a stagnant competition. For years Celtic had it all their own way, cruising to title after title without having to break a sweat. Yet now Rangers are back, emboldened and ready to challenge for glory once again. It has been a long and painful journey to get to this point. Despite losing virtually their entire first team, they clinched the Third Division title and won the League One the following year, but suffered a humiliating 6-1 aggregate defeat to Motherwell in the 2015 Premiership playoff final. They finally returned to the top flight in 2016, but they were in no fit state to challenge Celtic.
A Brave New Era at Ibrox
They burned through managers during this time – Ally McCloist, Kenny McDowall, Stuart McCall, Mark Warburton, Graeme Murty, Pedro Caixinha and Murty again – but now they finally appear to have a leader that can threaten Celtic’s dominance. Steven Gerrard has been a breath of fresh air in the Premiership since his slightly leftfield appointment last summer. He inherited a free-scoring team that was woefully leaky at the back, and he has transformed their fortunes on the pitch. He spent a net sum of £7.9 million, but totally overhauled the squad through loans and free transfers, and the progress at Ibrox has been impressive.
The stadium was rocking as James Tavernier and Scott Arfield handed Rangers a 2-0 victory over Celtic in the Old Firm derby on Sunday. It was a thoroughly dominant display as Celtic were restricted to a mere three shots on goal. Rangers totally nullified their attack, and they broke forward with purpose, dynamism and intelligence throughout. It was a complete performance from Gerrard’s men and it meant they have managed back-to-back home wins over the Hoops for the first time since they were plunged down to the Third Division in 2012.
It also moved Gers up to 78 points for the season, which is eight more than they managed in 2017/18. They are on a six-game winning streak, they are surging with confidence and, as seen in this spread betting blog, they are the clear favourites to beat Kilmarnock in their final game of the season. That would take them up to 81 points. They are already assured of a top two finish for the first time since 2012, as they are 14 points clear of third placed Kilmarnock. Last term they were the division’s top scorers, with 76 goals, but they conceded 50 and that cost them dearly. This time around they have banged in 81 goals, leading the way once more, but they have conceded just 25, as Gerrard has made them much more organised and disciplined at the back.
Big Summer for Celtic
Meanwhile, all is not rosy at Celtic Park. Inspirational manager Brendan Rodgers has decamped to Leicester, sparking an outpouring of fury among the fans. Neil Lennon is in the hot seat on a caretaker basis, but that defeat to Celtic represents a large black mark against his name, as the Hoops were outfoxed in every department. Newcastle’s Rafa Benitez has been linked with the job, and that would be a great coup, but they are unlikely to prize him from the EPL. The likes of David Moyes and Chris Hughton do not exactly get the pulses racing, and Celtic will have to think long and hard before making a managerial appointment this summer.
There are also significant concerns surrounding the playing staff. Several loanees are about to head home. Timo Weah will go back to PSG, while Hoops fans are unlikely to see Olivier Burke again, while Jeremy Toljan will go. Rodgers may allow the club to keep Filip Benkovic, who cost Leicester £13 million last summer, for another season, but that is not a given. Dedryck Boyata will leave on a free transfer after the club rejected a big money offer from Fulham last summer. Mikael Lustig and Emilio Izaguirre are said to want out.
There is a lot of deadwood in the Celtic squad and it needs a major shakeup in the summer. Jonny Hayes, Jack Nendry, Nir Britton and Marvin Compper ideally need replacing in the squad. However, Champions League qualifying starts in July and, with the managerial situation still unclear, there is not much time. A few important players have also lost their way somewhat of late, and the new boss will need to put an arm around the likes of Olivier Ntcham, Leigh Griffiths and Scott Sinclair in a bid to improve their performance levels.
Hoops Remain Favourites for Glory
However, Celtic retain a strong core of star talent and they are sure to be favourites to win next season’s Premiership title. The Hoops need to do their utmost to hang onto Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney this summer. James Forrest has already said he wants to be a Celtic player for life and that will give his club a huge boost. Kristoffer Ajer is going from strength to strength, Ryan Christie is a good player and Tom Rogic has the sort of flair that can win games. Scott Bain is a solid goalkeeper. Captain fantastic Scott Brown is still going strong at 33, but the club will need a succession plan over the next couple of years.
Yet it is undeniable that the gap between Celtic and Rangers is closing, and Gers fans smell blood. Suddenly they are in the ascendancy and their great rivals are looking wobbly. Glen Kamara, Steven Davis, Scott Arfield, Ryan Kent and Ryan Jack was just too much for Celtic to live with in Sunday’s Ibrox humbling, and Brown, Rogic and McGregor were made to look ordinary. They will surely respond in the transfer market, capitalising on their monetary advantage over Rangers, but Gerrard has proven himself to be a shrewd operator in that department too.
He is trying to create an elite environment in which new players can thrive, and it convinced several impressive players to move to Ibrox last summer. He has a big job on his hands in convincing Liverpool to loan him Kent for another year, but that is likely to go through. There are sure to be more intriguing youngsters at Anfield that he can borrow. The former England captain could raid the Premier League for more ageing stars like Jermain Defoe, keen for one last hurrah in Scotland. Rangers are now just two wins behind Celtic and Gerrard says they no longer fear their great rivals, so next season’s title race will be intriguing and the Hoops chances of making it nine in a row are in serious jeopardy.