KENNY DALGLISH
It’s not Celtic’s fault they’re miles ahead
Their revenue of £52 million was an increase of almost £1 million on the previous year, and speaks volumes for what owner Dermot Desmond, chief executive Peter Lawwell and the directors are doing for the club at boardroom level.
But that financial success is also down to what the manager and players do on the park, and the results they get.
It’s also about tens of thousands of supporters, who put their money into the club buying season tickets and merchandise. It’s very much a collective effort.
The scouting department should also get credit.
The club has managed to buy very well in the past five or six years. Fraser Forster, Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk were brought in for around £5 million, then all sold to Southampton for close to £35 million. That is outstanding business. So the Deloitte table makes great reading for all connected with Celtic and will add to the feelgood factor currently at the club.
However, some may argue that it shows that the gap between Celtic and the rest is far too wide and unhealthy for Scottish football.
People can put that claim forward, but that should not be of any concern to Celtic.
They can’t be blamed for qualifying for the Champions League, winning League Championships and using the transfer market very well to sell at premium prices.
So to start putting a negative spin on Celtic’s success on and off the park would be wrong.
Let’s not forget they were heavily criticised last season – and the year before – when they didn’t qualify for the Champions League.
Serious questions were then asked of everyone at the club when they lost to Rangers in last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final.
They have responded in the best possible way by qualifying for the Champions League and sweeping all before them on the domestic front in the first part of the current campaign.
Yes, there is now a gap between Celtic and rest of the Scottish clubs. But it’s up to the others to raise their game and find a way of getting closer to them.
It’s not up to Celtic to drop their standards to give the rest more of a chance.
Just the other day, Rangers assistant manager Davie Weir stated that even £100 million still might not be enough to put his club ahead of Celtic.
It’s all well and good putting a figure on what Rangers need financially to compete. But there will still be no guarantees it would work.
Remember, Celtic didn’t need £100 million to bring in their top players and do well.
It’s about having a good academy in place and having a good recruitment department. It’s about trying to find that little gem before others do.
So I’m sure the Rangers scouting department is working tirelessly to find the right players for their club.
Because of Celtic’s runaway success in Scotland, the question of them getting into the English Premier League has been raised again, but I don’t see that happening.
The clubs in England won’t vote for it because Celtic would be seen as a threat, whether that’s to the present top-flight clubs making the top six and qualifying for Europe or merely surviving in the Premier League and safeguarding their £100 million prize money. It’s a non-starter. However, if there was a British League, starting from scratch, then I’d imagine Rangers and Celtic would be invited into it. They would prosper and would make a real go of it.
It would make sense because both are massive clubs, each with a tremendous fan base.
But with little chance of that coming to pass, Scottish football has to learn to thrive as best it can in its current format.
It has lots and lots going for it. But there is no doubt the SPFL would be a much more valued commodity and attractive proposition from a commercial and marketing point of view if it had more teams battling it out at the top.
But the onus is on the other clubs to push Celtic all the way and try to give everyone a title race.
It’s been suggested that Rangers will need two or three years to close the gap, and everyone inside Ibrox will want that to be the case.
But it wouldn’t surprise me if the Parkhead powerbrokers feel that the gap between both clubs may be even wider by 2020 rather than it being narrowed.
As long as they are winning the Premiership and qualifying for the Champions League, Celtic will be in a strong position for years to come.
They, quite rightly, will not complain about that scenario – nor should they feel they should apologise if that does turn out to be the case.
If there was a British League, starting from scratch, the Old Firm would be invited to take part.