Echoes of 2016 mean Dermot must act again

THOSE involved are three years older. But the situation in Glasgow is more or less the same.

When Rangers beat Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday and the celebrations filled the air, there was a hint of 2016.

That was at Hampden when the Light Blues of the Championship won the Scottish Cup semifinal. Under Ronny Deila the champions were losing their edge. Their fires were going out and Gers took great delight in taking an additional extinguisher to them.

It was enough to make Celtic powerbroker Dermot Desmond, who was at Hampden, decide it was time to act.

Within weeks Brendan Rodgers had been delivered as manager and a recruitment drive that brought in the likes of Moussa Dembele and Scott Sinclair got under way. That was a stinging response and the club have gone on a run of trophy success that has not been broken domestically since that Scottish Cup was lost.

Now the situation is different this time in that, three years ago, Rangers had a squad made up of Championship players under Mark Warburton.

The entire Going for 55 campaign that followed the Hampden win and the promotion was miles off the charts.

It’s different now. At this stage under Steven Gerrard, Rangers are in a stronger shape with a far better squad ready to go into top-flight competition next season with a genuine chance of winning it. And additions still to be made.

Yet one thing is also the same. Desmond and Celtic retain the same sort of financial clout they had in 2016 when the questions were last asked of them.

Desmond may not have been at Ibrox on Sunday but he will know exactly what went on, the celebrations at Ibrox and the subsequent suggestion the Parkhead title is seriously on the line next term.

So, just like in 2016, the ball has been rattled back into his and the Hoops hierarchy’s court.

The next move in the footballing game of chess is with Celtic.

The bank balance is strong so the funding is there for them to make a statement.

The choice might be to go for a high-profile superstar manager in the mould of Rodgers again. It may be to stick with Lennon but to tool him up with a transfer kitty he could only dream about to ensure Celtic stay at the top.

If it’s a new manager they will also be able to provide funding that

The bank balance is strong so funding is there to make a statement

makes sure he has plenty in his piggy bank to restructure and freshen this squad to make them huge favourites to lift titles nine and 10.

Spending doesn’t guarantee success. But investing wisely and strongly from a position of strength makes it a far bigger possibility, as proven in 2016.

It was said then Celtic’s loss of that semi was the best thing that happened to them in terms of next moves and going forward.

The past three years have proven that to be a correct analysis.

Now it remains to be seen if actions over the next few weeks will ensure Sunday’s loss has a similarly spectacular effect on Celtic’s immediate aims for success. OUR TOP WRITERS GIVE THEIR FEARLESS VERDICTS EVERY DAY IN RECORD SPORT