From chef to refs, season will be spicy
Gordon Ramsay rocking up at Rangers’ training ground seems the perfect starter to a season that has all the ingredients to be tasty.
The TV chef’s Gers career might have been a bit overcooked but he knows things are about to get spicy in Scottish football.
It’s impossible to predict – but we might as well have a bash anyway.
This is tricky. Celtic have a settled side and a bit more strength in depth than last term, which is presumably why the bookies have them as slight favourites.
Ange Postecoglou’s side won a ton of games last season when a fair few players had lengthy spells out injured, so there’s no reason to think they won’t again.
Rangers, in contrast, are a great unknown. The Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo dough has been redirected to new recruits and there will be a muchneeded freshness about a group that needed a lick of paint.
On paper they look sterling signings. Ben Davies should stroll it in Scotland, the likes of Rabbi Matondo and Malik Tillman are exciting young talents. It looks like Gers have the tools to take away some of the stress in those tight games that decide a title.
But who knows? It will be about how these guys settle and how they cope with the heat of having to win every week.
They both look strong so it could come down to the derbies. Put a gun to the head? Celtic to win. Or Rangers.
It’s hard to see past Hearts. They were streets ahead of the others last term and look strong again for this campaign.
The dosh from playing in Europe until Christmas will only help them keep rivals like Aberdeen, Hibs and Dundee United at arm’s length.
United could be the side to keep pace the best and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Tannadice men finish in fourth place.
Aberdeen have been decent in the Premier Sports Cup group stage but it’s still a new-look team so there could be a few bumps along the way. Anything outside the top six would be a disaster though. As for Hibs, tripping over the
TITLE RACE BEST OF THE REST
starting line isn’t a great look. Bounced out of the League Cup due to duff displays and admin errors, chairman Ron Gordon coming out and moaning about the fixture list further stirred the pot. Alarm bells are ringing. Don’t bet against Rangers joining Celtic in the Champions League group stage. We don’t know what to expect from Gers this season but after the heroics of last year, you can’t put anything past Gio van Bronckhorst and his side.
Union St-Gilloise won’t be a skoosh but should be dealt with and no one will want to come to Ibrox for a play-off.
Once they get there it’s a different ball game. For both Glasgow sides.
It’s hard to see a draw that isn’t loaded with peril. A couple of decent performances against the big guns, maybe the odd result against the so-called lesser sides in the groups and third spot – and Europe beyond Christmas – would be a major success.
We’ve got VAR coming – months after the campaign starts – and then the fun really begins.
Expect statements from the Old Firm, complaining about the way the video was used, or the fact it wasn’t for some kind of flashpoint.
The pair of them will get a ton of penalties, and most of the big calls, but will both hint there is a conspiracy.
Old Firm games will last longer than NFL matches as every cough, spit and botty burp will be analysed by the poor VAR folk in a bid to stay clear of the chaos.
Good luck with that. Who knows what our football will serve up but we can guarantee everyone involved will make a meal of it.