Gazza fears Bhoys will spend big in history bid
PAUL GASCOIGNE believes Celtic’s title streak must be stopped at all costs by Rangers this season because he fears his old enemy will simply buy their way to an historic Ten-In-A-Row season next year.
Gascoigne last week revealed his regret at leaving Ibrox for Middlesbrough weeks before Wim Jansen’s Celtic denied Rangers the elusive 10 in 1998. Now he is desperate for Steven Gerrard to steer his former club to Ladbrokes Premiership glory in his second season in charge.
Celtic have bought a £7million defender in Christopher Jullien, adding £3m Boli Bolingoli and £2m Hatem Abd Elhamed either side of him to plug the gaps created by the departures of Dedryck Boyata, Mikael Lustig and Kieran Tierney.
Neil Lennon has also brought in Norwegian winger Mohamed Elyounoussi on loan from Southampton to supplement his already burgeoning collection of wide men.
Gascoigne, a then Rangers club record purchase of £4.3m from Lazio in July 1995, suspects the stakes will be raised significantly by Celtic if they sniff the chance of sickening their arch-rivals by landing a 10th consecutive domestic crown.
Gascoigne said: ‘I think Steven Gerrard has done well so far but forget about last season, this season is the big one for him and trying to stop Celtic getting nine in a row. Because if they get to nine, they will start buying even bigger players. This is the big one for him and I wish him well.
‘Steven’s a great lad. I was going to say he will go on to bigger and better things but it can’t get any better than being the manager of Glasgow Rangers as far as I’m concerned, especially going into this huge season.
‘It’s great to see Rangers back challenging. I was shocked by what happened a few years ago, it was a shame but they’ve bounced back now. And even when they were playing down the divisions in all those little stadiums the fans were still turning up.’
Gascoigne was back in Glasgow ahead of the first of four pivotal Old Firm clashes to help Premier Sports launch their coverage of this season’s Serie A action which today features the Rome derby between Lazio and Roma.
Through those hard miles on the journey back from the Third Division, Rangers could not have entertained signing stars from the Italian top flight.
Gerrard has done so this summer with a £3.5m swoop for Filip Helander from Bologna, yet such is the form of the players in possession of the central defensive jerseys that Connor Goldson and Niko Katic could take some shifting.
Rangers now boast strength in depth in each position ahead of the challenge on three domestic fronts plus a second successive Europa League campaign. Yet, on one visit back to Ibrox a couple of seasons ago, the first-team squad clearly was not of a standard that Gascoigne would recognise as Rangers quality.
‘I went up to the lounge where all the trophies are and about six lads were there who wanted a photo with me,’ recalled a sheepish Gascoigne. ‘I didn’t realise the six of them were players. I was so embarrassed. I saw Davie Weir and had to ask him to tell me their names!
‘But every time I return, I love it. It’s brilliant being back in Glasgow, I always get a buzz because it still feels like home to me.’