Old Firm aim to soar in Europe but fans must step up too
THIS has the potential to be a real showcase season for the Old Firm. Celtic are back in the Champions League group stage and are in the process of investing heavily in creating an attack-minded team under manager Ange Postecoglou.
Rangers must fancy their chances of joining them there thanks to being seeded in the draw for the qualifiers and will have high hopes, whatever tournament they end up in, of burnishing their reputation further in the wake of last term’s fantastic run to the Europa League final.
Fans have a big role to play, too, though, in shaping how these two sides are regarded on foreign shores. Talk of breakaway leagues persists. Everyone is looking for ways to maximise money either inside or outside the UEFA tent. It’s anyone’s guess where European club football will be in four or five years’ time.
Celtic and Rangers need to sell themselves as relevant, modern and attractive propositions in anticipation of future opportunities and that involves further work on cleaning up the songbooks.
Ibrox fans created a brilliant atmosphere at those big Europa League clashes last season and know instinctively that is where the future lies both home and abroad despite a relapse among some followers when protesting against a proposed friendly with Celtic in Australia.
Likewise, there really is no need for the IRA songs that sounded from a section of the home support during the early stages of Celtic’s friendly win over Blackburn yesterday.
That’s not just a matter of personal opinion. UEFA still dish out regular fines for this stuff at games under their jurisdiction and that’s bad PR, no matter how you dress it up.
The fact the vast majority of Parkhead refused to join in tells us that most fans don’t want it. They know it isn’t helpful. The board have made that clear. They just have to figure out how to get the minority to listen.
The Old Firm have every incentive to show the best version of themselves in continental competition and beyond. Punters reluctant to come out of a time warp must understand the damage they could to hopes of stepping into a bright new future down the line.