Good news: four players will be coming back to Celtic
As if stand-in Rangers chairman John Gilligan doesn’t have enough to worry about as he begins the work of putting a broken club back together…
The interim Ibrox chief is well aware he’s taking over a club that is both miles and millions behind it’s main Parkhead rivals. But the sight of Celtic sweeping to a hugely impressive – and lucrative – opening Champions League triumph is another reminder of the vast chasm that has been allowed to rip through the Old Firm divideIn a week when Gers were hoping to eat into that financial gap by announcing the club’s biggest ever shirt sponsorship deal, they saw the increase in that jersey agreement – which will rise from £1.5million a year to almost £3million if all targets are met – more than matched by just one night’s work for the Hoops.While Brendan Rodgers’ swaggering Celts were sweeping past Slovan Bratislava, Gilligan’s opposite number Peter Lawwell spent the night counting the 1.75million notes Celtic had just earned as a Brucey bonus for their 5-1 triumph.Even that is just a fraction of the total sums Parkhead chiefs expect to earn from their European campaign, with the figure sent to soar past £40million. With £77million in the bank already, Celtic aren’t just in another league from their rivals, they’re operating in a different dimension.
Put it this way, the cash Rangers could earn should they create a huge upset in their glamour Europa League clash with Manchester United by winning at Old Trafford in January would rake in just £530,000. Philippe Clement’s side would need to register three wins and a draw to earn what Celtic did in just 90 minutes against a rank ordinary Bratislava outfit.John Bennett has been forced to vacate the Ibrox boardroom amid an unbearable strain that has taken a toll on his health. Now Dave King is back on the scene looking to settle old scores with ally-turned-foe Douglas Park.
All the bickering does is serve as a reminder of why the Light Blues find themselves in this mess. None of the three men who have ruled Rangers since 2015 are blameless.
When the collective good had to be the priority, self-interest too often held sway. When clear, savvy decision making was called for, instead the Ibrox support saw the men in charge bungle the moment.
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