Billionaire takeover at Scottish club to break Rangers-Celtic dominance – Lee Johnson
Lee Johnson has claimed a “sheikh” takeover at a Scottish club could finally break the Rangers and Celtic duopoly at the top of the domestic game.
It’s been 36 years since a team outside the Old Firm won the Scottish Premiership, with Celtic looking likely to secure their 53rd league triumph come the end of the season.
Johnson feels that there’s potential for the duopoly to be broken if a billionaire was to purchase another Scottish Premiership side.
“If some sheikh comes in and takes over one of the clubs, there is always that potential isn’t there,” said Johnson (Edinburgh Live, 31 March).
“Historically the Old Firm have always whipped away the best players from the rest, which is always a clever tactic because not only are you enhancing yourself you’re decreasing the quality of the opponents.
“Who knows, this is football, it’s crazy and there are a lot of billionaires in the world that could throw money at things if they wanted to, Man City is an example.”
Change
It’s easy to see why there’s a clamour for change at the top of Scottish football. The Old Firm dominance has seen the duopoly damage the game lower down the food chain. One day, Rangers and Celtic could move to the Premier League, and it wouldn’t be a disaster for the domestic game.
The Old Firm have the resources to be competitive in England’s top flight. The fan bases and global interest would see Rangers and Celtic succeed south of the border. This would then allow for a more affluent domestic scene, with younger players thriving with the likes of Hearts of Hibernian.
However, Johnson’s claim is a fanciful one. Why on earth would a billionaire see a lesser Scottish team as an affluent prospect? The finances and broadcast deals are minuscule compared to the Premier League and England as a whole. Any prospective owner would see their money go further elsewhere.
In other Rangers news, a new up and coming manager has admitted he wants the Gers job.