Rangers given financial warning as Celtic tipped to ‘run far away’ fast amid revenue boost by BBC pundit
Rangers have been warned that the gap to Celtic could grow hugely “in a short space of time” if they don’t do something about it now, by Stiliyan Petrov.
A third-straight Old Firm loss at Hampden on Sunday (30 April) has cleared the path for Celtic to win a domestic treble this season, with another title win sending them straight into the Champions League group stage.
Michael Beale is set for a major rebuild in the summer after he finishes the campaign without a trophy, and a second place standing in the table will leave him the uphill task of reaching the top European competition through the qualifying rounds, with the financial gulf set to widen if the Gers fall short.
The former Parkhead midfielder Petrov told BBC Scotland: “The gap is huge at the moment. You’ve seen that. In the last couple of games, probably Rangers have pushed Celtic a little bit further due to desperation. They were going to lose the league then there was the cup semi-final, a last chance for them to win something.
“But next season it starts again and what Celtic have is consistency. This is the key for Celtic. Rangers cannot have the consistency Celtic have and we’ve seen this for two years and it’s continuing for more because if Rangers don’t do anything about it that gap will just grow because of the financial side.
“[With] Champions League money, the revenue will just get bigger and bigger and Celtic will be able to run far away from Rangers in a short space of time.”
Sobering reality
It is easy for Celtic players past and present to laud it over the Light Blues after knocking them out of the last competition that could have provided some silverware, but the facts are the facts.
Since winning the 55th title Rangers have been all over the place on the pitch and off it, with just one domestic trophy since in last season’s Scottish Cup, wildly contrasting European campaigns, and three different managers.
Douglas Park, Ross Wilson, and Stewart Robertson have all gone, while the millions that have come into the club have variously gone towards ongoing loan commitments, settling legal disputes, and an underwhelming set of transfers.
Rangers either have to be extremely effective, very lucky, or both this summer to get the restocking of a tired squad right.
They will not have the luxury of being eased into the new campaign either way as the Champions League qualifying rounds will put then under major pressure from the off.
And those two steps are the bare minimum as it will still take a significant improvement to improve on the miserable showing in the competition this year, and crucially to overcome Celtic after a dismal head-to-head record in the current campaign.
Barring an Ange Postecoglou exit or a sudden slip up in the transfer market it appears the Hoops will continue with the consistency they have recently shown, leaving the Light Blues having to sprint to catch up.
In other Rangers news, yet another behind-the-scenes exit has been announced with an official club partner calling it “much-needed”.