Keith Jackson delivers Celtic SPFL verdict as Rangers transfer news emerges
Keith Jackson has delivered his verdict on who’ll win the SPFL title between Rangers and Celtic as it’s been a crucial summer for both clubs.
The Daily Record journalist [31 July] reacted to the players Gers signed and the fact that Jose Cifuentes is also potentially going to walk through the door, which gives Michael Beale so much more firepower to compete with their rivals.
On the other hand, Celtic have seen a change of manager at the helm and a summer where one of their best players has left the club for big money.
Jackson wrote, “Rodgers has the skill set required to keep a firm lid on any such pockets of unruliness. But even so, as would be the case with any incoming boss, Rodgers will require time to work his managerial magic on the group of players he has inherited as well as help the new recruits bed in.
“The early indications from pre-season suggest that the manager is still grappling with some of these issues and that’s before he attempts to add two more new boys – Danilo and Jose Cifuentes – into his team. Also, he’ll be keeping his fingers crossed that this influx does not trample too heavily on the toes of Todd Cantwell who was positively blossoming in his role as creator in chief last season but who has looked out of sorts so far this summer as Beale has experimented with systems and strategies around him.
“Yes, if Brazilian striker Danilo lives up to his big money reputation, if Cyriel Dessers gets quickly up to speed, if Sam Lammers continues to look the part and Cantwell rediscovers his best form, then Beale might have built a team which is capable of causing Rodgers some serious discomfort on his homecoming. But as things stand right now, amidst a summer of such uncertainty, it all feels almost too hard to call.”
No excuses
Previous Rangers managers have always had the fact of not having been backed completely by the board as a result of not winning the title.
However, with Beale, this cannot be the case, as it can be argued that the board have shown more trust in him than they did in Steven Gerrard after he won the title.
It was a difficult summer with the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent leaving and also a change between the sticks with a new goalkeeper needing to be signed.
Pre season has shown some positive signs but also emphasised the fact that plenty of work needs to be done on the training ground as well.
New signings always take time to adapt and Beale knows that it’s going to take a great deal of effort to get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet.
In other Rangers news, the club are now battling an English side for the services of an Arsenal player set to leave this summer.