Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers react to Rangers squad already after Celtic draw
Rangers’ impending takeover by the 49ers Enterprises group cannot come quickly enough.
The Gers are languishing 17 points behind arch-rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership after the 1-1 draw between the sides at Ibrox (4 May).
Cyriel Dessers opened the scoring in the dying embers of the first half but Adam Idah equalised just 12 minutes in the second period.
The result was a microcosm of the Light Blues’ season so far as they couldn’t finish their chances and a defensive lapse led to the Hoops leveller.
49ers react to Rangers draw v Celtic
The 49ers group, led by Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe, will be aware of the issues affecting the Govan outfit.
Cavenagh is believed to have attended the Ibrox contest, and Tom English has revealed the group’s reaction to the result and the squad.
In his report for the BBC (4 May), he said: “They can live with Celtic on any given day.
“They just can’t live with the pressure of should-win and must-win games. We’re told none of this is lost on the prospective new owners.
“They know the team and its foibles, they know the Scottish landscape and who dominates it, they know the distance they must travel across some rocky terrain, and they know every inch of progress is going to be hard-won.”
Rangers have a long way to go under 49ers ownership
It is an exciting time to be associated with the Glasgow giants, as the American consortium prepares to take the reins.
However, their task will not be easy; the gap to Brendan Rodgers’ side is huge, and it will take a long time to bridge.
| Scottish Premiership | Played | GD | Points |
| C. Celtic | 35 | +80 | 85 |
| 2. Rangers | 35 | +33 | 68 |
Their most pressing task is to sort the managerial chaos, whether they keep interim boss Barry Ferguson or move on, a decision needs to be made and quickly.
If they do go in a different direction, they need to get the next appointment right, with former boss Steven Gerrard among the leading contenders.
The squad needs a massive overhaul as it is nowhere near good enough to compete at the top level, with many players having a weak mentality and struggling under the pressure.
The Gers may lose their star players in the summer transfer window, with the likes of Hamza Igamane and Nico Raskin attracting significant interest from south of the border.
Gary Keown believes that Celtic will romp to the title again next season due to the baggage that the new ownership is inheriting at Auchenhowie.
However, he also predicts that the Bears will challenge eventually, as the Americans get to grips with the club, supporters will hope that he is right.