That is one of the major differences between Celtic and Rangers, Rangers feel the need to succeed whilst Celtic fail, Celtic are just happy to succeed. Yes there has been a large degree of Green and White Shadenfraude apparent this week but it is inspired not via a perceived supremacy, but more of a sense of Karma. You reap exactly what you sow Mr Murray, and it is coming to the stage where your blockade of the press can no longer save you from blame. Let's face it Dave, is a ban from Ibrox still perceived as a bad thing within the press circles?
That statement, which would now be more apt as "for every fiver Celtic earn, we will lose a tenner" has long been a bugbear of the Celtic support, and Murray will be reminded of it regularly until the RST finalise the plans to take over the Club, probably via a Military Coup. The shocking aspect of this is that most Rangers supporters did not ask questions about the financial mismanagement of their club as long as the playing team are "getting it up Timmy" They don't care as long as they are beating Celtic and winning Scottish titles. That is the extent of their ambition, to be the bigger of two fish in a very small pond and the fact that many would be happy with that situation has been as pivotal in their demise since the NIAR era as Murray's arrogance. It is only now that many are starting to take action, which I am sure is not coincidental with the balance of power of Scottish Football resting happily in the East End of Glasgow.
So here we are on the eve of the opening weekend of football with Rangers in disarray and Celtic looking forward to unveiling the league flag and planning on how best to take on the challenge of the finest teams in Europe in the Champions League, and Rangers are currently planning how best to defend their Lieutenants from the baying masses that they will face at a Q & A session planned as part of the clubs AGM today. Not an easy task given the Blitzkrieg aspect of the non-Rangers fans who attach themselves to the Club in Manchester and at other times they misbehave like some kind of Scapegoat splinter outfit of the Wehrmacht.
The position that Rangers find themselves in at this stage of the season looks untenable. Out of Europe and denied the funds, exposure and glamour of European competition for another season. Given that financial resources will be severely limited this could have a severe impact on this season, especially if key personnel are to be sold to balance the books.
This is the point where the tone of the article changes and caution has to be advised. Rangers at the moment are a wounded animal, backed into a corner with no other option to come out fighting, and come out fighting they shall. We should write them off at our peril as they will try to go all out to win the league this season as the repercussions for them not gaining direct access to the Cash Cow that is the Champions League could see them flounder for many a season to come, whether or not they have the spirit and guile to pick themselves up will become apparent in due course, but we should not expect it to happen as a matter of fact.
This period last season too many Celtic fans were predicting that Rangers would implode and if it wasn't for the bolstering of the squad that was as a direct result in no small part of the recruitment of key staff such as Neil Lennon and Barry Robson, who in my opinion had as great an impact on the team as one could imagine.
So it is with cautious optimism that we head into the new season, with hope in our hearts whilst the Bears are waking up with sore heads as they suddenly realise that they have been conned, conned out of football by the very person who ingratiated himself into their ranks using their own self-perceived supremacy as a tool against them. The very fact that their own self image was used as a key tool in the ruse is now starting to dawn on many who must be starting to feel that they have been raped by the very institution that they support.
Long may it continue, I hear you cry? Well again one has to introduce a sense of caution. The resultant backlash that this decline will cause could have serious implications not only in the world of football but in Scottish society as a whole and with the foreboding noises emanating from the RST regarding the support taking a more 'militant' approach will raise more than a few worried eyebrows within society as a whole. I for one hope that the comments they made previously regarding "civil disturbances" are as pointless and 'toothless' (intended) as there 'great leaders' lamentable boast.
Yours in Celtic
Clydebuilt