Celtic has certainly made a decent start to the season, with 11 matches played, 36 goals scored, 10 victories, and just a single defeat all be it a sore one!
That defeat came against Borussia Dortmund, last year’s Champions League finalists, and has perhaps delivered a reality check on Champions League football after the highs of a 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava in the opening fixture.
The guidance of Brendan Rodgers
Under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, the Celtic squad is fit, firing, and looking to build on a successful summer of recruitment, with new signings impressing and vying for regular starting positions.
In stark contrast, theRangers have faced a series of off-field crises while struggling to find their footing on the pitch. Out of Champions League qualifiers, recently defeated in the Glasgow Derby, and currently sitting five points behind both Celtic and Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.
No wonder the twelve year old club’s direction under manager Philippe Clement has come under scrutiny from frustrated fans and pundits alike.
Kris Boyd: Assessing the Chasm Between Celtic and theRangers
Kris Boyd, a former Ibrox striker and current pundit, recently shared his thoughts on the widening gap between the two Glasgow rivals during a segment on The Warm-Up YouTube show.
Reflecting on Celtic’s impressive form, Boyd stated, “Domestically, when you look at Celtic, they are by far the best team in the league.”
He further emphasised the importance of stability both on and off the pitch. “We’ve seen clubs in the past when they’ve had good teams on the pitch, but off the field, there might be something bubbling away in the background. I think Celtic right now are in a very good place off and on the pitch.”
Boyd acknowledged Celtic’s resilience
Boyd acknowledged Celtic’s resilience, highlighting their ability to summon depth from the bench, even during less-than-ideal performances, such as their recent match against Ross County.
theRangers’ Struggles and Uncertain Future
When discussing theRangers‘ situation, Boyd expressed his frustrations, suggesting he could “be ranting until this time next week” about the club’s challenges.
He lamented, “It’s hard for me to sit here, in terms of ‘it’s a project’; I don’t think theRangers Football Club should ever be a project. That’s just me. When I grew up, it was a winning machine.” Aye we remember the old club, now liquidated, that was cheating its way to glory!
Delving into theRangers’ instability, Boyd added: “There were a lot of changes over the summer. This has been one of theRangers’ problems for a number of years now. I don’t think that the recruitment policy or the players that have been brought in have strengthened the eleven as such.”
He contrasted this with Celtic’s effective recruitment strategy, pointing out that new signings like Arne Engels and Luke McCowan have made immediate impacts in the first team.
“They’re signing players that make the eleven better. That’s the only way you can create a healthy squad that is going to get better,” he said.
Celtic’s Forward Momentum
Boyd’s concerns about theRangers’ cohesion and clarity on their best XI highlight the turmoil at Ibrox.
Meanwhile, Celtic appears to be thriving, with a clear vision and ambition that resonates with Celtic supporters. The champions have invested wisely, tapping into transfer markets that theRangers cannot compete with, fueling their current momentum.
As Celtic continues to focus on maintaining their work ethic and avoiding complacency, they seem poised to remain a formidable force this season and potentially for years to come. For rivals like theRangers, the task of catching up grows ever more daunting.
Cash is tight at Ibrox but in comparison Celtic has upwards of £80m in the bank and will benefit from the Champions League’s richest ever payout this season plus the Parkhead club is about to be elevated by Adidas to elite status making it a truly global brand for the sports brand.
Celtic FC Women are also pushing ahead financially with a UWCL windfall of around £500,000 this season – that’s huge money for the women’s game and will allow Celtic to invest heavily in quality players in upcoming transfer windows.
