It’s time to bring up the great debate of whether or not Rangers crashing and burning at the first Champions League qualifier is a good or bad thing for Celtic? Or whether or not our fans actually care about it or even if it matters to us at all?
Generally when I give my opinions to any non Celtic supporters, they reply and tell me that I am just bitter and that I should grow up and start to support Rangers and other Scottish teams in European competitions.
Maybe I am just being bitter but there is no way that I could support a team like Rangers – not when I know that they had an open policy of refusing to sign a Catholic. This view hasn’t been formed because I am a Catholic – I haven’t been to a chapel since visiting the Vatican city a few years ago but because I feel discriminating anyone based on religion is wrong.
If I was then to support them whilst holding that view, it would be hypocritical of me to do so. I also do not like the reputation that their fans seem to have built up over the years.
There is a saying “if you fly with the crows, you will get shot with the crows” so I would rather keep myself away from the ‘crows’ and not associate myself with at all.
The same goes for the ‘old firm’ tag that we always hear about – that phrase tends to suggest that we are just the collective thing, but that may well be something for me to write about some other day.
Personally, I couldn’t care less about how well Rangers do in Europe and given that they’re are our mail rivals, I quite enjoy seeing them lose.
Had they got through against Malmo last night, they would have faced another qualifier and may or may not have gained entry to the Champions League but if they had, they would have gained anything up to £15million in revenue – even if they had lost all six group matches.
As a Celtic fan, I fail to see how our closest rivals gaining that amount of money can possibly be of any benefit to us. Think of the amount of money that is actually available for clubs in the SPL to spend. I’d be surprised if the combined expenditure of all clubs even reach £15m by the time the transfer window closes.
Can that benefit us at all? If so, please tell me how it can?
There is an argument that it can help Scotland’s co-efficient but again, that is something I don’t care about.
I have written a piece previously called ‘club v country’ which goes into details as to why I don’t care about the national team.
Yes fans of the national team would like the country to have a better co-efficient ranking as it means that Scotland may well be able to qualify for either a European championships or a world cup finals tournament.
When Celtic made it all the way to the UEFA final in Seville, we had to play a Champions League qualifier. The fact that Celtic did so well in Europe for a few years following Seville is the reason that Rangers gained automatic entry to the Champions League in the last few years.
Celtic getting to the UEFA Cup Final is something that will always stand out for me but making it to the final off our own backs as it were, makes it even better. We didn’t have to rely on anyone else to get there and in future, I would prefer if we did not have to rely on any one else for our success too.
The fact that Rangers gained automatic entry into the last few seasons Champions League also ensured that they ended up with enough money to perhaps save their club from going out of business completely.
I may be wrong but I really cannot remember the last time that any Scottish club achieved anything in European competition when it did not involve Celtic or Rangers supporting Rangers in Europe really doesn’t benefit me at all.
On that basis, I think Celtic have always pushed on in Europe based on what we as a club are capable of and not based on what other clubs and the national team are doing- so why should we want to change that?
CLICK HERE for Lenny on Joey Barton
CLICK HERE for Adam Matthews interview
Follow Video Celts on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
it can only be good news. they are our biggest threat to domestic glory so the last thing we need is them banking in on the CL, ok not all (if any) the money would be spent on their squad but say £5m (on top of the £15m their about to spend) that could be 1 decent player if they can find 1 who wants to play for them. that could make a difference Jelavic is an example. we should NOT need to rely on the countries coefficient to qualify for the group stages if we are not good enough then we don’t deserve to be there. our euro ranking is low because WE have not done well enough for years. in an ideal situation ALL teams could do more but Scotland may be forced to go down another level & try to build back up by playing an extra round or 2.
Good or Bad ??..you ask….
Feckin’ brilliant as far as I’m concerned…..
I wish them nothing but bad luck on the field and off it….always.
The fact that they have lost out on huge potential revenue is wonderful news….
Now we’ll see what Mr.Whyte is made of….
Bring ’em on….
Don’t get me wrong, i jumped off the couch as Malmo scored that brilliant equaliser. You may believe that this is great news but it is short-sightedness.
Rangers are in a state, debt free maybe but Whyte has no intention of throwing cash about as their embarassing bids for players has shown & their squad is pants as it is. It will only now get worse. A weak, p*sh Rangers team will inevitably see Celtic use them as the benchmark.
Rangers won’t attract (or afford) top players. They will be seen as a poor option to sign for in a poor league. It will affect how our league is viewed around the world & it’s not held highly at present. It will affect Celtic trying to attract players if Rangers & SPL is garbage.
A strong Rangers always sees Lawell & Desmond pushing the boat out a little. Poor Product on the park & the recession will see crowds plummet again & we’ll end up unable to get back to where we were for the forseeable future.
It may seem good for this season but think about it. Our chances of winning the league would not be because we are so great, it would be because Rangers year on year are downsizing & recent history has shown we’ve followed.
it cant be anything but good..its r*****s gettin beat?? lets hope its the start of a wee trend..
I think it is all bad. I personally want Rangers to be a strong side, cause that will improve us. They have won the last 3 league titles while selling of their players for nowt.
I’m sick of gettting beat by a pish Rangers team. I want to beat a good Rangers team. I hope they get money and start attracting good players, then we will be more forceful in the transfer market.
Rangers being weak is no good for us as shown in the transfer window this summer. We only signed one player that will start.
I dont really know what i think whether i am happiest when Celtic win or when rangers lose.
its a tough choice being a Tim
Rangers are NOT our concern…we have to get OUR own house in order on & off the park. OUR failure to do so has resulted in giving them the last THREE league titles…Our utter stupidity is allowing them the chance to make it 4 in not having blatantly obvious weaknesses filled by this stage of the season.
I couldn’t care less about Rangers or Brechin or Stranraer…it’s hat Celtic do that matters and right now we are dragging our feet again.
Fantastic news, now let’s see how the scottish media cover up the fact Craig Tyte is potless, he would have dipped into the CL money for a couple of million and banked the rest in Switzerland, the media would have praised him for his spending, now he has nowhere to hide.
I REALLY JUST CANT GET ENOUGH!
I repeat what I said earlier…great news…
as for a weak Rankers ??…the weaker the better…
I don’t hold with this theory about us needing a strong Rankers….if they went bust tomorrow…I’d be over the moon.
We have to accept the fact that Scottish football is p*** ….and a strong Rankers wouldn’t make it any better.
Oh and by the way..they haven’t won 50+ titles because they were brilliant…it was because….among shady other things…we were p*** ….did it bother them???…did it feck…are we still here ??…yes we are…
So take it while it’s going …and ENJOY…..
We do the hard work getting the co-efficient up, they then come in behind us, on the back of some dodgy decisions(and no I ain’t paranoid, that would mean that two seasons ago the nine SPL managers the complain about “strange” decisions must be too!) and scoop up the automatic entry cash!
FFS they can’t even get themselves a win or two, they racked up one if the worst records in CL history!
I agree, I don’t care either, about their exploits, just enjoy it when they get pumped!
Summed up perfectly. HH
Bartley signed for Rangers on loan, great timing from Tyte and Fat Sally, bit like rubbing salt into the wounds, couldn’t have timed it better myself!
Bartley is a decent player but no better than Bougherra, Barttley will get away with murder but has temper tantrums, i’ll be having money on him getting sent off against the Bhoys.