Andreas Hinkel has become the first Celtic player to question Rangers title wins.
The German picked up an SPL winners medal in 2008 but had to settle for second place in the following three seasons.
While Gordon Strachan spent modestly in the summer of 2008, signing Georgios Samaras and Shaun Maloney, Walter Smith went on a signing spree despite Rangers getting dumped out of Europe by Kaunus.
Kenny Miller, Kyle Lafferty and Andruis Velicka were snapped up in June with Pedro Mendes, Steve Davis and Maurice Edu taking the spending to over £15m following the European exit.
Rangers went on to win the title for three years running with the final championship, won by a point on the last day at Kilmarnock, especially painful for Hinkel.
“When we lost out on the SPL title at the end of 2010/11, it was so tight,” he recalled. “It was Neil Lennon’s first year in charge of Celtic and what he did was great.
“Now you can see it really is a shame the way it worked out. It is a shame Rangers spent so much money when they didn’t have any.
“I could have had more titles because it was so tight, I don’t know if it is cheating, but it certainly isn’t right.
“There have been big changes in Scottish football. It’s quite difficult to see what is going on but there are times when you have to make decisions.
“There are rules and how can you explain to the world, even in the financial crisis, if you don’t punish clubs who break the rules?”
German football has always been strictly regulated with clubs relegated due to licencing issues before UEFA adopted Financial Fair Play.
The full-back co-commentated on Celtic’s pre-season match with Stuttgart Kickers for German television where the discussion constantly turned to the liquidation of Rangers.
Foreigners have a fascination for the derby clash which dates back over 100 years and attracts a television audience expecting to see fireworks.
Scottish football without the Celtic v Rangers fixture is like Loch Ness without the monster with Hinkel finding it hard to explain why the fixture won’t continue.
“The Old Firm match made an impact all over the world,” he added. “Everybody around the world watched the game. It will also be difficult for Rangers by the time they get back up to the SPL.
“I am not sure they can get themselves up to Celtic’s level right away. Celtic can go on and make it ten-in-a-row.
“When Rangers come back up they won’t have the same finances and Celtic will continue to grow.”
“It is a big attraction to go and play in these big Old Firm games. It’s going to be difficult for Celtic to sign big names and big players if they don’t have the big games and the money to attract them.
“Things have changed a lot, even from when I signed for Celtic. We had Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Shunsuke Nakamura. These guys were world names.
“If you speak to many German fans, they don’t know many of the current team, apart from Georgios Samaras, although I know them all.”
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Once a Celt always a Celt , Hail Hail Hinkel!
Hopefully the pressure for the stripping of titles and cups will continue. Can’t let cheats off with anything or they will continue with the cheating.
Heavy Punishments required.
If it is proved conclusively they operated illegal, dual contracts Neil Lennon said he would have something to say.
He is someone who has suffered more than most. 2003 immediately after Seville, 2005 Fir Park, 2009 last day, 2010 as caretaker manager, 2011 as Manager.
That’s a lot of disappointment for 1 man.
I look forward to hearing what he has to say.
Neil should keep quiet on the cheating lets not forget he’s in the front line and has a young family.
The rest of us can keep up the pressure on the SFA.
`CHEATS NEVER PROSPER`,OR SO THE SAYING GOES.BUT,HERE WE ARE IN THE SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE DONE EXACTLY THAT-PROSPER.SPL/SFL SHOULD BE ASHAMED(NAE CHANCE) OF THEMSELVES FOR LETTING THIS,AS YET,GO UNPUNISHED.KEEP PRESSURE ON THESE SO CALLED `AUTHORITIES` TO STRIP ALL SPL TITLES AND CUPS FROM THEM,IN WHICH IT CAN BE PROVEN,WHERE THEY FIELDED INELIGIBLE PLAYERS.
SO PEOPLE GET EMAILING FOR JUSTICE,GO…..
I don’t speak German very well but I watched the game via the internet and the commentary was in German. Hinkel was asked many questions by the commentator during the second half, some about religion in football in Scotland. I am hoping that someone can maybe correct me as my Gertman is no better than O Grade. The commentator seemed to be asking about the Catholic/protestant split and I thought Andreas talked about Celtic always having signed players of every religion, Jock Stein was mentioned by Andreas! Am I right in saying this or is my German so bad I am making things up. The commentary during the secong half seemed to spend a lot of time talking of Celtic’s history.
in ref to the dodgy double contracts, are the sfa going to punish the agents who helped brocker these illegal deals?