Athough the 2016/16 SPL season is not yet officially over, attentions among some Scottish football supporters are already naturally turning to 2017/18. The debate has already begun as to whether Sevco will be able to lay a glove on Celtic next term after watching the Celts run away with the SPL title undefeated at the time of writing.
Even second-placed Aberdeen have come up well short in comparison with Brendan Rodgers’ men, with the champions romping to a 3-1 win at Pittodrie earlier this month, stamping their authority on what has already been a rampant season for Celtic.
The outright betting markets for the SPL 2017/18 winner is already alive and kicking, with William Hill pricing up Celtic as short as 1/7 to retain their crown, with Sevco still considered pretenders to the throne at 7/1, followed by Aberdeen at 10/1.
The close and pre-season bets are always some of the most hotly-debated among friends and family. After all, everyone likes to think they can pick a winner using their sporting knowledge. It also makes for a much more interesting season!
There are many variables as to whether Celtic will enjoy quite such dominance next term. Let’s take a look at some of the potential factors that could decide next year’s title as early as this summer:
Celtic retaining the services of Dembele
20-year-old French ace, Moussa Dembele was a calculated risk by boss, Brendan Rodgers last summer. Within the space of one season, the former Fulham youngster’s stock has risen immensely, bagging 32 goals and nine assists in all competitions this term. His power and pace has alerted the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United who are both looking for adequate backup for the likes of Diego Costa and United’s soon-to-depart talisman, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Rodgers has a big decision to make this summer whether to retain the crown jewels or cash in on his £500k bargain-buy. Replacing him won’t be easy, but Champions’ League football should ensure Rodgers will be attract a respectable calibre of player.
Caixinha getting the funds to strengthen
Portuguese boss, Pedro Caixinha was certainly viewed as a leftfield appointment back in March. The 46-year-old has little top-flight experience in Europe, having been second fiddle as assistant for the likes of Panathinaikos, Rapid Bucharest and national side, Saudi Arabia. Only a successful spell with Mexican outfit, Santos Laguna helped him get the Ibrox job.
The jury remains out that Caixinha is the right man for the job, with many fans growing frustrated this term at the team’s sluggish style of play. However, much will depend on the size of his summer transfer kitty which would enable him to make his own mark on the squad. With the old guard such as Clint Hill expected to be on the move, it could be a busy summer on the blue side of the city.
Aberdeen’s summer squad rebuild
Further north, Aberdeen have enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in many a year, reaching the final of both domestic cup competitions and cementing a runner-up finish in the SPL. Manager, Derek McInnes has done a tremendous job at Pittodrie, but action has to be taken this summer in order to keep Celtic within reach and Rangers at bay.
The likes of Niall McGinn, Ryan Jack, Ash Taylor, Shay Logan and Cammy Smith are all out-of-contract in the summer and look set for pastures new. The Dons may well be victims of their own success, with the quintet likely to move on to bigger and better things, potentially south of the border. How McInnes rebuilds his squad will determine whether the Dons can remain competitive at the top end of the SPL table.
However the summer unfolds, there’s no doubt that Celtic will remain the team to beat as they look to secure their seventh successive league championship in 2017/18.
