Celtic’s Dominance: A Threat to Scottish Football’s Competitiveness
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The Scottish Premiership has long been a two-horse race, with Celtic and Rangers consistently vying for the top spot. However, this season’s title triumph for Celtic has highlighted a growing concern: the significant gap between the Old Firm and the rest of the league. As Celtic prepares to receive the Premiership trophy following their match against St Mirren on Saturday, their 12th title in 13 seasons is a testament to their dominance.
According to The Guardian, Celtic’s success is not solely due to their own efforts, but also a reflection of the problems plaguing Scottish football. The club’s ability to collect nearly £300m in player sales since 2015 is a significant advantage, but it also raises questions about the sustainability of the sport in Scotland. As Andrew H Smith of the Celtic Underground podcast notes, “Part of it is still that any championship Celtic win, Rangers haven’t won it… This yin and yang thing. Fans want more titles than Rangers, more cups than Rangers, more corners than Rangers, more shots on target… you will always have that.”
A look back at Scottish football’s history reveals a more competitive landscape. Between 1950 and 1965, seven teams – Rangers, Hibs, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts, Dundee, and Kilmarnock – were champions. However, the 1980s saw a shift in the balance of power, with Graeme Souness’s arrival at Rangers in 1986 altering the course of Scottish football forever. As Richard Gough, who played for Dundee United and Rangers, recalls, “We took it for granted, we thought it was normal… We had the better players, we knew that, but you had to be properly motivated.”
The current state of Scottish football is a far cry from the halcyon era of the past. The country’s top-flight league has been dominated by Celtic and Rangers for over 40 years, with no other team able to challenge their supremacy. As Gavin Noon of scottishfootball.info notes, “Belgium changed their format; they had eight league winners in 15 years and their TV deal trebled… Scotland has largely been left behind because of the TV deal.”
The financial disparity between Celtic, Rangers, and the rest of the league is a significant concern. As Robbie Neilson, former Hearts coach, notes, “It’s not an even playing field. You can be 1-0 up on Celtic after 60 minutes and they bring on £30m worth of talent.” The decision of smaller Scottish clubs to wave through plans for five substitutions has only exacerbated the issue.
There are, however, glimmers of hope. Tony Bloom’s planned investment in Hearts could potentially change the dynamics of the league. As Neilson notes, “If you can get three, four, five seasons of finishing third to give us enough money to maybe have a wee pop at it
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