Speaking to the Scottish Sun, former Rangers star Alex Rae has reiterated his belief that Celtic don’t yet deserve the Premiership title, this time presenting evidence to back up his claims.
Both Old Firm clubs have released statements in recent days asserting their positions on whether or not Celtic should be crowned champions if the currently suspended season is unable to resume.
Unsurprisingly, the Hoops are arguing that they deserve the title, while Rangers are saying any call to award it prematurely would compromise sporting integrity.
Rae is firmly on the latter side of the argument, first making his feelings known on Saturday.
Now, he’s returned with evidence to back up his claims.
“For me, the problem is, how can you give someone a title that they haven’t won yet?” he told the Scottish Sun.”It questions the integrity of the competition.”
He then points to the 2004/05, 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons as instances when one club or the other have blown sizeable advantages at the back end of the season.
His point being, how can it be assumed that something on a slightly bigger scale wouldn’t happen this time around?
“So it doesn’t matter if it’s a point or two, whether it’s Liverpool with 25 or Celtic with 13,” he continued. “None of them have actually won the title. So to give it over, I can’t see how that can possibly happen.”
“People say ‘it’s unprecedented times’, but in what point in history did anybody in football actually get handed a title without mathematically winning it?”
Rae is adamant he’s on the right side of this one, as are many Rangers fans.
The problem is, that everyone on the other side of the Old Firm divide is similarly entrenched in their views.
It seems every effort is being made to restart the season, but should that prove impossible, a controversial decision is going to have to be made.
If Celtic are denied the title, they will always claim they were robbed, while conversely, if they are awarded a ninth league in a row, Rangers will contest that their arch-rivals’ streak is tainted.
