Ex-Rangers chairman Dave King has challenged Celtic to invest in their side and get back to a competitive standing in Europe in comments which are sure to rub salt in their wounds.
Perfectly legitimate but also a reminder of the fact Rangers have overtaken Celtic, King’s nod to Scotland’s coefficient crumbling without two powerful clubs also felt like a justified jab over our demise.
Rangers are blazing a trail for Scottish football and have reached the Last 16 of European competition for the second season in a row.
Celtic haven’t went two knockout rounds deep in European competition since 2004.
Challenging both Rangers to make it to the Champions League and Celtic to follow suit, King reiterated that Scottish football needs two strong clubs to properly flourish.
“Celtic for a long time have been in a position of comfort where they felt they didn’t feel the need to invest in their squad,” said King [Four Four Two].
“But I felt that was detrimental to Scottish football. We saw it where Celtic were winning trophy after trophy in Scotland but then competing very poorly in Europe.
“I’d like to think that Rangers, however, will now kick on and that this will be the beginning of a further level of improvement where we’ll do better in Europe.
“I’m hoping Celtic will also kick on. I’d like to see Celtic re-invest in the interests of Scottish football because we really need to see that coefficient get up.
“We need a situation where Rangers and Celtic start to do better. We’re not far away from automatic qualification for the Champions League and that is so important to Scottish football, not just Rangers and Celtic.”
The comments are sure to stick in the craw of Celtic fans who’ve got used to seeing Rangers outperform them on the European stage.
But the power of both performing at a high level was recognised last season when qualification from the group stages of the Europa League earned two Champions League qualification spots this year.
With the financial reward of qualification widely reported to be at least £30m Rangers will have one eye on this strong financial investment next season.
The Ibrox side will take the Champions path to the competition but King has conceded a spot at Europe’s top table cannot always be expected for a club in Rangers’ position.
“For me, personally, winning the league is ‘getting back’,” said King.
“The Champions League is the Champions League.
“There are things that effect how we do there. You could be in a qualifying stage and end up against a club like Ajax, for example, and you don’t make it.
“To me, the Champions League is a bonus. I think Rangers have to be guaranteed Europa League, sometimes Champions League.
“Personally, though, winning the title is the culmination for me in saying ‘the club is back’.
Dave King has had plenty to say in the aftermath of Rangers winning title 55 and reassured fans that Steven Gerrard is going nowhere fast.
