As Rangers finally give their squad some much-needed TLC, there could be a temptation to look across the city as Celtic reportedly look to re-sign Brendan Rodgers as manager.
But if the Ibrox side are serious about finally loosening the Parkhead club’s domestic stranglehold, then the Gers’ focus must remain squarely on what happens in our house as the drama unfolds in the eastend.
The Parkhead side are coming off the back of their fifth treble in seven seasons with Rangers’ floundering squad finally being ripped up at the expense of several big names.
The fact they have eight trebles in their entire history, with five of them in the last decade, speaks volumes about the failures at Rangers over the last few seasons and Brendan Rodgers was the Celtic manager who kickstarted this period of dominance.
Celtic close in on Brendan Rodgers
Introducing a professionalism to Scottish football which Rangers didn’t embrace until the Steven Gerrard-era, the Parkhead support owes a lot to the man their fans were so quick to turn on back in 2019.
And now, according to reports, Celtic are closing in on a new deal for the Northern Irish manager who has just steered Leicester City from European football to Premier League relegation.
Whilst Brendan Rodgers is still considered a Premier league level manager, this appears a risky move for Celtic on many fronts.
Ange Postecoglou’s all-action unit was not built with Brendan Rodgers’ possession-based style in mind and the club’s squad is very much one in the vision outgoing Aussie.
The manager’s stock is also on a steady decline and a move to Celtic represents a monumentally risky one for himself professionally.
Rangers are also finally getting their act together under Michael Beale and – quite simply – must provide greater resistance to the Parkhead club’s millions this season.
The Rangers that Brendan Rodgers would be facing next season is a far cry from the patch-work, inexperienced and inexpensive one that he faced at Celtic between 2016 and 2019 and anything but a proper title challenge is unthinkable.
Rangers must focus to unsettle Celtic early
With apparent assurances given to the ex-Liverpool manager that he can go out and spend, this isn’t always done wisely, and there has been a huge recruitment question over the coach throughout his entire career.
With several key Celtic players linked to an exit, a squad turnover could be coming their way directly too.
Not to mention the fact sections of the Celtic support also turned on their former manager – some more wickedly than others – when he bolted to the Premier League, with this creating an air of uncertainty regarding a return.
Rangers are now the side with that consistency in their ranks heading into the new season, even amid the squad revamp, and the club must now quietly assert their position as challengers next season.
With the pressure on Brendan Rodgers to win over the Parkhead faithful, if Rangers can steal an early march on Celtic and turn that screw fan discontent over the move could eventually tell.
We want no soundbites, no fawning commentary, no nonsense from Ibrox next season. From the first kick of the ball, the only thing Rangers fans want to see is the a fightback befitting the support from the stands.
Retain that laser focus on finally bringing back shiny things to Ibrox in their numbers and maybe Rangers can force a second disgraceful Brendan Rodgers Celtic exit before the prizes are even doled out.
