Another trophyless season has left Rangers in Celtic’s shadow for yet another season as the Parkhead club’s domination of Scottish football continues.
As Celtic outmuscle Rangers on and off the park, the general consensus is that the Hoops are miles ahead of their Glasgow counterparts.
However, according to Derek Ferguson, the gap between Celtic and Rangers is not as big as some people make out as Brendan Rodgers looks to win the club’s six domestic treble in the last nine years.
Derek Ferguson admits he’s going to be laughed at with upcoming Celtic comments
Being Rangers boss Barry Ferguson’s brother, Derek will of course try to defend the club he played for many decades ago.
But now a professional pundit with the BBC, the former Rangers man’s comments will certainly raise the eyebrows of Celtic supporters.
Ferguson said on BBC Radio Scotland, “I don’t think they’re streets ahead, and you’re going to laugh at me here, on the park. I think that can change very quickly in a close season.
“I think where Rangers are lacking throughout the club, but I think as for Celtic are far superior. But you know, of the 49ers, as we await them coming in and if you have a good close season in terms of the signings you bring in, and you’re quite strict and who you’re going to keep, listen, I think that the gap on the on the field is not as big as what everybody thinks.
“I think that can be cut back pretty sharply. And, you know, it depends who comes in, obviously the signings.
“So, I think it’s not as big as everybody makes out.”
Tom English and Stephen Craigan are having none of Ferguson’s Celtic comments
It was quite a bizarre comment to make considering the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership table has increased since Barry Ferguson came into the Rangers role.
But comments like this has just opened Ferguson up to ridicule trying to defend his brother’s club.
And even Tom English and Stephen Craigan couldn’t agree with him.
English: “Oh Derek, I have to disagree. How many points are they behind in the league never mind the last two games.
“I think there’s a massive gap. And I know Rangers have done well recently, but they’re doing well from a position of they know they’re not going to win the league, so the pressures are off a little bit.
“Yes, they are capable of beating Celtic. They’re also capable, and have lost to a bunch of other teams way down the league. This is the problem.
“These players are not good enough to challenge a Celtic. That’s why a load of them have to be moved out, and a whole new team, I feel has to be created. I just can’t get with you on this. Derek, sorry.”
Quite a definite verdict from English, but what does Craigan think? The former Motherwell man was just as critical of Ferguson’s comments.
Craigan: “I think when you when you think about an underdog, they can win one off games. They can win big games occasionally. They can’t do it over a sustained period of time.
“And the way Rangers are performed in those games, they’ve been underdogs in them. Old F-rm games and the European games, and it suited them, but they’ve shown that they can’t go over a full league season of 38 games and challenge this Celtic team that have been dominant.
“So I would tend to agree with Tom, I think there is a gap and it needs improving.”
Anyone can see that the gap between Celtic and Rangers is vast both on and off the park, to claim otherwise is just daft.
But it seems that as Ferguson remains in denial, Celtic can get on with the business of strengthening the squad for next season and hopefully not keeping the gap the same, but increasing it even more.
