Dubai: Rangers will have to break the bank to stop Celtic from doing another nine in a row, according to Dubai-based former Gers midfielder Trevor Steven.
The Hoops set the benchmark for the most amount of consecutive Scottish league title wins with nine, from 1966 to 1974, but Rangers equalled that tally from 1989 to 1997.
However, since Rangers went into administration then liquidation in 2012 and were forced to work their way back up to the Scottish Premiership from the fourth tier, Celtic have amassed five titles without interference and now look comfortably placed to equal or surpass the record.
Celtic qualifying for the group stages of the Uefa Champions League for the first time in three years this season has also only widened the financial gulf between both Glasgow clubs.
“Rangers are going to have to sell the family silver to catch Celtic,” said Steven, who was involved in eight of Rangers’ record nine title wins, missing only the 1991/92 season after a year in France with Marseille.
“It’s perhaps premature to think about, because Celtic have to win another four in a row, but in the back of their minds the fans are already thinking about it.”
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic are currently top of the Scottish Premiership on 31 points from 11 games, 10 points clear of second-placed Aberdeen, with Mark Warburton’s Rangers a further point behind in third. Celtic also have a game in hand.
“Once Celtic get to six, all of a sudden there’s real pressure on Rangers and they’ve got to stop them within two years, because if they get to seven it is going to be bedlam,” added Steven, 53, who scored 16 goals in 132 appearances at Ibrox and featured for England in two World Cups and two European Championships.
“The problem Rangers have though is attracting the right people. Rangers’ buying power is a third of Celtic’s and that gap has to narrow, but while that gap is narrowing Celtic are picking up trophies.
“It will take Rangers at least three or four years to get into Celtic’s area of the market and in the meantime Rangers have to mix and match and there’s no guarantees with that.”
Former Celtic defender Derek Whyte, who is also based in Dubai, agreed with Steven.
“I think it will take another four or five years for Rangers to catch up with Celtic,” said Whyte, who played some 215 times with the Parkhead side from 1985 to 1992. “Unless something dramatic happens and Rangers get some major investment it won’t just be nine in a row, it could be 10.
“I don’t see where that investment is going to come from though. Unless they get a wealthy individual who supports Rangers and wants to stop Celtic, I see no other way of them doing it, there’s no magic wand.
“No foreign investor is going to get involved, I don’t see why they would want to, it’s not a great attraction and it’s not a great league.”
Celtic travel to Kilmarnock on Friday night, kick-off 11.45pm UAE time. Rangers welcome Dundee to Ibrox on Saturday, kick-off 7pm UAE time.
