(Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
The implications are clear for the future of Glasgow Rangers: failure to stop Celtics quest for four successive titles will result in terrible consequences for the ailing Glasgow giants.
After this weekends capitulation at home to Heart of Midlothian, whereby the Edinburgh side clawed back a two goal deficit to salvage a point and dent Rangers title aspirations, it was from behind the sofa that fans of the Ibrox side watched Celtic take on Dundee United at Tannadice.
A win for the Hoops would see them storm into a five point lead with only nine matches left to play.
Celtics inability, however, to assert their dominance should not detract from the problems at large for Glasgow Rangers. A 2-2 draw at a tough ground like Tannadice can be viewed as a point won, and not points lost, in the greater scheme of a title race.
Surrendering a 2-0 lead at home cannot be viewed in the same context.
In fact such a result, coming on the back of an even worse 1-0 defeat at home to relegation fodder Inverness Caledonian Thistle, is nothing short of suicidal. And that word, ‘suicidal’, is not to be used lightly in reference to Glasgow Rangers.
The repercussions are surely unthinkable for Sir David Murray should Celtic succeed in their quest for four in a row.
Rangers are in financial meltdown, that much is clear. The club is in dire need of cash- and fast. The situation is simple: win the SPL, and win a guaranteed £10 million from participation in next years Champions League group stages. Finish second, and begin downsizing.
That downsizing would have begun in earnest in January, were it not for the potential suitors of players like McGregor, Mendes, Bougherra, Ferguson, Boyd and Davis smelling blood and cut price deals in the summer.
Kris Boyd may have commanded a fee of £3.5m in January, but in July, when the banks are knocking on the gates of Edmiston Driveafter yet another fruitless SPL campaign?
Think half that figure, and ditto for Ferguson, Mendes and the rest. Add to this the current situation with JJB Sports and the situation becomes even more bleak.
If as reported the firm are close to going under, then the marketing rights for Rangers merchandise will be handed back to the club. However, seeing as Rangers have no retail outlets, this will be catastrophic.
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