Barry Ferguson reckons Rangers need to win all of their next ten league games to lift the Scottish Premiership title, with Celtic currently top of the tree.
But former Celtic player Davie Provan doesn’t believe it’s possible and in fact thinks Celtic could have a further advantage over the coming weeks owing to Rangers’ participation in the UEFA Europa League.
This was the debate on radio tonight as Scottish football pundits get to grips with what is going to be a blockbuster title race.
Yesterday looked like it could be a bad one for Celtic after a difficult 0-0 draw away to Hibernian. But Rangers’ capitulation at home to Motherwell lifted spirits and changed the dynamic of the weekend’s action.
Ferguson sounds worried, telling the Go Radio Football Show: “There are ten games left, you’ve got to get 30 points. No doubt about it. Look at the games mentioned. Aberdeen, Ross County, Dundee United, take Celtic into the equation – 3-0 they got beat – and then you look at it again on Sunday.
“It’s disappointing and frustrating. But they’ve got another game on Wednesday night at McDiarmid Park, St Johnstone are fighting for their lives.”
Provan now reckons that the schedule ahead for Celtic may well be defining, with Ange Postecoglou having an easier time of it.
He said after Ferguson: “I don’t think either side are showing the type of consistency that suggests they can win their last ten games. I don’t know if that’s ever been done before. I just wonder if the difference might be Rangers playing Thursday-Sunday.
“It might give Celtic an advantage in terms of resting legs. It gives Postecoglou the option of giving his boys a day off now and again and keeping some juice for the weekend. Rangers don’t have that.”
Let’s be clear – I’d prefer Celtic were still in Europe. I think we should be striving for excellence across every competition we play. Rangers progressing against Borussia Dortmund was significant for them and there’s no getting around that.
But I do think Provan has a point. The schedule is about to significantly ease up for Celtic in terms on intensity and, as we know, that’s been a problem for Postecoglou all season.
With Celtic’s entire focus now being on the league and cup, it may well be a factor that gives us a slight edge over the next 3 months.
In other news, Matt O’Riley’s former coach Peter Grant speaks to 67 Hail Hail about his Celtic start.
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