Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp has hailed Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.
At the same time, however, he has warned Celtic that Rangers will keep pushing them next season under Steven Gerrard.
Rangers are currently nine points behind the Hoops with just three games remaining. One more point for Celtic and the title is won, and a double-digit lead could still be possible before the end of the season.
But Redknapp doesn’t seem to think that matters. Speaking in the Daily Record, the former Spurs, Portsmouth, and West Ham boss both praised and warned Desmond ahead of next season.
“He (Desmond) is a winner in whatever he does. He’s such a clever man and he’s done amazing with Celtic. He will keep pushing Celtic on, but Rangers will keep pushing on, too.
“There’s still a way to go with Celtic, but Stevie’s making progress and it’s good because a few years ago with no Rangers in the league it was farcical.
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“At the moment they are still a bit away. Whether he can be the man to turn it around will depend on their recruitment in the summer, but the gap is getting closer.”
The gap can still be whatever Celtic want it to be
There’s no denying our rivals have improved this season. They play better football and look to be getting some consistency together now that there is no pressure on them. But they still, quite clearly, aren’t close to Celtic’s form.
It’s easy to say that next season is the time when Rangers will come again. But that’s not the tune that was getting played out earlier on in the campaign. Rangers fans believed the title was there to be won, and they’ve failed once again in toppling Celtic. It doesn’t matter what way you try to dress it up.
Desmond and Peter Lawwell must splash some cash this summer, however. If they don’t, then Rangers could start seriously eating into the gap between the two sides next season. Should Celtic spend, however, then they can shoot away once again. It’s all about ambition, and how seriously Desmond and Lawwell view Rangers in the next two years in particular.
Rangers have yet to give Celtic a proper challenge. This season had its difficulties, but to call it a title-race would be going over the top. The Ibrox side kept striding well up until Christmas, and then the Hoops turned it on between January and April.
All this Celtic team needs is some freshening up. If they get it, then it doesn’t matter what Rangers do this summer. The gap will remain whatever Celtic allow it to be.