Rangers takeover mania has arrived and fans are getting way too ahead of themselves.
On Friday, a US-based consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises sealed their majority takeover of Rangers and promised an initial investment of £20m.
The new Ibrox owners want to win trophies in Scotland and assert themselves as a force in Europe once again, as per their message to fans.
Rangers fans are understandably excited by the news, but the takeover acquisition has evoked some exaggerated assertions.
One of those comments was delivered on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard and it prompted pundit Hugh Keevins to put the Rangers fan caller’s gas at a peep.
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Keevins shuts down ridiculous Rangers fan’s Celtic claim
A caller named Richard phoned in and told the panel that “Celtic’s dominance is done” and that. “Glasgow Rangers are back” – something Hoops fans have heard many times before.
Keevins was visibly frustrated by the statement and responded perfectly. He said: “I don’t deny Richard or any other Rangers fan’s feelings of excitement and anticipation, but to say ‘Celtic’s dominance is done’ is ever so slightly premature.
“The initial £20m investment will be strategically deployed, to use Andrew Cavenagh’s phrase, and bear in mind that Celtic bought two players for £20m, Arne Engels and Adam Idah.
“So £20m doesn’t get you to a stage where you can say overnight that Celtic’s dominance is over.
“There’s absolutely no question that this is a watershed moment for Rangers. But at the start of the programme, I said it’s about managing expectations.
“The first caller said that Celtic’s dominance is over. That’s wildly premature because Celtic must react to what has happened at Rangers today, they must be ready to meet the new financial challenge on and off the park.
“Celtic will pay heed to what’s going on at Rangers. I’m simply saying that you have to manage expectations. The first caller says it’s all over for Celtic – wildly premature.”
What new Rangers owners told fans in ‘open letter’
Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe issued a joint statement addressed to fans and outlined exactly what their short and long term missions are at Ibrox.
They wrote on the official Rangers website: “Simply put – our goal is to win trophies in Scotland and be able to compete at a high level in Europe, while laying a foundation of financial sustainability for the future.
“As our first step, we are investing fresh capital into Rangers, which will be strategically deployed on and off the pitch.
“While we recognise the importance of resources, we believe that thoughtful, disciplined investment, guided by a clear strategy, is the path to enduring success.
“Every decision, whether sporting or business, will be made with the club’s long-term success and sustainability in mind.
“We aim to leverage the full strength of 49ers Enterprises’ sporting expertise and operational experience, and are confident in Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell to lead this next phase.
“Our first priority together is clear: hiring a new men’s Head Coach. That process is already well underway, and we look forward to sharing more updates soon. We will also look to invest in talent for our teams.”
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