Celtic have a big game against Kairat Almaty coming up this week.
After that, Celtic’s next domestic fixture is against Rangers in the Glasgow Derby on Sunday the 31st of August.
Before then, Rangers also have a Champions League play-off against Club Brugge to negotiate but, in truth, the Ibrox club are unlikely to progress after a crushing 3-1 defeat at Ibrox.
However, it’s Celtic that are giving a former Rangers coach the fear this week.
And with less than a week to go until the big Glasgow Derby, Billy Dodds has ‘the fear’.
Ex-Rangers coach Billy Dodds has ‘the fear’ about upcoming Celtic game
Billy Dodds was interim Rangers coach under Barry Ferguson at the tail-end of last season as Celtic romped to the Scottish Premiership title.
But speaking after Rangers’ draw with St Mirren, Dodds said he has ‘the fear’ for his old club as the game against Celtic nears.
Dodds told BBC Radio Sportsound, “Yeah, tough games as well. As I say, still an opportunity to rectify it and get it going, but it’s going to need big performances and I’ve yet to see it. Somebody grasp it to just say, we’re turning this.
“That’s the fear I have. Go to Brugge, you have to go about that game properly, try and get back in it, try and play for the first goal, and then come back and face Celtic in the derby. And then you’ve got Hibs and Hearts.
“So, it’s going to take a big effort, a collective effort. He’s going to have to get round players individually. You feel it as managers, the pressure comes on, that’s what happens when it’s not going your way.
“So, that’s where he’s at just now, the big, big difficult games coming up, but there’s an opportunity to go and do something in them.
“If they don’t, the pressure will come on them. It’s as simple as that.”
Celtic’s next three Scottish Premiership games after the Glasgow Derby compared to Rangers
After the derby game, there is an international break and whoever wins that between Celtic and Rangers will have two weeks to stew over the result.
And the fixtures after the derby will have a big say on how the title race will go in September:
Celtic’s next three fixtures
- Saturday 13th September: Kilmarnock vs Celtic
- Saturday 27th September: Celtic vs Hibernian
- Saturday 4th October: Celtic v Motherwell
Rangers next three fixtures
- Saturday 13th September: Rangers vs Hearts
- Saturday 27th September: Livingston vs Rangers
- Saturday 4th October: Falkirk vs Rangers
It’s fair to say Rangers have a tougher run of fixtures than Celtic and if the Ibrox club’s current run of form continues, the league could be over by Halloween, never mind Christmas.
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