Kris Boyd has to be one of the most pro-Rangers voices in the Scottish media, so the fact that he is already worried about the Ibrox club and their challenge against Celtic speaks volumes about where morale is across the city.
In a new column titled “Rangers worry me”, the Sky Sports pundit isn’t pulling his punches when it comes to some of the decisions being made by Michael Beale and the staff at our title rivals.
And he isn’t buying the new manager factor in terms of their rebuild needing time, rightly pointing out that Beale has been in the job much longer than the boss who oversaw Celtic’s big overhaul in 2021.
Boyd said [The Scottish Sun]: “Look, it’s still early days. But I can’t lie and right now I’ve got real concerns with the way things are going at Ibrox. The defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park last Saturday wasn’t good enough. And I didn’t like how Beale talked about having so many new signings and how it would take them time to gel.
“I also question the way things have been done recently in terms of outgoings. I was never convinced with Fashion Sakala as an out-and-out striker, but right now he’d be a better bet than the four new attackers who have been brought in. Scott Wright was also told a few weeks ago to find a new club. And yet he’s been included in the European squad and came off the bench against Servette. That makes no sense whatsoever.
“I also can’t get my head around what’s happened with Glen Kamara, who was a standout before. He’s not even in the building any more. Why?
“You also look at John Lundstram and Ryan Jack, two players I like, and it’s like they don’t know if they are coming or going. People talk about how Ange Postecoglou didn’t hit the ground running when he first went into Celtic. But the thing about Beale is that he’s been in the job for almost a year now. He’s had plenty of time to put the wheels in motion to get things the way he wants them.”
With another long Scottish Premiership weekend ahead of us, it’s far too early to make solid predictions about how the season as a whole will pan out. But given they had a head start on Brendan Rodgers, you would have thought things would be rosier for those of a blue persuasion.
Celtic will remain focused on going about their own business and paying little attention to what’s happening elsewhere. But for fans, the circus around this rivalry is only just beginning and it’s certainly been an amusing seven days for Bhoys supporters.
Three more points for Celtic at Pittodrie will only help the good times continue.
In other news, Celtic set to break yet another club’s transfer record this summer.
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