Premier League chairmen to consider Celtic and Rangers proposal

Celtic and Rangers

Likely

Although it has been discussed before and regularly comes up as an idea it has never really been seriously likely to happen. That is until now, when the idea seems to be gathering momentum. The idea is being championed by Bolton chairman Phil Gartside and will be the main agenda item at a meeting of Premier League chairmen today.

It is understood that the Gartside proposal is for a two-tier league of between thirty-six and forty teams. There would be a top tier of eighteen clubs, with promotion and relegation to and from the league.

Hostile

Six months ago Gartside raised this issue with his fellow chairmen and it was roundly criticised and dismissed. In fact, the reaction to the suggestion has been described as ‘hostile’. However, this new proposal has added the two tiers and the promotion and relegation, and also recommends that Celtic and Rangers join the second tier. It is possible that these amendments will make the suggestion much more palatable.

The suggestion has got some high profile supporters. Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill, who used to manage Celtic, has said,

“I would like to see both teams in the Premier League. I think it would make the Premier League even stronger. I’ve been there; Celtic is just an unbelievable football club and Rangers also. I don’t think for one minute the likes of us, Aston Villa, would sit back and think ‘well that’s it’, or just give up. I think all clubs would try and get stronger because of it.”

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is also supportive.

“I would welcome Celtic and Rangers to English football if they wanted to play down here. No doubt about it, I’m sure they would be good for the English game.”

There have been outspoken opponents to the plan as well and the message from them seems to be, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. People believe that the Premier League is a hugely successful entity and that it doesn’t need Celtic and Rangers anywhere near as much as Celtic and Rangers need it.

Fan base

The two clubs are massive and they have an enormous fan base. The problem they have is that the money is all in England and not in Scotland and they cannot attract the type of players that are needed to make a serious challenge in European football. Without being able to make that sort of challenge, they can’t get the money, etc, etc. They find themselves in a vicious circle whereby they remain far and away the best teams in their country but cannot make any progress.

A move to the Premier League could only be good for the two clubs and although there would be obvious benefits to the Premier League as well, there are a number of problems that are immediately obvious.

Trouble

The old ‘home internationals’ were cancelled years ago because of crowd trouble when the Scottish team went to London. There were terrible scenes of violence in Manchester when Rangers played there in the UEFA cup final. There is a genuine fear that scenes like this could be repeated on a regular basis.

If Celtic and Rangers were admitted to the new Premier League, two established English league sides would presumably miss out. It is hard to see any clubs being happy to do that.

Greedy

I can’t see this current proposal being successful but it definitely has more chance than ever before because the game at that level is greedy and the financial advantage of having the two Glasgow sides in the league is obvious.

In theory, I think it would be great to see Scotland’s finest playing in England, but my head tells me that it is an idea that is dangerous and doomed to failure.

What do you think?