Former Rangers centre-half and international teammate of Neil Lennon, Gareth McAuley, has weighed into the debate over the legitimacy of Celtic’s 9-in-a-row claims with a bizarre, if not altogether unsurprising rant.
Speaking to the Sunday Life newspaper (reported in The Daily Record), McAuley explains why he thinks the Hoops title triumph won’t be as revered as the previous success.
So what has McAuley said?
When asked to reflect on the 2019/20 season finally being halted and Celtic being awarded the title, he said:
“I actually feel sorry for the Celtic players. They didn’t win the title on the pitch, they were handed it.
“They have officially been crowned champions, their ninth success in a row, but this triumph will always be tainted and hollow.
“All their hard work, dedication and gutsy performances when they grinded out results will be forgotten. In the record books there will always be an asterisk beside this season’s Championship.
“But, as a result, history will not look too kindly on this Celtic nine-in-a-row team and that will hurt the current crop of players.
“They’ll never be revered in the same light as the great Celtic sides that won nine-in-a row between 1966 and 1974, or the Rangers teams between 1989 and 1997.
“Yet, the Celtic sides of the last nine years, while successful, will be remembered for winning titles when Rangers weren’t in the league and then being handed the title.”
So is McAuley correct?
First of all, McAuley is a diehard Rangers fan, it would be more unexpected if he had congratulated his fellow countryman on his success and given Celtic the respect that their achievement deserves.
The narrative that Scott Brown has led his side to nine successive titles without a strong Rangers competing in some way devalues the achievement is laughable, championships aren’t won with a wage bill, Ronny Deila was far from comfortable throughout his tenure and Celtic should have nine successive trebles if that was the case – football just doesn’t work like that.
This Hoops side will be remembered for one thing, being the most dominant team in the history of Scottish football, an invincible season, three successive trebles and 11 consecutive trophies proves this beyond any doubt and only those of a blue persuasion have the audacity to argue otherwise.