“Will Disadvantage Celtic & Rangers” - Former Star Reveals A 2020/21 Complication For Both Clubs

Former Scottish international and Celtic midfielder John Collins has been giving his thoughts on the effect that potentially empty stadiums will have on players when the game returns for the 2020/21 campaign, and he sees one big problem in particular for both Celtic and Rangers.

Speaking to the BBC over the weekend, our former assistant manager felt that if fans are barred from attending in the 2020/21 campaign, empty stadiums would ‘most definitely’ give every side that visited Parkhead or Ibrox an added advantage when it came to victory…purely because the home crowds wouldn’t be there to roar them on.

He also felt that this would also be a massive ‘test’ when each side faced each other during the season.

“It will disadvantage Celtic and Rangers more than anybody. They are so used to being pushed by full stadiums, while other clubs in Scotland don’t have that. Top players, the bigger the game, the more they enjoy it. They deal with pressure and that comes from the expectation of the fans; if you make a bad pass you get booed.”

Whilst he does have a point on that score, and for anyone who has watched any of the English Premier League matches since they came back, the piped-in crowd noise and lack of fans certainly creates a strange and unfamiliar atmosphere that won’t be for everyone, Collins did continue to believe that we were well placed to make it ten in a row next campaign given our financial strength, as despite the money complications all clubs will face, we have cash in the bank and he knows we are in a position to sacrifice one player for the greater good.

“They’ve still got four players they could sell for in excess of £25m. They might sell one, if they need to. They’ve got assets they can sell, they’ve got money in the bank. You look at the other side of the city and their main challengers don’t have that.”

It’s certainly set to be an interesting summer now as we deal with the fallout from Coronavirus, but we certainly continue to be in pole position for success next year.