IF indeed, possibility of imminent death concentrates the mind wonderfully, there will be a deal of hard thinking going on in Scottish football's corridors of power. Because, we ought to be in no doubt, if Rangers goes under from the fall-out of years of financial mis-management, Scottish football as we know it, is dead.
This actually might be no bad thing. Sure, we would end up as something akin to the two Irish and Welsh Leagues, maybe even a Danish League - one full-time club and a lot of part-time ones. Initially, Celtic would rule the roost untroubled. However, long before they had ran-up ten-in-a-row League titles, the Jungle Tims would be thoroughly sick of inevitable victory and longing for the old days when they had Them to hate. But in the longer run, we might have a really competitive league again.
Of course, we Scots are at our best/worst with a strong wind in our faces, we love to see the dark side of life. Rangers are only going into administration - they are not shutting down, that statue of John Greig will not be sited in the middle of a patch of grass, in the centre of an industrial estate for a long time to come, if ever.
But, even administration will change the game up here.
If that is as far as Craig Whyte has to go, the club will emerge with a leaner, fitter, outline. The bigger-name players who are coming to the end of their contracts will be allowed to depart, ditto those who are on the fringes of the action and those such as skipper Steve Davis and Alan McGregor, who have a decent re-sale value. The post- administration Rangers will have a younger, more home-grown squad. This is bad news for Ally McCoist and his management team, they will have to start coaching and managing, not trying to direct a squad of big-money, supposedly-able players who were bought.
Such a squad will still be competitive in Scotland, IF the guys in the track suits are prepared to coach.
If Rangers as currently organised is wound-up, that's the $64,000 (and more) question for the rest of the SPL. Sure, it would be great, after all these years of Rangers arrogance, to rub their noses in it, kick them while they are down and tell Craig Whyte when he comes along with Glasgow Rangers 2012 and asks to join the SPL: "No way pal, join the SFL, or, nip along the corridor and see if Tom Johnston will have you in the Central Regional Junior League - Glasgow Rangers v Larkhall Thistle, a bi-polar's delight.
But, in spite of Lawwell's claim that Celtic don't need Rangers - Aye Right, like Liz Taylor didn't need Richard Burton, Ernie Wise didn't need Eric Morecambe and Mike Winters didn't need Bernie. With no Rangers, who's going to be Schnorbitz?
As I have said before, for all their supposed friendliness with the power brokers from the other SPL clubs, when push comes to shove there is really only one club on whom Celtic can rely when they want something badly enough, and that club is Rangers.
Without Rangers, it becomes Celtic v the Rest 1v11, and that will allow a fairer, more-level playing field. For Celtic, more than anyone else, even Craig Whyte, these are dark and dangerous times.
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