Apres Moi - Le Deluge

MAY you live in interesting times, we are told, is an ancient Chinese curse. Well, we who follow Scottish football are certainly living in interesting times this 2012 close season. It is now all but certain that for the first time in the history of league play in Scotland, the new season will kick-off without a team called 'Rangers' in the top flight. In fact, all the indications are that the name 'Rangers' is about to be consigned to the history books.

A perfect storm of set-backs - long-term mis-management - both financial and in terms of player recruitment and deployment, blatant asset-stripping, tax evasion, non-payment of VAT, non-compliance with football's protocols, not forgetting hubris, has brought Scotland's establishment club face-to-face with their nemesis: HMRC and the forces of the law.

The club, conceived by four oarsmen from the Vale of Leven in 1872, is in the final stages of administration and will shortly (once the paper-work is completed) be liquidated. There is a belief that Charles Green - the last man standing who is making any effort to preserve the club's long heritage - MIGHT be able to keep the name 'Rangers' going; however, there is an equally-strong belief that, sooner or later, 'Rangers' will pass into history.

The hubris of the club's management, some players and the majority of the fans has finally pissed-off the rest of Scottish football to the extent that if the expected death is announced soon, nobody will play Marc Anthony and read the eulegy, while the dance on their grave will be all-ticket.

The fact it is a secret ballot might, in the short-term, save any SPL club which votes to allow Green's version of 'Rangers' to become 'Club 12' and play in that competition next season; but, Scottish football is a large village - the gossips will have their day and it will all come out, perhaps slightly distorted, in the wash.

Plan B - to quietly by-pass all the known protocols and rules and slip 'Rangers' into the SFL's First Division is also meeting opposition, while the reported defections from those players whose contract with Rangers FC (i.a.)  are still valid, means that even that division might be a level too-high for the young players who will be left, once the "name" players have triggered the early-release clauses they had written into their contracts when they negotiated a wage cut in the early days of administration.

It is interesting, by the way, to find young Rhys McCabe, who made a good impression when suddenly thrust into the first team last season, is reportedly wishing to leave. John Fleck, happy to go out on-loan and reportedly happy to remain at Blackpool, Gordon Wylde - walked away, now McCabe walking away. The common thread is, these are ambitious young players who have done well in the Rangers first team, but have been under-used by Walter Smith and Ally McCoist. Am I alone in thinking, the kids don't see themselves being given a chance at the club, even when finances might dictate they are the sensible indeed only alternative to buying-in proven mature talent.

If Scottish football rules were being applied, by the book, then, at best - and it isn't clear if Green's 'Rangers'actually meet them - his 'Rangers' SHOULD start life in the Third Division of the SFL.

So, we can assume that 'Rangers' are indeed, a special case. The authorities therefore ought to either declare that 'Rangers' are just that, or apply their rules strictly, in which case - 'Rangers' are dead.

The current back-lash of fans other than Rangers fans, against the various fudges being proposed, seems to indicate that, yes ideed folks - Rangers are dead.

Le Roi est mort - vive le Roi, therefore.

And that brings another interesting little problem - for Celtic. All these years of claiming to be the outsiders, the Rebels, the one club standing firm against Rangers - the establishment club. What happens now that, with Rangers' death, Celtic have become the establishment club? How will the Celtic Family cope?

One aspect of their life in the football year 1AR (after Rangers) will be no different. Celtic were and are as hated and despised elsewhere in Scotland than Rangers were. To be fair too, Rangers always seemed to consider themselves "above" the petty play-ground squabbling of Scottish football. Celtic FC has always played its part in the management of the game up here. Sir Bob Kelly was a major player in the SFA and SFL, as were the likes of Desmond White and Jack McGinn in the past and as are Peter Lawwell and Eric Riley today. Celtic FC has never been particularly bothered about the opinions of the fans on the terraces, but they have built and maintained friendships and alliances in the boardrooms of Scotland and in Hampden's corridors of powers.

Celtic have to say, clearly: "the Old Firm is dead, and if we have been guilty by association of the crimes alleged to have been committed by 'the Old Firm', then we are sorry". They could start by agreeing to the end of the 11-1 voting rules in the SPL and should voluntarily concede the need for a flatter financial playing field - they will still be the richest club.

But, I would like to see Celtic playing a part in re-drawing the football map of Scotland. We have too-many clubs. We have too-many league divisions in the senior game. We MUST have a properly-constituted pyramid system in place. We must have improved grass roots football and systems to bring through more, better-prepared kids. (Celtic's initiative with St Ninian's HS in Kirkintilloch is a breath of fresh air, not every team could afford a similar scheme, but it is a prototype for the way forward).

A single governing body, one 20-team national league (perhaps divided into two American-style "conferences"), under-pinned by regional leagues, is, I feel, the way forward. We can argue long and loud about the small print - but get this basic formation in place first.We don't have a lot of time.