Rangers fly the flag -- but what of the others?

JAMES TRAYNOR

1 Aug 1992

ANOTHER championship flag will be run up the pole to flutter in the breeze around Ibrox this afternoon, signalling the start of the new premier-division campaign.

The crowds will take a deep breath and chant their perennial favourites.

So, here we go then.

However, as we all prepare to endure another marathon season, made ridiculously long by the decisions of those who would have you believe they know what is best for Scottish football, there is one question everyone ought to be asking.

Where exactly are we going?

The Scottish League does not have a sponsor and a number of clubs, frightened of the consequences of being left behind, appear to be queueing up to join the Scottish Super League, which has become much more than a figment of someone's imagination, and a recently released report by Price Waterhouse into football's finances warns that clubs are living way beyond their means.

Also, absolutely nothing has happened to suggest the standard of play will improve and one player, Paul Lambert, yesterday rejected a £500,000 move to Dundee United, saying he prefers to remain down in the first division with St Mirren.

Good for him.

It may be even harder to greet the kick-off with a smile if you are a Celtic supporter because manager Liam Brady, who knows a player when he sees one, can't buy anyone.

He doesn't have any money and has to sell some of his out-of-contract players before he can go shopping.

Brady would love a new striker, but he can't have one, and although most managers are in similar positions there is something unnerving, something deeply wrong, when one of the largest clubs in Britain can't provide their manager with the finance to improve his playing staff.

People within Celtic Park have grown weary of having everything they do compared with what happens elsewhere in Glasgow, but it was ever thus.

In a relatively quiet close season Walter Smith has spent £4m, bringing in Dave McPherson, Trevor Steven, and Ally Maxwell.

But if Brady is depressed that he hasn't been able to delve into the transfer market, he disguises it well and talks of a belief that this may be Celtic's year.

He finds comfort in the team's form in the second half of last term, when they went 16 games without defeat.

They will resume in attacking mode this afternoon at Tynecastle, where Brady's aspirations are bound to be given a decent test by the side which finished second to Rangers last time.

The manager, who knows much will be expected of him in his second season, said yesterday that Rangers have thrown down the gauntlet and that it is Celtic who will feel the greatest pressure to prevent the Ibrox side from winning five championships in a row.

He spoke also of the daunting start his team face -- Tynecastle today and Pittodrie next Wednesday -- but finished in positive mood by saying that he hopes Celtic can collect maximum points from these matches and lay the foundation for a genuine challenge.

Celtic will start their campaign with Scottish under-21 internationalist Brian O'Neil in midfield, a position which he may hold down even after Mike Galloway's suspension ends.

Hearts' own skilful midfield player, Derek Feguson, also is suspended, and with John Millar and Ian Ferguson injured Jordan will rely on the experience of Ally Mauchlen, who will play in his first premier-division match for seven years.

Peter van de Ven, bought from Aberdeen, will patrol behind Craig Levein and Alan McLaren, and Jordan believes the Dutchman will excel at the back.

Both Hearts and Celtic, along with Aberdeen and Dundee United, were identified by the Rangers manager as the main threats to his team's ambitions for the season, although he pointed out that if Celtic can find consistency they will mount the most persistent challenge.

Smith, who has turned down a bid for Nigel Spackman from Tranmere Rovers, saying their offer was not nearly enough, admitted that his players, who kick off against St Johnstone today, will feel pressure because of past successes.

He pointed out: "The more successful a team is, the more others want to beat that team.

So far we have been able to handle that, but it does get harder."

One of Smith's main problems continues to be finding the right stand-in for Gary Stevens, whose ankle injury will keep him out until Christmas.

Oleg Kuznetsov and Scott Nisbet have been tried at right full-back in pre-season matches.

Aberdeen warhorse Alex McLeish will be put through a fitness test this morning to see if he has recovered from a hamstring injury, but Roy Aitken and Duncan Shearer are in the squad.

Eoin Jess has recovered from injury and manager Willie Miller will have to choose his attack to face Hibernian from Scott Booth, Mixu Paatelainen, Shearer, and Jess.

Kevin Drinkell, who cost Falkirk £150,000 from Coventry City, returns to the premier division today.

He may be joined by midfielder Ian McCall who was signed yesterday after having been released earlier in the day by Dundee.

0 Manager Jim Jefferies said: "We'll decide the line-up against Dundee tomorrow.

But I am happy to get such a creative player."

Partick Thistle can expect a difficult re-introduction to the top flight when they play Airdrie at Firhill, and Dundee United, who missed out on Lambert, will not feel comfortable about travelling into Lanarkshire to meet Motherwell.

Every one of these clubs, of course, goes into battle feeling confident enough, but so far as Ladbrokes are concerned, the championship is a foregone conclusion.

They make Rangers 3/1 on, Celtic 7/2, Hearts 10/1, and Aberdeen 14/1.

Taken from the Herald