Anxious wait until May 17

Hearts have become he first team outside of the Old Firm to clinch a Champions League place and it appears Celtic supporters are as delighted as their Tynecastle counterparts.
There should be no doubts whatsoever about the magnitude of what Hearts have done, firstly for them but more importantly for Celtic.

This has been a wonderful season for Celtic but as good as it has been for the Bhoys it has been a total disaster for Rangers with Wednesday night’s results being the final insult to them.
No one and literally no-one could have forecast such an outcome to the season this time last year,
Then Celtic not only experienced perhaps the worst day ever as they lost the league on the last day of the season, but we looked set to return to the bad old days and watch Rangers enter a new era of supremacy.
Thankfully, this did not transpire and ultimately we have to thank Gordon Strachan for not allowing this to happen.
The icing on the cake would be for Barcelona to win the Champions League and thus guarantee automatic entry into the same tournament next season for Celtic.

There now lies an anxious wait for the Bhoys until May 17 when our fate in this respect will be determined although hopefully Barcelona will prove too strong for an Arsenal side that looked mediocre against Villareal last week. For the present we can do nothing but wait.
In the meantime at least we have the satisfaction that Rangers have no such aspirations for next season in terms of the Champions League.

The effects of this – and both the outcome of the title and the race for second place – could be significant on a psychological and financial level. Celtic fans are gloating and rightfully so.
The shame and despair of what happened last season are now put to rest. Then we had to sit back and watch Rangers and their fans gloat at our misfortune and impending doom, something they duly delivered on.

We owe no apology now for wallowing in their misfortune. That is simply rivalry and given the depth of the rivalry between the clubs nothing else should be expected from either set of supporters in similar circumstances.

The knock-on effect for rangers remains to be seen. Paul Le Guen’s appointment may give them some ground for hope, yet the morale of the current squad must be rock bottom.
Financially, this is the worst possible outcome Rangers could have wanted or expected.
Some may argue that matters at Ibrox do not or should not concern Celtic, but let’s make no bones about it; they do matter and big time too.
A lot of faith had been put into securing Champions League football by Rangers. Their fiscal planning for Le Guen’s tenure had seemed to rely on not only this but also the deal secured with JJB Sports.

Part one of this plan has been scuppered and the benefits of the latter remain to be seen.
Indeed much of their plans appear to be based on hypothetical figures that depended on what money could be gained from another run in the Champions League and also what money could be generated from the sale of Rangers products in JJB outlets.
The cost of this for ‘Gers was the closing of their supporters’ shops, which is tantamount to selling off the family silver.

It is also dependent on what amount of merchandise Rangers fans buy from JJB.
With no Champions League football and morale low amongst their supporters then sales of merchandise and ultimately revenue for Rangers may have taken a downturn.
Celtic are often blamed for being conspiracy theorists – although much of this has been justified throughout the years.

Now it appears Rangers have taken this mantle in that respect. After Celtic’s 3-0 defeat at Tynecastle last Sunday it was argued that Celtic lay down and let Hearts win.
What they chose to ignore however is that not only were Hearts the hungrier side, but that Rangers lost the league over the course of the season – a season coincidently in which they were truly awful.

It’s evident that since securing the league title that Celtic players have eased off and appear more relaxed, but then again who could blame them?
Anyhow, it would be the same situation for any club in the same circumstances, as we have earned such a right.

Furthermore, in an overall analysis of the league campaign itself, Celtic deservedly won the SPL title and Hearts were credible runners-up to the Bhoys.
Perhaps a greater fear for Celtic now is how Hearts will progress from this, especially if they can have their own internal affairs sorted out.

Then again, let’s worry about that next season.