Chris Sutton believes Rangers joining Celtic in the Champions League group stages would give Scottish football its biggest boost in over a decade.
The former Parkhead striker feels the game’s standing on the continent will already get a crucial lift by his old club returning to the glamour sections after a five-year exile. But Sutton thinks that the Ibrox club getting in there alongside their Glasgow rivals will offer another massive shot in the arm.
It is 15 years since both Celtic and Rangers were involved in the group stages at the same time. Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team can book their place with a play-off win over PSV Eindhoven. Sutton says there’s massive significance in two clubs making it through and also Hearts sinking FC Zurich to surge into the group stages of the Europa League. Motherwell’s nightmare exit to Sligo Rovers and the manner of Dundee United's devastating setback against AZ Alkmaar have been deeply-disappointing early-term setbacks.
But the Record Sport columnist feels the remaining trio can still salvage the situation over the next fortnight. He said: “People are quick to sink the boot into Scottish football and it’s been sad to see Motherwell and United go out at their first hurdles, especially the manner of the exits. But to get two teams into the Champions League groups would be a real marker point for the game.
"Outside of the elite countries, there won’t be many who have two teams in there and what a lift it would give to the game. Celtic being in there is already a massive thing. That’s where you want to be as a club. For the prestige and the finance. People see it across the globe. Players see it. You see the atmosphere at Celtic Park and it can make the difference between attracting certain players and not.
“Now Rangers have a chance to get there, too. Giovanni van Bronckhorst did a brilliant job in getting them to a Europa League Final and that lifted Scotland’s profile immensely. This is the next step. The PSV games are going to be 50-50, but what an opportunity for them and getting two clubs into the mix just benefits everyone in the Scottish game in terms of how it's viewed and the spin-offs for everyone.
“Hearts are in the same boat with the Europa. It’s terrific to know three teams will have group-stage football right up until the shutdown for the World Cup Finals regardless of what happens in the respective play-offs. But the higher the level, the better. So let’s hope Robbie Neilson’s side can also do it.”
Sutton knows the size of the challenges, but uses recent examples to show there need be no inferiority complex for Scotland’s teams. He continued: “I’m fully aware of the financial gulf within the Champions League. It’s tough. You can’t really expect anything against these teams.
“But you can get in there and you can take scalps. Make special moments. Look at Sherif Tiraspol. Real Madrid won the tournament last year, but the Moldovans beat them in the group stages in the Bernabeu.
“That’s what it’s all about. Even if it’s too tough to progress overall, you can still make ripples and make a mark. Have nights that players and fans will always remember.”
Sutton, meanwhile, doesn’t believe Rangers will be at any disadvantage against PSV due to fixture scheduling. Former Rangers boss Ally McCoist has slammed SFA chiefs for not giving his old club a weekend off between the play-off ties whilst the Dutch have been given a free weekend ahead of the second leg.
But Sutton said: “How do I view it? Have Rangers actually asked to have a game postponed? No? Well that’s how I view it. Everyone is due an opinion, but I don’t really understand where Ally is coming from. We’ve been speaking about clubs having big and strong squads. This is why.
“Rangers didn’t need any time off to get to the Europa League Final. When you play in Europe, you know you are going to playing weekend-midweek-weekend. It’s been that way forever. Players and managers are well aware of it. Rangers might actually be pleased to be playing to get players more game-time and minutes as it's still early in the season.
“What are we supposed to do? Competitions organise dates and matches. You can’t just have clubs pick and choose when they want to play. Rangers don’t seem to have a problem with it, there’s three completely free days between them playing against Hibs at Easter Road and then in Eindhoven and it’s not a long trip or flight, so where’s the problem?”
READ NEXT:
