Ally McCoist has moved to dismiss any talk that the Scottish Premiership title race is already decided after just two rounds of fixtures.
Celtic’s strong start, with wins over St Mirren and Aberdeen, has put them four points clear of Rangers at this early stage. The champions have taken maximum points without conceding a goal, while their Glasgow rivals have been held to two draws.
Rangers, under Russell Martin, have yet to record a victory, drawing 1-1 with both Motherwell and Dundee. It marks a slow and frustrating opening for the Ibrox side, while Brendan Rodgers’ men have made a perfect start in their bid to retain the title.
However, speaking on talkSPORT’s breakfast show, McCoist was quick to laugh off any suggestions that Celtic’s early lead means the league is already over.
He said: “Celtic continued their perfect start to the Scottish Premiership season.
“They’ve won two games, man! What’s going on? Perfect start?
“He’s trying to wind me up in there!
“Eh, winning 2-0 at Aberdeen, who themselves now sit rock bottom.
“Russell Martin, meanwhile, made unwanted history at Rangers as they failed to win in their opening two league games for the first time since 1989 – which I was probably responsible for – drawing 1-1 at home with Dundee.
“Give it a break lads, come on!”
McCoist’s comments came after reading a tongue-in-cheek script prepared by his colleagues, which jokingly posed the question of whether the title race was already done. His reaction underlined that, in his view, two games is far too early to make such a call.
From a Celtic perspective, the early advantage is a welcome boost, especially given the points dropped by their rivals. Brendan Rodgers’ side have looked assured in their opening fixtures, and a four-point cushion so soon is an encouraging sign.
That said, McCoist’s stance serves as a reminder that the league is a long campaign. Even with an early lead, Celtic will know that consistency over the coming months will be key.
While the light-hearted exchange was aimed at winding up the former Rangers striker, it also highlighted the contrasting starts from Glasgow’s big two, and how Celtic have quickly taken control of the early narrative.
