Chris Sutton believes Celtic need to stay sharp and make changes this summer—even though they’ve just won the league.
Sutton thinks Brendan Rodgers knows that the team still needs to get better, even though they’ve been hugely successful this season, and he won’t want to keep things the same without making a few changes.
Some fans are worried because Celtic haven’t done well against Rangers since the new year, but Sutton doesn’t think those games tell the full story.
He believes the league table is what really matters, and the big points gap shows that Celtic are still clearly the best team overall.
He said: (RecordSport), “It’s a huge summer for Celtic. I know there will be plenty of people who will say if it’s not broken, why fix it?
“That’s not the point. You ask Brendan Rodgers if he thinks his squad can just happily roll on without too many changes?
“No chance. Rodgers has said a number of times, you can’t afford to get comfortable – and that is exactly where Celtic are right now.
“They’ve strolled to the title. Don’t buy this stuff about Rangers having the edge in the derbies. The 17 point gap is what really matters and although Celtic will be disappointed not to have won the last few games against their rivals, they can still rest in the knowledge they are streets ahead.”
Sutton’s message is simple: even though Celtic are champions again, they can’t afford to relax or just keep things the way they are. Winning the league is a big achievement, but football moves fast, and standing still can quickly lead to falling behind. Sutton believes the club must keep pushing forward if they want to stay ahead of Rangers next season.
To do that, Celtic will need fresh ideas and new players who can bring energy and competition into the team for places. Adding quality signings during the summer will help make the squad stronger and ensure they’re fully prepared for all the challenges ahead—especially with the Champions League qualifiers coming up in August, where the level of competition is much tougher.
The hard work doesn’t stop just because the title has been secured—in fact, this is the time to work even harder. Celtic need to build on everything they’ve achieved this season, aim even higher, and make sure they stay ahead of their rivals. They also need to push on in Europe, which is a big reason why Brendan Rodgers came back to the club in the first place. Competing well on the European stage will be the next big step for this team.
