Steven Naismith has admitted it’s “sad” to see Rangers so far behind Celtic, as the Hoops march towards yet another league title.
The gap between the Glasgow rivals has widened to a staggering 16 points, with Celtic now just three wins away from sealing the title before the league split.
While Brendan Rodgers’ side ran riot with a 5-2 win at the weekend, Rangers faltered again, suffering a damaging defeat to Motherwell. The inconsistency at Ibrox has only reinforced what Naismith and many others have pointed out—years of poor recruitment and decision-making have left Rangers trailing in Celtic’s wake.
The former Hearts boss didn’t hold back in his assessment, slamming the way Rangers have been run in recent seasons. He suggested that individuals with self-interest rather than the club’s best interests have been at the heart of the problem, leading to financial struggles and a squad that simply isn’t up to the required standard.
He said: [RecordSport] “It’s sad. It’s sad because they’re so far back, they’re so far behind Celtic, in terms of recruitment, the style and the quality of the squad to the trophies they’ve won.
“It’s a combination of years of making terrible decisions on recruitment. People that are ‘Rangers men’, saying we are going to do this and that. Looking back now they’re not – they’ve not done the best for the club.
“They’ve done the best for the club, which also suits themselves and that’s been from managers to further up the food chain. That’s why the club is so far back, that’s why they’ve lost so much money over the years.
“That’s the problem, I think it needs to have the real people that want the best for the club and not their self-interest. The proof is in the pudding. The squad’s not where it needs to be, the recruitment’s not where it needs to be. Unfortunately they’re a bit away from their biggest rivals.”
There is talk of a potential takeover at Rangers, with the San Francisco 49ers reportedly closing in on a deal. However, throwing money at the problem won’t be a simple fix, especially with Financial Fair Play restrictions limiting how much clubs can spend based on their revenue.
For now, Celtic fans can sit back and enjoy the show. Their club is on the verge of another title, while their greatest rivals remain stuck in crisis mode.
