Former Scotland international Barry Douglas believes Celtic will get away with their poor summer transfer window because none of the chasing pack are strong enough to mount a serious title challenge.
Douglas, who faced Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic with St Johnstone last season, admitted the unrest among supporters is understandable after what many see as a shambolic window. But he suggested Celtic’s dominance may continue by default rather than design.
“I think they’ve just got that expectation because they’ve always been at the top,” Douglas said on Open Goal. “So to probably not feel that they’ve went and reinvested to stay up there. But they’re probably fortunate that the rest of the chasing pack is not as strong either.
“OK, you spoke about Hearts, but I don’t think over the course of the season they’ve got enough to challenge them for the title. Rangers need a big boot up their arse to be honest, don’t they?”
Celtic sit top of the Premiership on goal difference after their win at Kilmarnock, conceding just one goal in the league so far, but the tension between board and fans has overshadowed results on the pitch. Rodgers himself has admitted the squad was left short after key departures weren’t replaced, while organised supporter protests against the hierarchy are only gathering pace.
Despite this, Douglas believes that unless Hearts can sustain their form or Rangers rediscover momentum under Russell Martin, Celtic remain in pole position to retain their crown.
For many supporters, though, the fear is that complacency in the boardroom will only store up bigger problems down the line. It’s already seen Celtic miss out on Champions League football this season when it should have been a straight-forward qualification.
