'Major Shock' - Ewan Murray issues fake Rangers & Celtic title race verdict

Rangers will pull off a “major shock” if they manage to turn the tables on Celtic when the pressure is on in the new season, says Ewan Murray.

The Guardian journalist wrote in his column for the paper’s website on 2 August that Gers fans expecting little in the new campaign the club are a long way off their Old Firm rivals in terms of finances and squad quality.

Philippe Clement faces Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League third qualifying round and Murray believes it will require the Belgian to steer his side into the competition’s group stage to have any hope of altering the situation enough to challenge the Hoops, with a false title race only on the cards due to the lack of competition from elsewhere.

He wrote: “Rangers supporters begin this season with no great expectation, which is telling. The weakness of the Scottish league means a title race will exist for a while in theory, but it would be a major shock if Rangers can turn the tables when push comes to shove.

“Only if Clement can guide Rangers through qualifying and into the Champions League could the background dynamic change.”

Champions League crucial as Rangers trail Celtic

On paper it is hard to argue that a Light Blues side that threw away the opportunity to take the Scottish Premiership title, or the Scottish Cup, back to Govan last term has an uphill battle to do anything different in the new season.

As things stand Clement’s squad is arguably weaker than it was to end the previous campaign after seeing John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Kemar Roofe and Borna Barisic walk on free transfer exits.

Connor Goldson and Sam Lammers have now been sold but it has taken until late in the day to move them on so the second set of signings, the crucial experienced reinforcements the Belgian wanted, are only just arriving at may time to get up to speed.

All of those that have gone have had their fair share of criticism so none are necessarily a huge blow in isolation, but they need to be adequately replaced and so far only Robin Propper’s signing to take Goldson’s role, and possibly Connor Barron’s arrival in place of Jack, has done that.

Even Vaclav Cerny, the other senior signing, will have to perform strongly if he is to make up for the loss of former loan star Abdallah Sima.

That Rangers face a Dynamo side coming off the back of a 9-2 aggregate win so early is a concern when Clement’s transfer business is still half done.

On the plus side he achieved far more last term than many would have expected with a squad that was wilting under Michael Beale so he has a bit of a track record.

But that was with a new-manager bounce and it ultimately didn’t last so he has his work cut out without a few more crucial signings through the door quickly.

In other Rangers news, one “extremely poor” new Gers signing has been blasted for his performances already.

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