Well, when it comes to managers currently plying their trade in the Barclay’s Premier League, the majority of those who’ve expressed an opinion one way or another would seem to be in favour of the switch.
Aye, it's a goer
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal side have rubbed up against both sides of the Old firm this season- Rangers in a friendly; Celtic in the Champions league qualifiers- and dispatched both with ease.
But that hasn’t stopped the French coach, who is one of the most respected managers in the Barclay’s Premier League and whose side are regarded as one of totemic ‘Big Four’ going on the record to state that were an offer made to Celtic and Rangers to join they could make an impact in the league if not necessarily win the title.
"We have talked for a long time about that, and it is very difficult to predict," said Wenger back in August. "However, Celtic and Rangers have the dimension to play in the Premier League at the top."
The Arsenal boss isn’t alone in thinking Celtic and Rangers could compete down south.
This week Tottenham coach Harry Redknapp came out publicly backing the move. “I would welcome Celtic and Rangers to English football if they wanted to play down here. No doubt about it. I’m sure they would be good for the English game," said Redknapp.
“We are talking about two huge football clubs and if they were to join our league you would be looking at great games in great stadiums.’’
Martin O’Neill is also backing change: The ex-Hoops gaffer said: "I would be in favour and it would be beneficial to the Premiership as it would it would make it stronger. I think it would naturally be a big benefit for Celtic and Rangers to come into the Premier League. In time those two football clubs would be massively big in the British game."
His feeling are echoed by ex-Celt David Moyes who last week called for the Old Firm to come on down with the Everton boss convinced a move would be good for both parties.
"We have Welsh teams playing in English football so why not Scottish?
"The Scottish teams are really, really big clubs and I feel it would be good for everyone," said the Goodison boss.
"TV would be interested, the media would be interested and, undoubtedly, the support and crowds would increase at every ground in the country."
No chance
Having managed on both sides of the border, former Rangers boss Alex McLeish is in an ideal position to draw comparisons between the top teams from England and Scotland.
And he believes the Premier League's traditional big four would find their supremacy challenged if Rangers and Celtic migrated south.
"Both clubs are so massive that they would be competing for the title after two or three years," he told the Sunday Express.
"Maybe for the first couple of years they would have to find their feet, but because they have such a fanbase they would have powerful commercial revenue."
Yet despite his enthusiasm the Birmingham boss admitted the prospect of the move becoming reality was "a pipedream."
Whether their views will be echoed by their club chairman however is a different matter, though Burnley’s Barry Kirby is keen to see it happen.
Stoke’s Peter Coates is against the plan as is English football’s Mr Big Richard Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore sceptical the vote could go the Old Firm’s way and adamant that: "Scottish football is Scottish football. For a traditionalist like me, that's where the Old Firm should play."
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy who played at Parkhead in the 1980s is also sceptical the switch could made claiming that: there is a snowball in hell’s chance of it happening.”
An unknown factor in the voting could be the foreign billionaires currently buying up the Premier League who as one commentator put it: ‘’aren't in it for the good of English football. They would entertain teams from the moon if they thought it would generate more cash.’’
But it could be that Moyes who touched on the subject of TV and media interest if the Old Firm were allowed to compete has the greatest handle on which way the wind is blowing.
Money talks and the Premier league is what it is due to TV money from Sky. And if Sky want the move to happen then more than likely will- whether English clubs clubs like it or not.
Last updated: 11 November 2009, 14:52
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