Troops on the horizon: McCulloch can see Celtic preparing to mount a title assault.
Lee McCulloch says Rangers’ 10 point lead in the Scottish Premier League means nothing at this point in time and claims Celtic should be favourites after their January transfer splurge. The midfielder, who scored the decisive goal in his team’s 2-0 win over St Johnstone to reach the Co-operative Insurance Cup final on Wednesday, says that recent history and the influx of talent in the east end of Glasgow means that nothing is decided until 38 games have been played.
Robbie Keane, Diomansy Kamara, Edson Braafheid, Ki Sung-Yueng, Jos Hooiveld, Thomas Rogne and Morten Rasmussen all came through the door at Celtic Park in January to bolster their faltering challenge for the league crown and McCulloch, whose team are struggling with injuries and have little squad depth, insists that the second placed side should be the top tip for the title.
Despite that, the former Wigan midfielder says that his team are confident in their own abilities to hold their nerve and claim a second consecutive league success.
“Celtic have made some fantastic signings but I think we’ve got to be selfish and concentrate on what we have to do,” said McCulloch. “It’s a good gap but I still see Celtic as favourites to win the league, especially with us not bringing anyone in during the transfer window and Celtic signing eight players. In my book it makes them favourites for the title.
“We’ve got a settled team and boys who know how to win a league. We’ve played a hell of a lot of games and we’re quietly confident. But Celtic will be a tough ask and I think it’s going to be a tight run-in. I think with the boys we’ve got we can approach it with confidence.”
The past two seasons offer good omens to Tony Mowbray’s team. Under Gordon Strachan, Celtic were ahead in the race with a healthy advantage last campaign before Rangers rallied to take the title by four points.
The previous year, Rangers blew a similar lead and were pipped at the post by a Hoops team that went on a seven game unbeaten run at the tail end of the season, including two wins over their rivals, that handed them the trophy by a mere three points.
With that in mind, McCulloch has laid down the gauntlet to the other side of Glasgow, telling them that they should be able to mount a similar comeback to those seen in recent years.
“Two years ago we were seven points ahead and threw it away. Then last season Celtic were seven points ahead and we ended up winning the league. So I think a 10 point gap, or a seven point gap, isn’t as healthy as it sounds.
“It can still go either way and I can see Celtic coming with a late charge. They can sign eight players and we can’t sign anybody. Celtic are in a position of strength but it’s not as if we’re giving up or anything like that. We’ll just see how it goes.”
