DO YOU ever get the impression you have just Rip Van Winkled your way through a couple of decades?
I pose the question after encountering some words of wisdom proffered by Kris Boyd in his considered reaction to the Champions League trapdoor buckling under his former club with their 2-0 loss to Dinamo Kyiv at Hampden during the week.
The financial ramifications are obvious and the sullen look on the Belgian manager’s face in the aftermath of the fall-out told its own story.
To be fair to Boydie, he didn’t attempt to try to blame it all on the red card for Jeftie five minutes after the interval.
Instead, he told Sky Sports: “Phillipe Clement has spoken of improvement, I’ve yet to see it. The Hearts game wasn’t great, there was 45 minutes that were good against Motherwell, but they ended up hanging on.
SEEING RED…Kris Boyd’s reaction to Jeftie’s Champions League dismissal. Image courtesy Sky Sports.
“Then missing out on the Champions League, which would have been huge in terms of being able to invest in the squad and money generated. Rangers aren’t in a good place.”
So far so good. And then it all goes a little haywire.
The former striker added: “Rangers fans are used to watching them dominate Scottish football – right now it looks like Celtic will dominate for a long time.
“The word project has been used about Rangers. I can tell you Rangers as a football club has never been a project and never will be, they need to win.”
Hold on a mo. Back up, Boydie.
Can we return to the bit about the fans watching Rangers dominate Scottish football?
May I point out that Celtic are looking for their THIRTEENTH title in 14 years this season?
That’s the same Celtic that celebrated a historic quadruple from 2016/17 to 2019/20.
And may I also take this opportunity to point out the Parkhead juggernaut have also lifted FORTY-ONE trophies in the 21st Century?
It’s a phenomenal achievement in a stupendously successful 24 years for the club and the supporters. The sequence of extraordinary ascendancy is comprised of 18 titles, 12 Scottish Cups and 11 League Cups.
The club made world history by achieving an eighth domestic clean sweep in season 2022/23. Six of that meritorious series have come since the bells chimed to usher in a new millennium.
You have got to hope Boydie is not including the Championship crown in 2015/16 when his favourites returned to the top flight after a few years in football’s Twilight Zone.
SMILES BETTER…Brendan Rodgers and Callum McGregor with the Scottish Cup after last season’s win over You Know Who.
Since then, they have won the Premiership in 2020/21 – their first flag in a decade – during the mystifying decline of their Glasgow neighbours.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst won a Scottish Cup in 2021/22 and Clement was successful in the League Cup last season.
I don’t know about you, dear reader, but that does not constitute dominating Scottish football.
Possibly, the pundit is referring to the nine-in-a-row years when the club spent money like it was going out of style. A great idea at the time.
That sequence kicked off in 1988/89 and no doubt Boydie, then four years old and living in Irvine, lapped up every minute of it.
Maybe he has a tardis in his back garden which he utilised in times like this?
One thing is certain. Good old Boydie’s idea of dominating and mine don’t quite coincide.
Long may that continue.
ALEX GORDON
