It’s all about the money

There is no point bleating that tonight’s Europa League final is the weakest imaginable, Newco are there because they are good enough to eliminate two German sides and a few weaker opponents.  If they win, fair play to them, they deserve their day in the sun.  I expect them to lose.

Either way, the outcome will determine relative financial strength in Scottish football.  This season Newco will return an operating profit for the first time in their history.  Sales of Patterson to Everton and the management team to Aston Villa, already ensured a bumper year.  The run to a European final could make them the highest earners in Scotland, eclipsing Celtic in this regard for the first time.  It will bestow no more than a stay of execution to a side with gaping structural deficiencies.

The importance of Celtic winning the league this season cannot be overstated.  Irrespective of what happens across the city, access to Champions League income ensures our place at the top of the income chart is virtually assured next season.  If we are there alone from Scotland, the benefits Newco gain from this season will seem no more than a dead cat bounce.  If two clubs are there, we compete on equal terms, against a team spending from income, not debt.

It’s all about the money, nothing else determines long-term outcomes.