Celtic have been crowned the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership champions and on Saturday got to enjoy all the theatricality of trophy day.
Pyrotechnics, tifo displays, sunshine football and even Santa all made it a very special day at Paradise. The 3-2 win over St Mirren didn’t hurt either.
Kyogo Furuhashi, Matt O’Riley and Luis Palma were all on the scoresheet as Brendan Rodgers’ Bhoys made it 11 games unbeaten in all competitions.
The manager has promised Celtic improvement over the summer and into next season. That’s realistic considering the potential resources on offer as a result of another direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League.
For former Celtic favourites Neil Lennon and Chris Sutton, it’s an opportunity to leave Rangers behind and embark on more domestic dominance over the next few years.
Celtic set for more dominance in Rangers rivalry
Speaking to Sky Sports, Sutton said when asked where Celtic go from here: “It’s an exciting time. There’s still the unknown next season and the unknown is going into the Champions League.
“It’s copy and paste every season – Celtic need to add to the squad, they need to strengthen and the recruitment has to be right. That is the aim, to see a Celtic team at Celtic Park go toe-to-toe with the big sides in European football but it’s not easy.”
Lennon interjected to add: “I think you’re looking at a long period of domestic dominance, whether it be cups but certainly for the title. The money is there.
“They’ve got the manager in place now who has had his full season and won the title. He’ll have the whole pre-season to work and get his players in. I think Celtic are going to go from strength to strength.”
Sutton concluded in response: “It’s a great opportunity to really bury Rangers. Let’s get it right. Winning the league and all the financial aspect that comes with that. Celtic fans will be looking at it and thinking this year was too close for comfort – let’s really kick on and leave them in the wake.”
Celtic must maximise resource advantage
Money is flowing through Celtic like never before – with potentially more record-breaking financial results for the year ending 30th June 2024. So the pundits are correct, the cash is there.
It’s all about how Celtic use it this summer. Will they show the ambition to go out and directly improve Brendan Rodgers’ first team? If they do, Rangers will find it difficult to compete.
Reaching for that Champions League should theoretically go hand in hand with domestic dominance. Strive to succeed in the new expanded format and Celtic should naturally be able to show they are the best team in Scotland. Aim high and hit the mark.
