Sevco fans have always lived with high expectations.
They think they are still Rangers, and whenever Rangers needed to spend they did.
This club doesn’t have that luxury. They splashed out on Kent earlier in the season as a panic measure following our win at Ibrox; they cannot repeat the trick. This is a close title race, and they cannot strengthen their team.
The fans expect big things, and those are not going to be delivered.
If they sign someone at all it will be a modest buy, or some other over 30 who has barely played for his previous club. Whatever they do will be painted as an act of genius, of course, but their fans won’t be appeased if they see Celtic push the boat out. We can rattle them here.
Today we’re on the brink of our first signing.
As I said in the previous piece, we can’t be wasting our time bringing in young players on loan, but young players to turn into top footballers at our own club is perfectly permissible and if they come from tough, physical leagues – as our Polish boy does – then there’s little doubt they’ll handle Scotland.
Some reports suggest we’re going to complete the Soro signing soon as well; he is another physical footballer. This seems to be the “type” we’ve identified. People capable of winning when the game turns into a battle. Matthew Marr pointed out that we lack those.
If we’re rectifying that then every single one of us should be applauding it.
A few quality signings in this window will rock the confidence of the Ibrox support.
It will give Gerrard the chills. He can’t bring in top players. His own club is focussed in getting players out the door. If they make a major sale they may bring someone in … but I reckon there’s even less chance of them selling a player for big money than there is of them spending it.
Gerrard thinks he’s the dogs nuts.
We can push this guy to making mistakes by showing him how far ahead our club is.
Flexing that kind of muscle can plan seeds of doubt in everyone over there.
Their own club is busy cutting players at the moment, and this will leave Gerrard less options to play around with when the going gets tough later in the season.
This time last year we responded to make sure we stayed ahead in the race.
Those players weren’t blue chip, but they were exciting footballers who gave the team a jolt.
They quickly showed us what they could do. Yet at the same time, Sevco went out and brought in footballers who the press hyped to the rooftops. The hacks – and the Ibrox club – were able to spark a debate about who’s signings were better … their signings tilted the PR war against us.
This year no such contrast can be made if we’ve gone out and spent proper money.
Celtic will get the credit and questions will be asked of the Sevco board, and of Gerrard’s ability to squeeze extra cash out of them.
Don’t, for one minute, underestimate how important the PR war will be.
It doesn’t win you points, but it gets people talking … and worrying.