AS CELTIC and Rangers yet again find themselves entranced by the prospect of relocation to the self-styled greatest league in the world, they would do well to reflect soberly on what they would be leaving behind should the still unlikely scenario ever come to pass.
For if abandoning their Scottish roots and leaving the rest of the SPL clubs to fend for themselves is not a major source of concern in the boardrooms at Celtic Park and Ibrox, the implications for their future participation in European competition c
ertainly should be.
Are the Old Firm clubs genuinely prepared to sacrifice their current situation which offers them both a guaranteed shot at playing in the Champions League every year?
Those who claim that Celtic and Rangers, strengthened financially by a share of the English Premier League's lucrative television income, would quickly be challenging the stranglehold Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal have over Champions League qualification are surely making a glib and dangerous assumption.
While the Old Firm would, undeniably, be in a position to significantly improve the quality of their squads as members of the EPL, there is no certainty they would be any more successful in ending the monopoly of the 'Big Four' than big clubs such as Tottenham, Aston Villa, Everton or Newcastle United have been. Even the apparently limitless funds now at Manchester City's disposal offers no such guarantee.
There is also the worst-case scenario for Celtic and Rangers to consider. If they were unable to quickly secure a place in the top flight of the two-tier EPL set-up being mooted by Bolton chairman Phil Gartside, it is not impossible they could find themselves suffering the fate of former English champions such as Leeds United and Nottingham Forest whose recent history has seen them slip as low as the third tier of their domestic game.
The sum of around £30million a year from television in the EPL, as opposed to the £1.5million Celtic and Rangers currently collect in Scotland, cannot be assured in perpetuity. For all of the SPL's deficiencies, it does allow the Old Firm to enjoy the sense of supremacy and grandeur which has underpinned both their historic rivalry and standing as major institutions in Scottish society. That could be diminished just as easily as it could be enhanced by moving to England.
At today's meeting of the EPL board, Gartside's proposal is not even formally on the agenda. It may be discussed under 'any other business', which is, perhaps, an appropriate metaphor as to how Celtic and Rangers are regarded in England.
While huge amounts of newsprint and airtime in the Scottish media have been devoted to the latest incarnation of this story, it has barely merited a mention in England. Even if the long-held opposition of the English Premier League clubs to the admission of the Old Firm was to suddenly change, however, there would remain several significant obstacles to be overcome before Celtic and Rangers could head south.
In the first instance, the Football Association holds the power of veto over any proposed changes to the EPL. It has wielded it before, when rejecting the controversial proposal to play a 39th fixture outside England last year. If the FA did agree, it would also have to obtain the approval of Fifa. While reports this week have quoted Uefa officials as saying they would not object to the Old Firm moving to England, the issue in fact comes under the sole authority of the world governing body.
Article 80 of the Fifa Statutes states: "Any Association, League or club that is affiliated to a Member (of Fifa) cannot belong to another Member or participate in competitions on the territory of another Member without the authorisation of its current and prospective Members and of Fifa, except in exceptional circumstances."
In other words, the SFA, FA and Fifa would all have to agree to Celtic and Rangers joining the EPL. Rules can be changed, of course, and it will not have escaped the Old Firm's notice that Uefa president Michel Platini, pictured, has emerged as one of the most enthusiastic proponents of redefining the geographical boundaries of European club football. Platini has already revamped the Uefa Cup as the Europa League which will begin next season with a group format similar to the Champions League, the change aimed at helping to satisfy the clamour for greater broadcasting revenue streams for those clubs not in the elite tournament.
In addition, Platini recently advocated a merger of the Dutch and Belgian domestic leagues, claiming it would make the club game in the low countries stronger, and encouraged talk of a Balkan League involving clubs from the former Yugoslav countries.
The Dutch-Belgian proposal was rejected, however, with clubs such as Ajax and PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands unwilling to dilute their prospects of Champions League participation as were Belgian sides Standard Liege and Anderlecht.
Those running Celtic and Rangers owe it to both their shareholders and supporters to remain open to any change in circumstances which could benefit their clubs in the medium to long term.
They also have a responsibility to be mindful of the pitfalls along the supposed road to a land of milk and honey.
The full article contains 890 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
