Football: Strachan will win a tight race to the finish

Jul 29 2007 ROB MACLEAN

NOT even the new sponsor is banking on a tighter SPL title race this season but let's hope our latest 10-month football marathon can be classed as a competition this time.

As Clydesdale Bank adds its name to the SPL, after nine years of Bank of Scotland backing, an outstanding balance between the dynamic duo of Celtic and Rangers would be warmly welcomed.

Not by everyone, of course.

Most Celtic fans would happily settle for another championship that's done and dusted by the turn of the year like the last two.

But for the overall health of the Scottish game it would be good to see the Old Firm closely competitive at the top and one or two others hanging on in there as well.

Maybe by the time we get to April we'll be talking about a tense title run-in rather than concentrating on the battle for third place and the fight against the drop.

The providers of the SPL's live TV coverage would be delighted with that, let me assure you.

Setanta Sports couldn't have hoped for a better start to their coverage of Scottish football than the unforgettable campaign three seasons ago which ended with Scott McDonald's Fir Park goals depriving Celtic of the title and handing Rangers the big prize.

Now we know not every SPL story will have such a dramatic ending but the last two seasons have been like watching paint dry.

As I said, Celtic fans won't complain about a one-horse race, but it doesn't say much for the quality of the opposition when the green-and-white ribbons are being prepared for the trophy in October.

Massive credit to Gordon Strachan's team for the incredible consistency and resilience they've shown since the wee man took the reins.

The side's been rebuilt over the last two years and four trophies have been reeled in during that work in progress.

Celtic have been the best of the bunch by a distance. You have to admire the physical and mental strength they've shown in steamrolling opponents and their collective hatred of losing.

This season Strachan is bidding to be the first Celtic manager since Jock Stein to land three championships on the bounce.

If it happens, a sizeable section of the Hoops support will be placed in an awkward position. Those fans who can't wait for the current gaffer to slip up so they can call for his head might have to rethink their approach.

Could they possibly continue their ridiculous reluctance to accept Strachan as boss if he delivers three-in-a-row?

Walter Smith hopes it won't come to that. Rangers simply must be more competitive than they've been for the last two trophyless years.

They've certainly bulked up during the summer with Lee McCulloch and Jean-Claude Darcheville adding muscle to Rangers' attacking play. The Frenchman is an intriguing character who looks as if he'll pack a punch up front judging by his pre-season dust-ups.

His aggression needs to be controlled but there's no doubt a little bit of nastiness won't do Rangers any harm.

At the other end of the pitch nobody will be pushing Carlos Cuellar around. With the Spanish defender on board, Smith's side won't be a soft touch at the back. But will Walter live to regret the reluctance to push out the boat and sign Scott Brown?

I have to say that thought did strike me on Thursday night as the midfielder starred for Celtic at Newcastle, even in defeat.

Dynamic Brown will prove to be £4.4million well spent. Up against international-class players in the middle of the park such as Nicky Butt and Geremi, no-one looked more impressive than the former Hibs man.

He netted Celtic's goal, threatened to score more and, alongside classy Italian Massimo Donati, was the beating heart of his side.

Some English managers watching him against top opposition must have wished they'd made a stronger play for Brown when the bidding war broke out.

And Rangers, who couldn't compete with Celtic's spending power, will hope Brown doesn't turn out to be the big difference between the Old Firm pair this season.

I would love to say there will be more than two prongs to the title challenge but I can't.

The only predictable thing about Hearts is their unpredictability while Aberdeen will struggle to improve on last season without the defensive dominance of Russell Anderson.

I expect more from Cup specialists Hibs in the SPL despite the summer sales and Dundee United should continue to make progress under Craig Levein.

But only two names are in the frame for the big prize. I take Strachan's Celtic to complete a historic hat-trick but Rangers will ensure the title race lasts a whole lot longer this season.