Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd says that Scottish football needs a strong Rangers team to challenge Celtic.
New Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha during the press conference
Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd is worried that Rangers may struggle to assemble a strong team in the near future and challenge Celtic.
Last weekend, Rangers suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat against Celtic; the biggest they have suffered at the hands of their arch rivals at Ibrox.
Rangers were also eliminated from Scottish Cup semi-final, after they lost 2-0 against Celtic the previous weekend.
The 33-year-old former Rangers striker says that he has yet to see the Gers progressing under Pedro Caixinha, although he has been in charge for only seven matches.
Boyd voiced concern that the gap between the two Scottish giants is getting wider and that Rangers, like others, are a million mile away from challenging Celtic.
“The gap is getting even wider. When you do something mid-season you usually get a reaction from the players. I haven’t seen any,” Boyd told BBC Scotland.
“I know there’s not been a transfer window but you can always judge what a manager gets out of players in that short period of time.
“Rangers were a far better team earlier in the season. They weren’t taking chances but they were dominating games.
“They were difficult games to play against Rangers whereas now it’s just like playing against anyone else. The fear factor is not there.
“Scottish football needs a strong Rangers, even for the national team because they can make players better for the country.
“You just want to have a team out there who can challenge Celtic at least. But it’s a million miles away.”
Celtic – Brendan Rodgers Press Conference
Boyd, a prolific striker in his two spells at Ibrox, says that Caixinha’s mission to overhaul the squad is hindered by the contracts of some of his players.
Every new manager wants to sign players of his choice, and Caixinha would be hoping for the same, but Boyd is worried that the Portuguese may not be given sufficient funds to bolster the squad in the summer.
“Every manager will have a shopping list but where is the money coming from to turn it round? You’ve still got a squad of 20 players and I can’t think of any of them, apart from Clint Hill, being out of contract in the summer,” he added.
“You’d have to get rid of them one way or another, but the wage bill can’t jump away back up. It’s about balancing everything.
“The big problem is that when you tell people they are not needed, they will just down tools.
“When they are told they are not needed, you have to find money to pay these guys off. They become a hindrance hanging about the place.”
Rangers are 36 points behind treble-chasing Celtic in the Premiership, and are nine behind Aberdeen.
Kris Boyd – Kilmarnock
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