NafisaKris Boyd believes an exciting new chapter is unfolding at Rangers – while taking a playful swipe at Celtic supporters following the takeover confirmation.
49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh have now officially assumed control at Ibrox, and anticipation is growing about the long-term prospects in Govan. Rangers ended last season without silverware, but the new leadership is determined to restore the club to the summit of Scottish football, a position Celtic have dominated for much of the past decade and beyond.
Writing in his Scottish Sun column, Boyd argues the Rangers takeover and other developments across Scottish football have injected fresh enthusiasm ahead of the 25/26 season. The ex-Ibrox forward couldn’t resist a light-hearted jab at some Celtic fans in response to their earlier takeover speculation.
Kris Boyd takes a dig at Celtic fans:
He said: “I genuinely don’t think the gap between the big two is even that wide. Yes, Celts won the title by 17 points, but if Rangers can start to handle the games which have tripped them up in recent times, the gap can close. I’m not making excuses for Gers. They simply haven’t been good enough. But now it’s got real because Cavenagh and Co are here for the long haul.
“They are people of real financial acumen, and they will want to see Gers perform in the Champions League. That’s still a million miles away. For now, they need to focus on the bread and butter of domestic action. The new sporting director, new head coach, and new players, must put in total effort every single day. Because guess what? That’s what Celtic have done in 13 of the 14 last seasons. They have battled to late goals, dramatic wins and everything that needs to do be done to win a title with hard work and everyone pulling in the same direction.
“I’m excited for the new season because the top five will all be beaming. Gers have new investment, so too do Hearts after Tony Bloom’s £10m cash injection. Aberdeen will feel great after the Cup final win, and likewise Hibs, after their third place finish. And, of course, Celts will rightly start as favourites after landing another title and the Premier Sports Cup. Some of their fans refused to believe this American dream would ever come true for Rangers. They claimed Cavenagh was going from the Land of the Free to the land of the free transfers. But this fistful of dollars has made it all feel very real. So, have a nice day, y’all.”
49ers encouraged to act on Rangers transfers
Boyd expanded on the immediate priorities for Rangers’ new regime: “Cavenagh spoke of his desire to win domestic honours, and compete deep into the latter stages of European competitions. He said everything Gers fans wanted to hear. For me, Gers need seven or eight first-choice starters this summer, and Cavenagh has promised a £20m warchest.
“That still might not be enough to tick every box but Rangers will have to get players in. They have already axed 19 this summer, from favourites like Ianis Hagi, to loan stars like Vaclav Cerny and kids like Adam Devine. There still remain huge question marks over some who remain like Nedim Bajrami and Oscar Cortes. There are no bad players at Ibrox. But many have underachieved time and again, and could have no complaints if they found themselves playing second fiddle to newcomers next term.
“The new season is not far away, with the Premiership fixtures due out on June 20, and a Champions League qualifier on July 22 or 23. The new era is certain to start away from Ibrox, with champions Celtic enjoying flag day at Parkhead at the start of August. It could be a tough one. Remember Dick Advocaat and Ange Postecoglou losing at Tynecastle on their first days in the job? Mind you, both did win the league. The new Gers boss will be hoping for the same outcome, and a tough away opener will give him the chance to lay down a marker and hint at better times ahead.”
Nafisa
