We have discussed this one before in a previous entry, but we do tentatively want to revisit Rangers’ massive deficit to Celtic, not in points but in experience in a title race. As we discussed before, Rangers have around seven or eight league titles among the players in their squad who have won titles with other clubs.

Kevin Kelsy, of course, won two with Shakhtar Donetsk. Daisuke Yokota won the league title in Latvia, of all places. And of course, Tochi Chukwuani won it with Sturm Graz in Austria. There are a few title winners. Devlin was a bit part player for Sydney FC when they won the A-League. There are one or two with league winner medals at Ibrox. But of course, none of them come close to being title winners with Rangers. That’s about 7 league titles among all Rangers players.

Celtic’s Huge Advantage in Title Winning Experience

Celtic, on the other hand, are absolutely chock full of title winners, not only those who have won leagues in other countries, but of course the multitude of champions that they have domestically with Celtic. And this is a huge problem for Rangers. Celtic have around 70 titles among their whole squad. Forrest and McGregor alone have 25 between them. These include Celtic titles and titles won elsewhere.

The one league winner who has won it with Rangers is, of course, our manager, who won the title way back in the 90s as player. But that is a different ball game to winning the title on the pitch. Steven Gerrard, of course, never even won the league with Liverpool, but he still managed eventually to get Rangers over the line for 55. It became his only league title triumph.

But it’s a different world doing it from the sidelines compared with actually doing it on the pitch. And Rangers’ squad experience of doing so is absolutely poverty stricken. It is definitely a crutch that Rangers have. It is a huge issue that Rangers have to deal with because experience is irreplaceable. Celtic have so much more of that than Rangers.

Money Cannot Buy Experience

Rangers might have had the huge budget this summer. They may have spent big cash in the last two windows and invested in a whole bunch of quality players, in theory. But there is no substitute for experience. The experience that Celtic have completely overwhelms what Rangers have. And that is a big problem.

It is something that only winning the title can overcome. Can Rangers do that? Can Rangers’ lack of experience overcome Celtic’s wealth of it? As we say, it is not just titles in other countries. It is all about winning the title in Scotland as a Rangers or Celtic player. And Celtic players are absolutely filled with multitudes of trophies. Rangers players simply are not.

James Penrice Is the Closest Rangers Have

Of course, the closest thing that we would say we have to oppose Celtic in the squad to a Rangers title race winner is James Penrice, a Rangers boyhood supporter born and bred who has got the move of his dreams by getting to Ibrox and won the league last season with AEK Athens.

He is the closest thing that we have to a Rangers player who has Rangers experience of winning the title. Of course, it wasn’t with Rangers. And that’s a crucial flaw. But he is handling the pressure at Ibrox extremely well. He clearly copes and loves playing for Rangers. But he is only one man. Rangers need much more.

Whether that precedent can exist this season and Rangers can secure the title with this lack of experience, time will tell. We hope, of course, that they can. 70 titles v 7 is a heck of a gap. And it’s a big mountain to climb on that front anyway.