Lord of the Dance
O'Neill refutes idea there isn't a 'gulf' between Celtic and Rangers in Scotland
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O'Neill refutes idea there isn't a 'gulf' between Celtic and Rangers in Scotland

Former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has claimed that there is a definite gulf between the two biggest football clubs in Scotland: Celtic and Rangers.

"Last weekend, Celtic once again became Scottish Premiership champions for the 12th time in 13 seasons, and in doing so, they won their 54th Scottish League title," O'Neill said.

Souness, a former Rangers player, claimed he didn't believe "there is a big difference between the two teams" in Scotland despite Celtic's stranglehold on the Scottish league.

O'Neill, who managed Celtic in the early 2000s, offered a different take and disagreed with Souness' comments about the gulf.

"I think there is a gulf. I'm sorry to have to disagree with Graeme," O'Neill said on Talksport. "There is a gulf, quite obviously.

"Rangers have to do something about it; Rangers need better players; it's as simple as that. That's as poor a Rangers side as I have seen in years. I have to tell you that, and that's my view."

O'Neill was also asked about derogatory comments towards Scottish football from fans of the Premier League and its competitiveness. He believes the biggest reason for this is the lack of money in the Scottish game, which has also had a direct effect on Celtic and Rangers' efforts in the Champions League.

"Well, I think there is a genuine difference. There's no question about it. But in defence of this, what is happening up there? There's no money. There's no money."

"If things were reversed, just let's say we come back and don't do anything on this earth, and 100 years from now, find out that everybody wanted to invest in Scottish football rather than English football, you'll see a different scenario. That's why there has been talk for years and years of Celtic and Rangers joining a bigger league, possibly a European League, or eventually if the Premier League were to take them, which is not likely in the near future, but there's definitely a possibility."

"What happens is that if you've got fewer quality players, your chances of doing well in European football absolutely diminish. This is the whole point and the real concern, because Celtic and Rangers pride themselves on their histories. Celtic were probably the first side to win the European Cup, and Rangers have an excellent history in European football themselves."

Celtic play St Mirren tomorrow at 12:30