Desmond’s Old Firm proposal offside

THE call for Celtic and Rangers to be admitted to the Premiership have again been resurrected by Celtic chairman Dermot Desmond.

The theme is a well-worn one by now and the timing of this latest attempt to open up debate on the issue is obviously not accidental.

It can be assumed the issue will be thrown into the mix every year at this time until Celtic and Rangers get their way. It is just another issue that highlights the ongoing struggle between the governing bodies of football and the wealthy owners of the clubs for control of the game.

Time was when the possibility of club teams crossing political boundaries to engage in regular competition would not have been tolerated outside of the international tournaments.

There were historical exceptions Cardiff playing in the English League, Berwick Rangers crossing the border to play in Scotland and, in recent years, Derry City playing in the League of Ireland. These were exceptional cases, each one distinct and separate covering an unusual set of circumstances.

Celtic and Rangers cannot put forward any special reasons for wanting to cross the border apart from the obvious one of enhancing their incomes and their balance sheets.

The authorities have cleared the way for them to make the transition provided the Scottish and the English leagues agree. There is little doubt but that the major Premiership clubs would welcome them and their thousands of fans. Celtic's enduring popularity as partners in testimonial matches is testament to their extraordinary pulling power at the turnstiles.

They would offer a substantial threat as well in competition to the top clubs. Celtic's performances against Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers in European competition confirmed that.

The Celtic and Rangers managers would expect that a more consistent level of competition would help them raise the standard of their teams. And a higher level of income would equip them with the resources to chase more expensive and better players.

That all sounds fine and progressive, but if it is to happen then the opposition of a large number of clubs in Scotland and England will have to be overcome. The English clubs continue to resist because they are already struggling to hold on to their Premiership positions. The prospect of two more being relegated to make way for the Scots is not an alluring one.

The Scottish clubs need to hold on to the big two because they represent so much to them in financial terms. The visits of Celtic and Rangers invariably fill their stadiums and provide them with the cash to keep them alive.

The wider implications of a switch are enormous. If ever the issue of club teams being allowed cross political borders becomes a matter of pragmatism then the face of European club football could be changed forever.

How long before the top Portuguese clubs like Benfica and Porto sought positions in the Spanish League alongside Real Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Deportivo etc? Would Bayern Munich tire of winning the Bundesliga and opt to seek a fresh challenge in Italy, perhaps, where they could joust on a weekly basis with Milan, Juventus, Roma, Inter and company? Rosenborg, who were so professional at Dalymount Park last week against Bohemians, must surely tire of winning the league title in Norway as they prepare to lift the trophy for a 12th consecutive season.

Rosenborg is the ideal club to focus upon when arguing against allowing cross-border competition. They have shown what can be achieved with limited resources.

The clubs in Norway need them to set standards, to act as their flagship and to offer their most talented young players a gateway into the professional leagues through the Champions' League.

Celtic and Rangers fill that role in Scotland; they help keep the other clubs alive. Were they to switch to the Premiership they could not afford to risk relegation the next step would be pressure to eliminate the promotion and relegation system.

This would suit the billionaire owners of the top clubs admirably. They could preside over an elite league cornering the TV money, the sponsorship money, the maximum gate receipts.

Desmond's main argument for switching to the Premiership was that Celtic and Rangers would bring "in excess of £100m a season" to the Premiership.

But at what cost?