Premiership rival boss assesses future impact of title race as Hearts success will spook Rangers and Celtic
The Dundee boss also praised Motherwell for helping to break the Old Firm mould.
Steven Pressley believes it’s ‘brilliant’ that the likes of Hearts and Motherwell are challenging the Old Firm this season, although he has also questioned whether this will trigger a financial response from Rangers and Celtic in years to come.
The former Hearts captain has encouraged other teams in the Scottish Premiership to take notes from this season’s over-achievers, who have dispelled the myth that Rangers and Celtic are untouchable in the league. The Jambos currently sit top of the tree with just nine games to go - five points ahead of Celtic and six clear of Rangers.
Investor Tony Bloom set out his Gorgie vision at the start of the season to topple the Old Firm. He claimed he’d be ‘disappointed’ if Hearts didn’t win a top-flight title within the next ten years and with the help of Jamestown Analytics, he may well get his wish nine years early. Pressley has praised Hearts’ recruitment over the season and has encouraged other non-Old Firm clubs to get creative, however the Dundee boss also believes the success of Hearts and Motherwell could wake up Rangers and Celtic financially.
Pressley lauds Bloom’s vision
Pressley said: “When I look at Hearts and Tony Bloom, he invested in Hearts for one reason - he thought with good recruitment and the right strategy they can challenge the Old Firm. The question after this season will be, does the scare Celtic and Rangers are getting push them forward? Does it change their recruitment and their ways?
“If so and if they improve on that, it will be hard for the other teams to catch them because of the money they have to invest. Hearts and Motherwell have both recruited really well and right now they are exposing that fact. This is the first time in a long, long time Celtic and Rangers have had to think about domestic threats that aren’t just each other. It’s brilliant for the league, it’s so refreshing to see this type of challenge come from two teams.
“The bigger picture is that I hope it pushes the league on a bit. I think we only have four teams in Europe in a couple of seasons and Ireland will probably have that. When our teams don’t do well in Europe, we talk about it for a few days, move on and stop thinking about it until the next year and nothing improves. Hopefully with the strategies Tony Bloom is bringing to Scottish football, the challenges he’s planning to make at the top end of the Premiership, that forces everyone into improving.”
Hearts not alone in Old Firm push
The Dee’s will prepare to host Motherwell in this weekend’s only Premiership fixture. Pressley believes their Saturday opponents, like Hearts, have also been a revelation this season under the stewardship of Jens Berthel Askou. The Steelmen have the opportunity to close the gap on Rangers and Celtic at Dens Park, with a win putting them in touching distance of both.
He continued: “Motherwell have brought in a manager with a new coaching style, so that’s added a different aspect to it. Both of these clubs have done things this season which pushes the rest of us - including the Old Firm. There has been an element of complacency and that’s why our coefficient has dropped.
“I think this season is a great thing and it’s going to force everyone to be better. Motherwell have to be mentioned as title contenders when you look at their results and the stats they have behind them. They’re hugely impressive. It’s incredible. What a job the manager, his staff and the players there have done this season. It’s an incredible story.”