Alan Stubbs says it will take Rangers years to challenge Celtic
Tuesday 27 December 2016 16:42, UK
Former Celtic defender Alan Stubbs says it will take "a number of years" until Rangers can challenge Celtic.
The two teams meet at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, the third Old Firm derby of the season, live on Sky Sports 1HD.
Celtic thrashed their bitter rivals 5-1 at Parkhead in the first league meeting in September, and a month later won the League Cup semi-final 1-0.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton claimed after the defeat at Hampden the gap between the sides was closing, but Stubbs disagrees.
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"This season they've managed to get themselves back [into the Scottish Premiership]," Stubbs told Sky Sports News HQ.
"But I think we're seeing that it's going to take a number of years for Rangers to be competitive again in terms of vying with Celtic.
"I've always felt Rangers are still quite a way behind Celtic and the league now is a fair reflection of where they are.
"But if there's anybody who thinks because of the gap that's there now it's just a formality to go to Ibrox and win, believe me they are kidding themselves on."
Stubbs clashed with Warburton several times during his spell as Hibernian manager, but praised the Ibrox boss and added the Englishman needs support from Rangers chairman Dave King in the transfer window.
"I think he's doing as well as can be expected," Stubbs said. "What Mark's job is that he has to try and close that gap bit-by-bit.
"I think what he's doing is just trying to make people realistic in what the expectations are and the aspirations are for the club.
"One thing I would say is the chairman came out and said about them [the board] investing hugely in the club. I think he spoke about a figure of £20m to £30m.
"I don't think Mark's seen that and I can only see the gap getting bigger and that's the problem for Mark and Rangers as a club."
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