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Will the SPL be a two-horse race?

Author: Sir David Smith
Date: 15/08/2009

With the new Scottish Premier League season starting on Saturday, it is more than likely that we will see a two-horse race once more.

Glasgow giants and bitter rivals Celtic and Rangers will vie for the top spot as they look to claim the bragging rights which Rangers currently have after being crowned champions back in May.

Rangers, under Walter Smith, will be hoping Kris Boyd, Steven Naismith, Kenny Miller and Kyle Lafferty will have sufficient firepower to take the title to Ibrox once again.

They should be backed up suitably by the flair of Pedro Mendes and the grit of Lee McCulloch and, with a backline made up of David Weir, Sasa Papac, Madjid Bougherra, Steven Whittaker and Kirk Broadfoot, the Gers have enough quality to succeed.

Despite this their city neighbours and online betting favourites will have some say in proceedings.

Star strikers Scott McDonald, Chris Killen, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Georgios Samaras will lead the line with the likes of Massimo Donati, Scott Brown, Barry Robson and Landry N'Guemo to boss the midfield.

Defensively with Stephen McManus, Gary Caldwell, Andreas Hinkel and new signing Daniel Fox, the Hoops will be looking to compete on all fronts and the recent success in the Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Moscow has renewed optimism.

New manager Tony Mowbray would enjoy nothing better than to mark his return to the club he skippered as a player than to win the SPL title.

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Elsewhere, Hearts should be looking to cement their place as the third best in the league and still with a strong Lithuanian connection, they have the quality in the ranks to finish third again.

Aberdeen started their campaign with a disastrous two-legged 8-1 Europa League qualifying defeat at the hands of Sigma Olomouc.

New boss Mark McGhee will be hoping the Dons fare better this coming campaign.

Dundee United will be hoping Fran Sandaza can continue his decent strike rate and Hibs will be once again looking for a top six finish, but Jim Gannon's Motherwell could push them all the way despite losing David Clarkson in the summer to Bristol City.

Kilmarnock will settle for mid-table obscurity while Hamilton could struggle without James McCarthy who has joined Wigan Athletic.

Falkirk will be happy to survive and St. Mirren will be hopeful that Billy Mehmet can add to the five goals he scored against East Stirling in the Scottish League Cup at the start of August to keep them away from the foot of the table.

Newcomers St Johnstone could face an uphill struggle to stay in the SPL for more than one season.

Strikers Steven Milne and Kenny Deuchar look like they could be their main goal threats.

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