Pierre van Hooijdonk: Celtic and Rangers could win the Champions League by escaping to England

The Dutchman was back in Glasgow this week to take in his old club’s Europa League draw with Fenerbahce and noted the remarks from major shareholder Dermot Desmond about the Barclays Premier League being the “Holy Grail”.

Van Hooijdonk can see the problems Celtic face. There is no television money. Their squad budget does not hold a candle to that of their midweek opponents far less the Real Madrids and Manchester Citys of the world.

They are not going to be in the shake-up when European football’s secondary tournament reaches its latter stages, making Desmond’s desire to see them contest the latter stages of the Champions League seem all the more unrealistic.

Other clubs around Europe are in the same position, including Celtic’s Group A rivals Ajax, but van Hooijdonk reckons the Parkhead side’s situation is different. He can see Celtic and Rangers being invited to England in time and he believes both would quickly rise to become real global superpowers.

“For four years, maybe, Ajax said: ‘We have to be the Ajax of the 70s again’,” said the 45-year-old.

“There is no chance of that. You can surprise teams in a one-off game or go to another level depending on the draw you get, but we pretty much know six of the quarter-finalists in the Champions League before a ball is kicked.

“In Holland, there is a ceiling and the big clubs have hit it. Feyenoord could improve their stadium to increase revenue streams, but that’s it.

“Celtic are different. If Celtic were able to join the English League, they could go to the level that Desmond is talking about. The club would explode.

“They could be big enough to join the small group of teams who could win the Champions League.

“The same exists for Rangers. It’s just a case of getting to England. Within five years, they would compete for the Premier League title. They are sleeping giants.

“That, though, is the only way that they can ever think about having a Celtic team that’s capable of really being there in the Champions League in March or April.

“The potential exists. The problem is that they simply cannot grow where they are.

“There is no plan for Ajax and Feyenoord. We accept they will never be able to compete with the Premier League.

“I don’t think it’s an unrealistic dream for Celtic and Rangers to go there, though. There’s nothing that can make the Dutch teams stronger, but the UK is a family, if you like.

“You have the same currency and drive on the same side of the road. It looks, to me, like an easier situation.”

Until then, Celtic remain limited. Van Hooijdonk believes simply qualifying from a Europa League group that also includes Norwegians Molde would represent a hugely successful European campaign.

“I think things have changed too much to even match what they did when reaching the UEFA Cup final in Seville,” he said. “If you look at the squad of players and the money spent on it, it’s different and that is what matters.

“If they get through this group, they’ve done a fantastic job.”

Van Hooijdonk now works as an agent with Celtic’s Nadir Ciftci one of his main clients. The Turkish forward was left as an unused substitute against Fenerbahce and has managed just one goal in nine appearances since joining from Dundee United, but van Hooijdonk admits he would love to see him paired up front with Leigh Griffiths rather than painted as his direct rival for a jersey.

“The combination would be ideal because Leigh has qualities Nadir does not have and vice-versa,” he said.

“If you are looking at Nadir as someone to score 25 goals for Celtic, you are looking at the wrong player. He scores goals, but he also creates them and has a real value for the team. He is not a ‘number nine’ like Leigh.

“Nadir played from the left and in behind at Dundee United. In my day, we played with just two up front and you don’t see that much nowadays, but I believe we do make systems too important sometimes.”

*Pierre was helping to launch Magners Ice Cold.