So, Dean Smith says that Celtic are a “Premier League team in waiting”.

High praise indeed and I would almost say it’s flattering, but it’s not.

In an article in today’s Scottish Sun, Smith waxed lyrical about Celtic’s performance against his Norwich side yesterday.

As we know, it was a comfortable 2-0 win over the Championship side, who really only managed to trouble Joe Hart’s head throughout the contest.

Smith had this to say about the contest on Canaries TV:

 “Celtic are a good level team.

“You can see what they’ve been working on.

“They have good rotation and movement, full backs coming inside and the wide players drift onto the outside and try to give overloads in different parts of the pitch.

“They have really good movement too.

“They are probably a Premier League team in the making.”

Thanks, but no thanks Dean.

There’s a reason that teams rave about the atmosphere at Celtic Park.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Sport

In fact there’s a reason that people rave about the atmosphere in general at Scottish Premiership games, it’s because the Scottish game has not lost it’s soul by being flooded with billions in TV revenue.

The Premier League has been destroyed by money.

It is a soulless entity, a ghost of it’s former self.

Back in the 1980’s and 90’s, before the old First division came to an end and then when the Premier League came into existence in 1992, English football was fantastic to watch.

The atmosphere at a Liverpool v Manchester United match was one of the most intense you could get.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Sport

For a neutral, they were fantastic contests to watch and I always looked forward to them.

They were on a par with the contests between ourselves and Rangers 1872 and in reality, the 90’s was a decade rich with football classics.

The 3-3 draw between Liverpool and United in January 1994, the two Liverpool v Newcastle 4-3 matches in 1996 and 1997, the 5-0 win by Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle side over Man United in November 1996, I could go on and on.

But the simple fact is that there are no longer contests like that in the English Premier League, let alone atmospheres like those that were experienced at those games.

Last seasons tie between Liverpool and United was a dour affair, with Liverpool cantering to a 4-0 win.

The atmosphere at that game was a far cry from what you would have heard at Anfield if Liverpool put 4 past a United team in the 1990’s.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Sport

Which brings me back to Dean Smith’s comments yesterday.

I would never want Celtic to be a Premier League side. I honestly believe that we would lose our identity if we ever entertained playing down South.

We are unique, our league is unique and our atmosphere is certainly unique and unspoiled.

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Even Matt O’ Riley spoke about it at his first game against Hearts, he said it was crazy and that he had never experienced anything like it in his time in England.

People from England underestimate the Scottish game.

They underestimate it’s pace, it’s quality, it’s passion and they don’t fully understand it until they’ve experienced it or played in it.

When they do, their attitude towards it changes.

That’s why we need to maintain what we have and continue to grow our brand.

Our product is special.

That’s why I would never want Celtic to be a Premier League side.