Keevins reckons today is “the start of arguably the toughest week in Rodgers’ life at Celtic”

As my readers will be aware, I did a parody article during the week from Kew Heavins.

It was a tongue in cheek version of what Keevins would say about the arrival of Philippe Clement at the Ibrox club.

Funnily enough, it wasn’t far wide of the mark.

In fact, it was uncannily close to what Keevins has said today about the arrival of Clement in his Record column.

He believes that Clement is a ” true heavyweight”.

Well, if Clement is a “true heavyweight”, what does that make Brendan Rodgers?

Does this mean we now have two “true heavyweights” up against each other in the Scottish Premiership?

I’m not sure, because Keevins neglected to infer where he classed Rodgers in this particular equation.

As usual, Keevins wrote this article long before the game between the Ibrox side and Hibs kicked off.

You can see this clearly in the below statement:

The new R*****s manager used his introduction to the media on Tuesday to say he would need time to make his mark at Ibrox. He had the maximum time allotted between 3pm and 5pm yesterday afternoon when R*****s played Hibs.

Maximum time allotted between 3pm and 5pm yesterday afternoon to do what exactly?

Keevins doesn’t bother to tell us, because clearly at the time of writing he didn’t know.

No, instead he goes on to tell us that the Ibrox side have taken a “financial gamble” on Clement, because they believe they have invested in a man of substance.

In all his decades of journalism, of course, Keevins has never seen the Ibrox side take a “financial gamble”, has he?

Christ, everything they’ve done over at Ibrox since 2012 is a financial gamble!

Clement would actually strike me as the first manager who does not fall into that equation.

Then again, Keevins has never had the balls to call out the financial doping that has gone on at Ibrox since 2012, has he?

I suppose when Keevins states that this will be arguably the toughest week in Rodgers’ life at Celtic, on paper, maybe he’s right.

Personally, I’ll reserve judgement on that until about 4.30 this afternoon.

Going by yesterday’s showing at Ibrox from Nick Montgomery’s Hibs side, we’ve certainly nothing to fear there next weekend.

Tynecastle will be tough today, but a lot depends on how Nick Walsh handles the occasion.

Let’s just say he didn’t cover himself in glory this time last year, but we still came away with a 4-3 win.

Atletico Madrid is not what you’d categorise as a must win game, simply because we’re not expected to win it.

Yes, a draw or a win would be a fantastic result, but we have to be realistic here.

This is the best team in the group and we’ll have to be on it 110% for the whole game.

We saw last time out what one simple mistake can lead to.

You would hope we will learn from that.

So when Keevins says this is the toughest week in Rodgers’ life at Celtic, well, that’s open to debate.

A loss or a draw at Tynecastle today would certainly start that debate, but personally, I think we will have too much for Hearts.

I expect us to win 2-0, and unlike Keevins, I’m generally pretty accurate with my predictions.

Keevins goes on to give us a history of the opponents Brendan Rodgers faced during his previous tenure at Celtic.

I suppose he has to justify his elevation of Clement to “true heavyweight” status.

Crucially, what he neglects to mention, is the experience Rodgers gained in the EPL with Leicester City.

If Clement is a “true heavyweight” by virtue of winning three titles in his homeland, then surely what Rodgers achieved outside Scotland must put him in this category also?

Let’s just remember for a moment, that when Clement stepped outside his Belgian comfort zone, he was found wanting.

Monaco gave him the sack after one season.

Rodgers has managed three EPL clubs, where he came within a whisker of winning the title with Liverpool.

He took Leicester to an F.A. Cup win and a European semi-final, along with two top six finishes.

He has well and truly proven himself outside the Scottish game.

The same cannot be said for Clement.

Bearing all of that in mind, does that really make him a “true heavyweight”?

I think Clement is the heavyweight challenger.

Keevins can call him what he wants if he manages to stop Brendan Rodgers and Celtic.

As usual, Keevins then had to set the expectation level for Clement with this load of drivel:

What Philippe now has to get his head round is our idiosyncratic wee world on Planet Glasgow. I have a mental image of someone telling Clement that he must protect the Fifty-Five and the manager asking himself “Fifty-Five what?”

Allow me, Philippe. The title must be won by Rangers this season to prevent Celtic from getting perilously close to equalling, or bettering, the 55 championships won by Rangers in their history.

There is a row over the length of their existence – but that will have to be for another day. Not only are you in charge of 2023. You also have the responsibility of looking after everything since 1873.

Where to even start with that?

I won’t bother, I’ll just give you this quote from Keevins in an article from 2013 where he discussed the death of former Rangers 1872 director Hugh Adams:

The money man in him (Adams) made him look at the club’s financial excesses and forecast bankruptcy was the only logical conclusion for Rangers.

Administration, liquidation and relocation to the Third Division, the fate which Rangers suffered in 2012, underlined the accuracy of Adams’ prediction.

Don’t shoot the messenger because you don’t like the message.

Administration and liquidation.

I think that pretty much settles the “row over their existence” Hugh, and it was you that wrote it.

You’ve just chosen to ignore it over the last 11 years.

You know as well as I do, that the Ibrox club have one title and one Scottish Cup.

It isn’t a row, it is a fact.

If Philippe Clement can add to that number, then it will still just become 2.

Not 56.

I’ll leave you with this constantly repeated statement from Keevins:

A draw is back to being a disaster and a defeat is a catastrophe – because the air is never thin on Planet Glasgow, only thick with anxiety.

Philippe Clement had the sense to say that a season was a marathon.

That’s exactly what it is.

If we happen to drop points today, it will not be a catastrophe.

There is a long way to go in this season, we are not even ten games into the League.

Clement’s challenge will be defined by how he performs against us.

Ultimately, it was what defined Beale’s challenge.

That’s why Clement is now Brendan Rodgers’ challenge.

Let’s just wait and see what the heavyweight challenger brings to the table.

We’ll find out soon enough.