Scottish Premiership: 2024-25 So Far
Plus, the Scotland national team's disapppointing start to the Nations League.
This is a guest article by Andy Jeffrey. Follow Andy on Substack and X.
The 2024-25 Scottish Premiership season has kicked off with considerable intrigue, bringing both surprises and expected results as the early rounds unfold.
Here’s a topical review of the season so far.
CELTIC AS CONSISTENT AS EVER
Celtic have started the season strongly, with Brendan Rodgers in his second stint as manager of the Glasgow club. The team has shown resilience and tactical discipline, retaining much of the core that secured last season’s title.
Key players like Kyogo Furuhashi, who was linked with Manchester City, and Callum McGregor have been instrumental in maintaining Celtic’s position at the top.
However, Matt O’Riley is a big loss. He was a talismanic figure with swashbuckling performances, artistic assists and glorious goals.
With the arrivals of Luke McCowan, Arne Engels (a club record signing at £11million) and Auston Trusty, Celtic remain the team to beat, showing that Rodgers’ return is paying dividends for the often slated boardroom.
RANGERS’ CLEMENT ERA
Rangers have had a mixed first year or so under manager Philippe Clement. The Belgian has introduced fresh ideas, but the team is still finding its rhythm.
Clement’s tactical approach is still evolving, and fans are hoping for a more consistent run as the season progresses.
The squad is wafer thin and injuries could well be pivotal but Clement’s will need players like Danilo, Nicolas Raskin and Hamza Igamane to step up and be counted as the season progresses.
EARLY EUROPEAN EXITS
During the 2024-25 season, both Kilmarnock and St Mirren participated in the UEFA Europa Conference League, marking significant European campaigns for the Scottish clubs.
St Mirren entered the competition in the second qualifying round, where they secured an impressive 4-1 aggregate victory over Valur from Iceland.
They were to play Norwegian side Brann in the third qualifying round. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg at home, St Mirren travelled north.
Ultimately they were to be defeated 4-2 on aggregate, with Brann winning 3-1 in the second leg, ending St Mirren's European journey for the season.
Kilmarnock’s journey started in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers but were cruelly relegated to the Europa Conference League after a narrow 3-2 aggregate loss to Cercle Brugge.
Next up in the Conference League, Kilmarnock would also face Norwegian opposition, in the shape of Tromsø, in the third qualifying round.
A superb away win meant progression to the play-off round where they would face FC Copenhagen who had seen off Banik Ostrava.
A game away from the group stages. Derek McInnes spoke about giving his supporters a ‘night to remember’ but their first-leg defeat was insurmountable and Killie exited.
HEARTS AND HIBERNIAN: THE EDINBURGH TWO IN FOCUS
Both Hearts and Hibernian have had eventful starts. Both capital clubs are without a win, and the pressure is already on.
Hearts, under Steven Naismith, drew their first game of the season against Rangers and received plaudits but their run since has been six defeats in a row. Their reliance on experienced players like Lawrence Shankland is evident, but they’ll need more from their younger talents and new signings to make an indent in Europe this season alongside their Premiership campaign.
Hibernian, on the other hand, have been unpredictable. Defensive lapses have cost them valuable points. Back-to-back defeats against Celtic have been followed by draws against Dundee and Killie so there is slight progression, but their next match against St Johnstone goes down as a must win.
VAR AND OFFICIATING CONTROVERSIES
As with the previous season, VAR continues to be a hot topic. Early matches have seen several contentious decisions that have sparked debate among fans and pundits alike. The consistency and transparency of officiating remain under scrutiny, and how this develops could play a pivotal role in Willie Collum’s first season in charge.
THE ATMOSPHERE
The atmosphere across Scottish grounds has been electric, with attendances strong despite economic challenges. Fan protests and displays, particularly around issues like ticket pricing and club ownership, have also been prominent, reflecting the passionate involvement of Scottish supporters in the game’s broader issues.
NO JOY FOR SCOTLAND
An international break often brings a sense of boredom and a loss but for those inclined to enjoy international football.
Having said that, the angst among the Tartan Army must have been real before they faced Poland on Thursday past. A disappointing showing at Euro 24 was followed up by a tough start in a tough group in the Nations League.
That draw was courtesy of topping Group B1 with 13 points out of 18. Scotland beat (3-0) and drew (0-0) with Ukraine, lost 3-0 to the Republic of Ireland whiled registering a 2-1 win against the Irish in Glasgow; Scotland won twice against the Armenians, 2-0 at Hampden and a wonderful 4-1 win in Yerevan, albeit against ten men.
A group consisting of Poland, Portugal and Croatia brings with it its own problems but there was hope that they could rekindle the form they showed in Euro 2024 qualifying, when they beat Spain and edged out Norway to make the tournament in Germany.
Important players weren’t up to full speed at the Euros and that cost them dearly, but John McGinn was bullish when speaking to the BBC before the Poland game at Hampden, saying: “You definitely don’t park them” thinking “what could I have changed, what you could do better”
Manager Steve Clarke lined up with Angus Gunn in goal, a back four of Tony Ralston, Grant Hanley, Scott McKenn and Andy Robertson — in front of them were Billy Gilmour and Kenny McLean and in the forward areas McGinn, Scott McTominay and Ryan Christie were expected to supply and support lone striker Lyndon Dykes.
For a game with five goals, there was very little quality in the match, but the opening strike from Sebastian Szymański was absolutely sublime. A neat lay-off from Robert Lewandowski was perfect and Szymański duly unleashed a thunderous effort from a good distance past the hapless Gunn.
A handball was found via VAR to chalk off a McTominay goal as Scotland tried to get back on terms but it was Poland who scored again in the first half, this time through the prolific Lewandowski from the penalty spot after Ralston clumsily fouled in the area.
The second half started with a bang, a Gilmour bang from the edge of the box, to give Scotland real hope.
So when Scotland’s equaliser arrived via McTominay in the 76th minute, it looked like there was only one winner but the Poles kept plugging away and they were duly gifted a second penalty in the dying embers of the game when Hanley was caught the wrong side and dived in when he should have ushered the man and ball out. A complete head loss, which Nicola Zalewski took full advantage of from the spot.
The definition of insanity is repeating the same old mistakes over and over again. So when Clarke picked the same poor performers from Thursday to line up in the Lisbon heat to take on Portugal, the travelling Tartan Army may have been forgiven for thinking it was going to be a long, long night.
The “protection” of Ben Doak infuriates many and it would be great to see Clarke release the shackles around a supremely talented young player, but when McTominay headed home seven minutes in, any negativity was shelved.
Scotland resisted wave after wave of attacks in the first half with Diogo Jota, Bernardo Silva and Rafael Leao all having shots blocked. Gunn was having a strong game in goal, repelling shots from distance — a much needed renaissance after a few poor matches as number one.
However, early in the second half Bruno Fernandes let fly from 25 yards and Gunn, who slapped the ground in disbelief, allowed the shot to weakly hit the back of net.
There’s been a lot said around the makeup of Clarke’s squad and the reliance on the old guard, failed formations and a steely defiance that the supporters weren’t seeing the merit in, but Scotland dug in deep and were only undone in stoppage time of the game by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo and his 901st career goal.
The common belief was that Scotland had done reasonably well in the face of adversity but could Clarke have done more to affect the outcome?
His substitutions, for example, came late in the day.
Scotland were struggling without a proper out ball for the majority of the match, Dykes was being well marshalled by the Portuguese and they never had a ball carrier in their team.
Could McGinn have been played more centrally?
Playing in a wider role it could be argued Scotland aren’t getting enough out of their talisman but if finding a position for McTominay, if you can shoehorn in your major threat, means McGinn has to occupy a position he has done so for his club side, Aston Villa, in the past then so be it.
It would be more beneficial to have him playing centrally and perhaps when Lewis Ferguson returns they could form a triumvirate of Ferguson-Gilmour-McGinn and play a more exciting, dominating style of play.
A disappointing international break with more questions than answers.
‘Til October when we meet again.