The cast list of managers for the forthcoming Premiership season comprises of some established names, others who are returning to the madhouse, and some new kids on the block.
Were they to be gathered under one roof prior to hostilities resuming, you’d also find an elephant in the room.
When he returned to Celtic in 2023, Brendan Rodgers stopped just short of giving a written guarantee that — this time — he’d be around for the duration of his contact.
In what feels like the blink of an eye, the Northern Irishman is now entering the final year. The issue has been discussed at boardroom level but, as things stand, he’s leaving in 2026.
Would Celtic want to see the 52-year-old prolong his stay? Given Rodgers has won 11 trophies out of the 13 he’s entered across two spells in Glasgow, that can be taken as read.
Does he feel that what will soon be five-and-a-half years in total in the goldfish bowl is enough? Up until Friday, you’d have suspected so.
Brendan Rodgers’ latest comments have stirred up the debate over his future as Celtic manager
Russell Martin is the latest man in the Rangers hotseat and has made a positive start
However, his comments on the eve of the new season were instructive. If there’s scope ‘to build and grow and develop’ the side, then he’s plainly interested in sticking around. If there’s ‘just something to maintain’, then he’ll clearly soon be on his way.
It all comes down to his perception of ambition at boardroom level. If he doesn’t sense enough of it in the coming month, the long goodbye will begin. And that’s when it might start to get awkward.
How would Celtic, as a club, stage-manage his departure? Do they let the matter drift and allow speculation and questions to mount? Or rip off the bandage and make his intentions public? Neither option appears particularly palatable.
As Jurgen Klopp will testify after going early with the announcement of his departure from Liverpool, football doesn’t tend to do Hollywood endings.
It’s been hard to escape the notion that the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers has been reflected in the club’s dealings in the transfer market so far this summer.
Kieran Tierney’s return had been in the post for some time. Benjamin Nygren looks a shrewd acquisition.
But neither Ross Doohan, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura or Shin Yamada look likely to walk straight into the first-team.
Celtic will be determined to retain their league trophy as new campaign swings into action
This feels distinct from last year when the manager was on board with the big-money signings of Adam Idah, Arne Engels and Auston Trusty.
With the transfer window not closing until September 1, Celtic still have the time and the money to bring in the thoroughbreds the manager wants. If that comes to pass, a renewed commitment on his part now looks likely.
While Celtic will be favourites to win a 14th title in 15 years regardless, the ‘Will he? Won’t he?’ questions have the potential to be unwanted distractions until the picture becomes settled.
Russell Martin will take all the help he can get as he begins tackling the arduous task of returning Rangers to the top of the Scottish game.
There’s a different feel to the Ibrox club from even a couple of months ago. They are now in American hands. The involvement of 49ers Enterprises will see Rangers try to be shrewder in the transfer market. If the turnaround in Leeds United’s fortunes can be replicated on the south side of Glasgow, we might yet witness a title race worthy of the name.
Only appointed on June 5 and aided by sporting director Kevin Thelwell, Martin hasn’t let the grass grow under his feet.
A deal for Lyall Cameron to join from Dundee was agreed before Martin took charge. A further seven names have come in — all from English clubs ranging from Premier League Bournemouth, Spurs and Wolves to League One Peterborough.
While this strategy is certainly more risk-averse than trawling foreign leagues for gems, none of those who have been recruited arrive as household names. Martin and his coaching staff must ensure the latent potential they see in them is quickly realised.
Rodgers, pictured with the Premiership trophy, has won 11 trophies out of the 13 he has entered across two spells as Parkhead manager
Russell Martin will be determined to be the manager who brings league title back to Ibrox
Recent history shows that’s it’s possible for one of the Old Firm sides to win the title after falling behind, but it’s not something the new Rangers manager would want to try and pull off.
In that regard, he’ll be pleased that his side’s three opening games look a shade more straightforward than Celtic’s. And, with home advantage for the first derby on August 31, there’s a chance to get off to a flier before the first international break. Momentum can take you an awful long way in football.
It’s been seven years since one of the Old Firm finished outwith the top-two. Aberdeen, then managed by Derek McInnes, eased Rangers out of second place that season.
Now in charge of Hearts, McInnes has the know-how of Jamestown Analytics in his corner, with Tony Bloom also investing £9.86million in the club for a 29 per cent stake. The Brighton owner believes the Tynecastle club can ‘disrupt the pattern of domination’ that’s ensured the title has stayed in Glasgow for 40 years.
But building on a flawless Premier Sports Cup group campaign by finishing third in the Premiership would still be a more than acceptable starting point.
Hibernian will take some shifting. From the foot of the table to best-of-the-rest, the turnaround in fortunes at Easter Road last season under David Gray was startling. A club who broke their transfer record to sign Thibault Klidje, HIbs aren’t resting on their laurels. Even in defeat to Midtjylland on Thursday, they looked well placed to go again.
Dundee United have signed 11 players either permanently or on loan and there’s not a Scot among them. Whatever the qualities manager Jim Goodwin sees in them, there’s disquiet at the diminishing number of home-grown faces in the squad.
Seeing off UNA Strassen of Luxembourg in the Conference League was non-negotiable. They’ve still got a point to prove.
Derek McInnes’ mission will be to return Hearts to the higher reaches of the league table
Jimmy Thelin will be desperate to build on Aberdeen’s remarkable Scottish Cup triumph
Aberdeen are still basking in the glory of their Scottish Cup victory over Celtic. That triumph came with the guarantee of European football until Christmas.
That has kept the Pittodrie till merrily ringing and has allowed Jimmy Thelin to recruit six new faces and agree a new loan deal for Alfie Dorrington from Spurs. The challenge of playing league games after European midweeks has troubled many a Scottish side in the past. The Swede must find a way of coping.
St Mirren’s hopes of knocking off a fourth successive top-six finished is likely to be threatened by Hearts.
Kilmarnock and Motherwell, who have also finished in the upper-half in the past four years, will do extremely well to get back among the big boys. Finishing seventh or eighth would be no disaster.
Dundee would bite your hand off that scenario right now. If there’s been a less popular managerial appointment than Steven Presley in recent times, then no one can quite remember it.
Bundled out of the Premier Sports Cup after losing to Airdrie and Alloa, the Dark Blues begin the league campaign already in a dark place. They’re favourites to go down.
It will be incumbent on the newly-promoted duo, Livingston and Falkirk, to capitalise on this negativity.
Both arrive from the Championship brimming with optimism and in a winning habit. In David Martindale and John McGlynn, they also have managers who know what it takes to not only survive but prosper.
Their addition to the pack means Rugby Park’s plastic surface has company again. A quarter of all top-flight matches will be played on synthetic pitches before a ban comes in next year. This issue won’t go away quietly.
The desire of many supporters to see VAR go the same way is understandable. It will remain wishful thinking.
Head of referee operations Willie Collum has enlisted the help of aviation experts to ensure his officials make the right decisions in pressurised moments. It’s to be hoped another campaign isn’t punctuated with high-profile errors.
For all its limitations, the passion and drama of the Scottish top-flight ensures it remains a goldmine of storylines and entertainment. It’s been gone too long.
