“I think it is possible,” Warnock reckons Aberdeen, Hearts or Hibs could win the league

Warnock’s words are refreshing to hear, however we’ve heard it all before…

Neil Warnock is one of the games great characters and it’s good to see him in Scottish football as manager of Aberdeen for the remainder of the campaign. He may be getting on a bit, but he still looks like he has a spring in his step and hasn’t lost that razor sharp wit.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 06: New Aberdeen manager Neil Warnock is seen during Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Rangers FC and Aberdeen at Ibrox Stadium on February 06, 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Neil has been talking about how the ‘big two’ in Scotland can be caught someday, whether that be someone splitting them or doing the unlikely and actually winning the title. If we look back to the 1980’s Aberdeen and Dundee United both won the league and Hearts famously came within a few minutes of adding to that list, before the one and only Albert Kidd made himself a Celtic legend without ever having played for the club.

Albert Kidd celebrating scoring goal for Dundee May 1986

That’s encouraging and ambitious talk from the caretaker Aberdeen manager, something we want to hear more of in Scottish football, but on the other hand, we’ve heard it all before, and in the end it’s just the same old story. It’s all talk and no action. What’s always been puzzling is why Hearts didn’t make Murrayfield their home and look to get similar season ticket revenues from their support so that they could stand the best chance of mounting a title challenge.

We will never in my or your lifetime see anyone else other than Celtic or theRangers win the top flight title in Scottish football Maybe if the big two move on to another league, but not while they are still present. There could be a case of someone splitting the big two by finishing second just like Hearts did in 2006, but even that remains unlikely.

Warnock is just another in a long list of Englishman who come up north thinking they can change the landscape, but find the reality to be different, it’s a step too far. The main reason is that the financial gap is far too big, the other thing is the consistency to do it over an entire season. The other clubs can match the big two on any given day, but it’s impossible for them to do it over the course of a season. I can confidently say no one outside the big two will win the title anytime soon. Sorry to burst your bubble Neil.

Here’s some of what the Aberdeen manager had to say on the likes of Hearts, Hibs and his own club Aberdeen splitting the Glasgow giants or even going one better and winning the Scottish Premiership.

“I think it is possible to break into the big-timers, but I think it would take anybody time to do that,” Warnock said, as reported via Sky Sports. “Having been here for two or three games now, I can see that some of the players under me are relishing the challenge up here.

“I think that’s the big thing for clubs like Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs who are challenging the top two. But I haven’t had much time to look beyond that. I have got enough to do in looking at my players and trying to get the best out of the group and deciding on who will play and who won’t play.

“I think it’s a mixture of things. The recruitment has got to be excellent and in liaison with the manager. Then it’s all about opinions really. My opinion on a player would probably be different to another manager, you all have your trends. I like my leaders in a club who can stand up and be counted during a game. We haven’t got many of those besides Shinnie, but they are a genuine bunch and I will move on with that.

“There will come a time when Dave (Cormack) and Alan (Burrows) will ask me about certain things, and I will be straight up with them. It won’t be an eye-opener for them but I would definitely try and tell the truth.”

Just an Ordinary Bhoy