John Kennedy says Rangers have improved but Celtic can get even better

Celtic No 2 John Kennedy, left, and manager Neil Lennon are looking to maintain the club's position as the dominant force in Scottish football. Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS

Assistant boss insists champions will relish Ibrox challenge as they pursue historic ten-in-a-row

As a grandson of the legendary striker Jimmy Delaney, Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy is steeped in the history and tradition of his club.

But it is a phrase coined by another iconic figure from the other side of the Old Firm divide which best sums up Kennedy’s attitude towards the challenge Celtic may face in trying to win a record-breaking tenth consecutive league title next season.

‘Let the others come after us – we welcome the chase’ is the quotation famously attributed to Bill Struth, the manager who was in charge of a dominant Rangers side when his fellow Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductee Delaney was starring on the pitch for Celtic in the 1930s and 1940s.

But even Struth could not have imagined a period when one of the Glasgow giants would monopolise the collection of domestic silverware in the relentless manner Celtic have done over the past four seasons.

It’s a position of strength Kennedy is determined Celtic will protect, regardless of how much Rangers are able to build on the progress shown under Steven Gerrard.

“Rangers have improved over the last few years,” said Kennedy. “They’ve had good spells and up until the New Year last season they were on our tails, which was fine. They were pushing us all the way. We had no problems with that, it didn’t bother us in the slightest.

“Our players responded to any questions that were asked of them and silenced the doubters in the second half of the season.

“For periods in the campaign, Rangers did well. But over the course of a season, they’ve not really fully delivered on that.

“We’ll see what next season produces, if they improve again. But one thing’s for sure, we will certainly be better again.

“We’re the best team in the country and have been for a number of years. We intend to make sure it stays that way.

“We trust the players that over the course of a season they’ll prove they’re still the strongest team. As much as everyone else will come and have a go, we’ll be fully prepared.”

The postponement of the 2019-20 Scottish Cup, with Celtic due to face Aberdeen in the semi-finals, has delayed the Scottish champions’ bid to complete a remarkable ‘quadruple treble’ of domestic trophies.

Kennedy, who has been involved in every one of the recent successes, says Celtic’s appetite for more is insatiable.