SPL Preseason Power Rankings

By: Ian Rose | July 27th, 2007

Well, here we go. The friendlies are well underway, and its now not so long until the SPL season openers on August 4. As much as I detest preseason rankings, they come with the territory, and so here are my choices for who starts where in the SPL. This is in no way a prediction for how the league will finish, just how the season will start. I will be updating these rankings as the season goes on. Enjoy. Or yell at me.

1. Rangers
Like I said, yell at me. With some great signings in the off-season, Rangers have arguably added more strengths than Celtic, but it’s Celtic’s weak preseason form that is really responsible for this pick.

2. Celtic
I know Wee Gordon has argued that preseason friendlies are meaningless, and I know that Celtic started last preseason as weakly as this one, before going on to a very impressive season both in Scotland and in Europe. However, based on form, you can’t ignore how awkward the Hoops looked in the US and against Newcastle.

3. Hearts
They are a huge question mark in the SPL. Will Larry Kingston be the star Tynecastle fans are hungry for? I think they’ll start strong, though the drama of Mad Vlad will undoubtedly take its toll. The more he stays quiet, the more likely Hearts are to stay high in the ranks. It also looks like Craig Gordon may be staying for now, which can only be good for Hearts.

4. Hibernian
After a great win over Bolton, Hibs are flying high. Their new keeper, Yves Makabu Makalambay, could be the puzzle piece the club needs. After their CIS Cup win last season, they have a taste for hardware, but will be even keener on improving on a disappointing 5th place league finish.

5. Aberdeen
The Dons were a great story last season, finishing 3rd in the league, above both Edinburgh sides, with a largely no-name team. A huge part of that success was based on captain Russell Anderson, who is now gone, and Aberdeen have brought no one of similar quality to replace him. Jimmy Calderwood is a fine manager, but time will tell if he can rebound from the loss of Anderson and compete for Europe again.

6. Dundee United
This one is a bit of a stretch, but with so little to go on, one has to trust one’s gut. This gut says to expect something special from the Terrors this season. It took a Thierry Henry penalty to put Barcelona above United this week, and a few choice moves have put them in position to take an early top-half spot.

7. Inverness Caley Thistle
Strikers have been a huge problem for Caley. Last season, they were injured. Just about all of them were injured. At the end of the season, insult was added to those injuries when Craig Dargo left for St. Mirren. But two new forwards have made an early splash in the Highlands, Dean McDonald from Gillingham and Romanian international “Super” Marius Niculae. With the added scoring power from this duo, look for Caley to strike early in this SPL campaign.

8. Kilmarnock
The Steven Naismith situation just gets worse and worse. The sooner Killie can get rid of him, as talented as he is, the better. Now that he has formally requested a transfer, he will certainly be on his way out, but his fate has been a huge distraction to Killie, and I doubt now that they will get the fee they want for him. Rangers and Celtic will look to take advantage for a cheap transfer.

9. Falkirk
With no significant moves in the off-season, Falkirk will likely be moving down from their #7 finish last season. This is one I don’t have much strong feeling about, so I’m prepared to be proven wrong.

10. St. Mirren
Jumping up one spot from their finish last season, where they barely avoided relegation, the Saints have made a few good moves, including the pickup of Craig Dargo, which should put them above the two bottom sides.

11. Motherwell
The Well could be fighting for survival from the beginning. Only the inexperience of Gretna keeps them out of the relegation spot as the season begins.

12. Gretna
Again, I have no idea where Gretna will finish, but these are preseason rankings, and you have to earn your place. Gretna is starting from nothing, and regardless of their impressive foreign signings, they will have to fight for every inch. No one likes to lose in any league, but losing to a newcomer like Gretna will be especially shameful, and every team will fight them tooth and nail every weekend.