Finance Expert: Ibrox ‘Catch-22’ as Rangers sent £17m+ message

Dan Plumley has insisted that winning the Scottish Premiership will be the absolute priority for Rangers over the Europa League this season.

Philippe Clement admitted that he will be pushing all the way in all competitions at Ibrox, but the league and automatic qualification for the Champions League has been picked out.

The football finance expert admitted that the money on offer in the Champions League is front and centre behind that, although there is a “catch-22” with the coefficient of Scottish football.

“The finances of it are absolutely front and centre of that,” he exclusively told Ibrox News.

“The group stage participation for the Champions League is the thick end of €15million [£12.7m], you can probably make €20million [£17m] out of the group stages all things considered.

“That’s much lower in the Europa League, you’re looking at €5million [£4.2m] participation fees in the group stages, so you can see the economic scale but it is also a little bit of a catch-22 given the conversation about the country coefficient because you have that balance there.

“If you have a good year in the Europa League this season, does that protect the coefficient? Or actually, by winning the league, getting into the Champions League, doing well, that may boost the coefficient as it is more points for a win in that.

“It’s a really tricky balance, but you have to look at it through the lens of the club, and it’s quite clear that the club’s priority is the league and the Champions League and I absolutely get that.

“It’s a fine balance but you can see where the cards are going to fall, you have to go with what’s right for the club, and financially and sporting-wise, winning the league and getting back in the Champions League is the priority.”

Rangers set for the Champions League?

Plumley has previously admitted that automatic qualification to the Champions League is “huge” in Scotland, and the pressure is now different with Rangers sitting top.

That is one to watch very closely with Celtic appearing to crumble, as Clement continues to push his side forward with one piece of silverware already secured this season.