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If Rangers manager Danny Rohl is right, maybe the SPFL should start thinking about hiring a helicopter for the final round of Premiership fixtures.
Rohl reckons the title race is so tight it could be determined on the last day of the season. And, to that end, the German is convinced a successful transfer window is essential.
With 16 matches to go, Hearts are six points clear of Celtic and Rangers.
“Yesterday we spoke about the pre-season,” said Rohl. “We had a meeting about the camps and the friendly games. Then finally I said my belief at the moment is we will have on the last matchday maybe a race with three teams. You can be top, you can be second, you can be third.
“It’s nice for the supporters. And for us, we have to prepare.”
The Ibrox side famously won the title in 2005 pipping Celtic on the last day, when they beat Hibs at Easter Road and Celtic lost to Motherwell in the original “Helicopter Sunday”, the chartered chopper changing course for the capital as leaders Celtic lost two late goals at Fir Park.
The league came down to wire four times in the first decade of the century, but it hasn’t happened since 2011 when Rangers again triumphed.
Those were straight Old Firm fights – this time Hearts are in the mix too.
To steal a march on both rivals, Rohl reckons the current transfer window is vital,
“We were, in the last couple of weeks, very clear what we want to do and what we have to do,” he said. “That’s the good part. From this point, we go forward. Let’s see what is possible on the market.”
So far, Rangers have brought in Belgian defender Tuur Rommens and Danish midfielder Tochi Chukwuani.
A deal for Denmark international Andreas Skov Olsen appears close, with Rohl hoping the winger can recapture the form that earned him a move to side Wolfsburg from Club Brugge.
But the Rangers manager doesn’t want to stop there.
“We have to continue,” he said. “We know we want to strengthen our squad. We have to to be very competitive in the second half of the season. I cannot tell you exactly the number, but we are still looking for some more positions.”
Another midfielder is high on the list of targets as Connor Barron faces up to three months on the sidelines.
While Rangers’ summer recruitment came in for severe criticism, Rohl says things have changed with consultant Stig Inge Byornebye and chairman Andrew Cavanagh at the heart of things.
“Andrew is very helpful,” he explained. “He is very much on the front foot. I like this. We are also very clear what we want.
“I can always give my opinion, my recommendation. Then the recruitment department gives me recommendations. Then we sit together again. Then we look through the videos, through the data. We make some calls to make sure how the characters of the players are. Then we look if it’s possible to do the deal or not.
“At the moment, we are really strong because we make strong decisions. We are not just talking we are acting.”
