The new season hasn’t even kicked off yet, and already, Kenny Miller appears anxious about Celtic. This morning, the former Rangers striker oddly described it as a “bonus” for the first Glasgow Derby to be held at Celtic Park this season.

It’s clear Miller is attempting to make the best of a bad situation as Rangers grapple with the reality that they won’t be able to start the new season at Ibrox due to ongoing construction delays. Yet, as soon as he tried to cast a positive light on the situation, Miller immediately piled the pressure back onto his old club with comments about their new signings.

Miller – Rangers Didn’t ‘Lay a Glove’ on Celtic Last Season

Despite all the media hype surrounding Philippe Clement last season, Celtic triumphed, securing both the league title and the Scottish Cup. Now, as Clement has already welcomed five new signings to Ibrox, Miller’s latest remarks will undoubtedly increase the pressure on his old club ahead of the new season.

Miller said to the Daily Record, “These new players quickly have to get used to that pressure. And I’m not sure playing the first few games away from your home ground will help with that.

“There will be a demand put on them from day one. To go and challenge a Celtic team they couldn’t lay a glove on last season.

“It can be a heavy jersey and not every player can handle it. Playing a £60 million Champions League game in a stadium they’ve only set foot in once before – just adds to that.”

Wearing the jersey of either of the Glasgow clubs can indeed be a heavy burden. The difference between the Celtic and Rangers players, however, is that Brendan Rodgers’ team rose to the challenge and delivered under title pressure.

With Rodgers looking to bolster his squad further this summer, building on their double-winning success, all the pressure is now on the Ibrox club to prevent the Hoops from clinching four-in-a-row and to reassert their dominance as Scotland’s premier club.

Clement would have hoped for time to integrate his new players into the team, but with Miller already issuing warnings about failure and the difficulty of handling the Rangers jersey, it seems his nerves continue to reflect the reality of Celtic’s current superiority over his old team.

This pre-season tension sets the stage for an intriguing and highly competitive campaign. With Celtic strengthening and Rangers under scrutiny, the upcoming season promises high drama and intense rivalry, encapsulating the essence of Scottish football’s most storied contest.