Steven Gerrard’s job of denying Celtic the 10th consecutive record championship next season puts him under more pressure than his counterpart Neil Lennon, says parkhead legend David Hay.
Gerrards Rangers were 13 points behind Lennons Celtic and had nine games at the end of last season.
Celtic’s current run is the second time that they have won nine titles in a row, a feat that Rangers has once accomplished.
“Celtic is under pressure for the sake of fans and history,” said Hay.
“But there is definitely more to Steven Gerrard to stop it.”
As a midfielder, Hay Celtic helped from 1966 to 1974 to the last five titles of her nine-time series.
He also delivered a championship and success in the Scottish Cup as a manager and was deputy general manager at the start of the 1997/98 season when Wim Jansen’s team tried to prevent the Rangers from winning a 10th consecutive championship.
“The next season is no different than the year Wim Jansen left Celtic,” the 72-year-old told BBC Scotland’s sports sound program. “I was there earlier this season and asked to leave.
“The intensity of the Rangers-Celtic rivalry has not changed since my time. Neil will be determined to do this, as will the players.”
