A new Scottish Premiership season in 12 thoughts

Will Simon Murray, Lawrence Shankland and Ronan Hale be among the leading scorers this time around?

This time last year, Michael Beale was manager of Rangers, Lee Johnson was at Hibs, Steven MacLean was in charge of St Johnstone, Barry Robson was looking forward to the new season as Aberdeen boss and Malky Mackay was in charge at Ross County.

For years, Scottish football used to look at managerial merry-go-rounds in English football and decry it as a basket case environment, Now, it’s every bit as volatile in this country, if not worse.

Predictions, then, are a mug’s game - and here is your mug.

In order of expected finishing position and in full knowledge of the hostage to fortune element, here are 12 thoughts on the bedlam to come.

Why Celtic need Idah

This is turning into a saga with Adam Idah missing a trip with Norwich this week. It’s clear that he wants to join Celtic on a permanent deal and, so, there’s a dance going on between the clubs over valuation.

Idah scored the winner in the Scottish Cup final and scored other important goals in his loan spell.

He’s big and strong and a contrast to Kyogo Furuhashi. He scored eight goals in 15 league games - a goal every 76 minutes. Outstanding. Kyogo scored every 179 minutes.

Take away the two penalties that Idah converted and he was still on a league goal every 86 minutes. That’s exactly the same as Kyogo in his best season in 2022-23.

Idah is only 23. One for the present and one for the future. Celtic really need to land him.

Angst in the Ibrox air

It’s been a nightmarish summer for Rangers. The farcical situation with delayed construction Ibrox, the manager’s frustration, the dreadful pre-season results.

Philippe Clement has gone public with his views on transfer limitations, albeit the capture of experienced centre-half Robin Propper looks sound.

Rangers have existed on soft loans from supportive directors but the word is that those days are largely over. Financially, they need to stand on their own two feet. They need a sustainable player trading model - they have a long way to go - and Champions League loot - a tough assignment to make it through.

This looks like being a sobering season for them. Rough days ahead for Clement, you suspect. The fans will not exactly sit on their hands if this goes badly wrong.

The Shankland mystery

Almost every day brings new gossip about clubs circling the waters around Lawrence Shankland. They’re interested, they’re preparing a bid, they’re on the cusp of making a move - and nothing continues to happen.

At Hearts, all you hear is that nobody has bid anything for Shankland at any time. Just paper talk fuelled by somebody, somewhere.

Shankland’s importance to Hearts is, of course, enormous. The striker scored 44% of Hearts’ league goals last season. With his four assists, he had 28 goal involvements in 37 Premiership games.

The speculation will carry on, but there’s no convincing evidence just yet that he’s actually going anywhere.

How can Kilmarnock kick on?

Derek McInnes did a fine job last season, creating a side that were a threat to everybody on their day. They were the best fourth-placed team we’ve seen in a while.

Goals is the one glaring area for improvement, underlined by their exit from the Europa League on Thursday.

Despite having Danny Armstrong, Marley Watkins and Kyle Vassell weighing-in with decent numbers in the league, they still ranked joint eighth in terms of goals for last time.

Get a few more from their defenders and from central midfield and they can find another level. You fancy them to hold on to fourth again - and win another shot at Europe.

Life after Miovski

Everybody is assuming Bojan Miovski will leave Aberdeen in the next month. The Dons reckon they can bring in the highest transfer fee ever recorded by the club when the North Macedonia striker goes.

Unquestionably, he’s an excellent player. An international, a good age and a fine finisher. But if they get in the region of £7m, that’s tremendous business.

Miovski deserves a chance in a bigger league, but he scored 12 league goals from play last season (plus four penalties) and 10 from play the season before.

That was in a team that struggled, of course, but those league numbers are not stratospheric.

Miovski is replaceable and Jimmy Thelin has surely got his eyes on somebody. After all, the mood music around Miovski has been heard for a long time now.

Rooney's return

The signing of Rooney looks like shrewd business for St Mirren

Shaun Rooney, a cup final hero for one set of Saints, has joined a Saints of a different colour - and it could be one of the signings of the summer.

He can play right-back, right wing-back and right centre-back. He can score goals and is already off the mark, getting the opener on his debut against Valur on Thursday.

St Mirren could do with more goalscorers in their ranks. Their numbers were average at best last season. Rooney is a big presence, a character with lots of energy and charisma.

Murray in a hurry

Dundee’s new striker has already scored five times in his first two starts in the League Cup.

At 32, Simon Murray is a veteran, but last season he was also one of the most underrated players in the Premiership. Playing for a Ross County side that toiled, he scored 23 goals in all competitions including 14 in the league along with four assists.

Eighteen goal involvements in 37 games is a mighty tally for a striker at the wrong end of the table.

Tony Docherty has done well to get him. Having used the loan system adroitly last season, the Dundee manager looks to have made another good move in bringing Murray home.

Foley and the Gordons

Never a dull moment at Hibs, on the field or off. In the wake of their loss to Kelty, Bill Foley - the Black Knight with a 25% stake - had some pointed words about the Gordon family, who own just over 60%.

“If the ownership group at Hibernian listens to us, they will do better. So far they haven’t been listening to our input. I believe they will listen to our input now.”

New manager, David Gray, could do without friction in the boardroom.

His job is going to be tough enough as it is. If the great hero of 2016 is to buck the trend then a united and discreet ownership wouldn’t go amiss.

Have Motherwell struck gold again?

Two seasons ago it was Kevin van Veen with 25 league goals, then it was Theo Bair with 15 and now that Bair has gone, is Apostolos Stamatelopoulos the next Motherwell striker to light up the Premiership?

The 25-year-old became an Australian international on the back of scoring 17 goals for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League last season.

On the evidence of their 0-0 draw against Partick Thistle in the League Cup, Motherwell look in need of extra ammunition up front.

Replacing The Bair is a tough job. Stamatelopoulos could be a story this season. Pity the headline writers if he is.

The men from Macedonia

On their return to the Premiership, Dundee United have signed some interesting characters, both Macedonians and both looking good.

David Babunksi, 30, was a product of Barcelona’s La Masia in his youth. An attacking central midfielder, he’s since played in Macedonia, Japan, Romania and Hungary. He’s scored three goals in his last three games, including a friendly against Luton.

Kristijan Trapanoski is 24 and a wide midfielder. He’s got three goals in his four games so far.

United are an unknown prospect this season, but these guys could become very recognisable, very quickly if they keep on scoring.

Away day Blues

Ross County managed to save themselves in the play-off final last season - like they did the term before.

If they’re to avoid that trauma all over again they’re going to have to arrest their awful away results. They played 19 on the road and won only one of them.

They failed to score in 10 of the 19 and took only nine points from a possible 57. If Don Cowie manages to improve the away form then County will be just fine.

The signing of Ronan Hale from Cliftonville looks a good start. The striker is off to a flyer.

Saints alive

Craig Levein has conducted somewhere north of 30 different bits of business in the summer. The sense of a new beginning is not the exclusive preserve of the dressing room, it extends to the ownership of the club as well.

St Johnstone scored a mere 29 goals in the league last season, but there is hope in the shape of Benjamin Kimpioka who’s already on five from the League Cup.

Levein has brought in extra strikers in the hope of rectifying a glaring weakness they must overcome - or else.