LIKE a Cold War arms race, Celtic have responded to the heightened threat to their domestic security by bolstering their own artillery, too. If Ronny Deila was deemed good enough to lead them to the last two titles – if not the Champions League – then, as they push for a sixth successive championship, a decision has been taken to upgrade their firepower for what should be a greater sustained challenge ahead with the return of Rangers.

Brendan Rodgers’ appointment ranks as one of the most impressive coups of recent times, one in the eye for those who thought the days of Celtic going for an experienced, venerable manager were in the past. There had been an element of risk in plumping for Deila two years ago but landing Rodgers was a sign that the time for experimentation is now over. He finds himself in the curious position of having too many players in his squad rather than too few, with the promised cull still to fully materialise. He has also signed only two players, Moussa Dembele and Kolo Toure joining Kristoffer Ajer who had been secured on a pre-contract agreement by Deila.

Making it through to the Champions League group stage for the first time in three years remains Celtic’s most important – and a very early – objective, although the re-emergence of Rangers will ensure Rodgers cannot afford to take his eye off the ball domestically either.

Four years without their biggest rivals there to challenge them should have allowed Celtic to move streets ahead – both financially and in terms of squad quality – but the gap, as demonstrated in last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final, is not as wide as it ought to have been. Celtic will now need to demonstrate that such prudency over the past few years was the right approach.

They enjoyed a great deal of good fortune last season that Leigh Griffiths remained both injury-free and in red-hot scoring form given he was for long spells the only reliable centre-forward on the books. In contrast, Deila stockpiled attacking midfielder/forward types as if he were Arsene Wenger. Defensive frailties, in Europe in particular, should be eased with the arrival of Toure and the expected departure of Efe Ambrose, an overall solid defender who sullied his reputation with repeat bouts of temporary on-field insanity. How Scott Brown fares after his injury problems of last season will be another issue worth keeping an eye on, as will Rodgers’ tactical style after two years of Celtic being wed to Deila’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.

Rangers’ presence, of course, adds another fascinating dynamic to the mix. There will of course be the predictable comments that, having completed their meander through the lower leagues as a result of their financial meltdown in 2012, this represents their first season in the top flight. Four years on and the old club/new club debate still pops up with the same frequency and appeal as a Michael McIntyre TV special. Like some kind of tenth circle of hell, it an argument forever destined to be contested by two entrenched, opposing factions. Many Celtic fans and some supporters from other clubs will insist ad nauseam that Rangers died in 2012. Rangers fans will retort that they did not. And so it will go on until the end of time. What can be stated unequivocally is that a team called Rangers will be playing in the top division for the first time in four years and that the campaign ahead will be more intriguing and exciting for that.

There has been no sign of Armageddon, meltdown, civil unrest or the game “withering on the vine” in their absence, however, as was warned would happen in 2012 if the newco Rangers was not allowed into the second tier of the league set-up. Many clubs in the top division have undoubtedly felt the pinch over the past four years having drawn up their budgets on the assumption that twice a year Rangers would bring a vast travelling support to their grounds. But all have survived. Only two Scottish clubs – Hearts and Dunfermline Athletic – have followed Rangers into administration since 2012 and both because of their own financial mismanagement, rather than as a consequence of the Ibrox implosion. The clubs that Rangers will meet this season have all adjusted well, with many flourishing in the void. A quarter of this season’s Premiership clubs all won maiden senior trophies during Rangers’ absence.

It will be up to Aberdeen – and possibly also Hearts and St Johnstone – to ensure there is not an instant return to the days of Old Firm duopoly. Derek McInnes’ side, runners-up over the past two seasons, will be expected to again pose the main threat to expected Glasgow dominance. They have, so far, held on to all of their key assets and added to the squad, too, most significantly upgrading in both the goalkeeping and centre forward positions. Hearts, third last year, have also recruited well, with the mercurial Tony Watt given another chance to kick-start his career. It remains to be seen whether the humiliating European exit at the hands of Maltese opposition hangs over the squad and manager Robbie Neilson or ultimately proves to be a blessing in disguise. St Johnstone fans must breathe a sigh of relief with every summer that passes without Tommy Wright being snared by an English club. Paul Paton, Blair Alston and Keith Watson look like a trio of excellent acquisitions.

Few tipped Dundee United to go down last summer, a further sign that predicting the future is best left to meteorologists and gypsies with crystal balls. Hamilton Academ ical defied almost everyone by landing safely in tenth spot, ahead of a Kilmarnock side completely overhauled by manager Lee Clark this summer in the hope of avoiding another play-off repeat. Ross County have again cast the net far and wide to try to offset the loss of Jackson Irvine in particular, with Motherwell similarly making their English scouts earn their corn. Both will hope to make the top six again, as will Dundee, Inverness, and a Partick Thistle side bolstered by the arrival of Ziggy Gordon and Danny Devine among others. Let the football begin.