The Old Firm are often accused of being greedy. Well at last they've come out into the open about it. From now on Rangers and Celtic intend to be greedier in terms of TV revenue and they will be apologising to no-one for the strategy.

The Old Firm have sensed an opportunity. With Setanta going by the wayside, the clubs' long-held resentment about being unable to fulfil their potential in Scotland via TV cash now has a chance to be put right. It is a piece of opportunism which may rile some, but could be welcomed by the legions of Rangers and Celtic supporters.

But any deal is fraught with complications. Any SPL rights owner, as Sky and Setanta did previously, has to disburse tens of millions of pounds annually to the other SPL clubs. So from where would this come?

As for anything in this regard happening imminently, Sandy Lyle surely has a better chance of winning this week's Open. There are too many problems, too many legal loopholes to be negotiated, and too much debating still to be done. Certainly, when the SPL meets tomorrow it is highly unlikely that any concrete decision will be reached.

Rangers and Celtic need to explain how the mechanics of such a deal would work. And the suspicion will remain that the clubs have self-interest at heart, whereas a potential ESPN-Sky deal may prove more equitable towards all 12 SPL clubs.

Martin Bain, the Rangers chief executive, and Peter Lawwell, his counterpart at Celtic, have said that they want to bring the ten other SPL clubs with them. But this might sound a touch shrill to some, given the Old Firm's intermittent desire to escape Scotland and take up residence in the English Premier League.

It is true to an extent that the other clubs ride on the backs of the Old Firm. How many people outside Scotland - SPL games reach more than 40 counties - are interested in Motherwell or St Mirren? Precious few.

Rangers and Celtic find it galling that clubs like Bolton and Portsmouth - a third of their size - can earn up to £30million a year from TV income, while the Old Firm make between £2million and £3million.

There is a suspicion that an Old Firm TV deal will not happen. It seems more likely that at some stage Rangers and Celtic will simply try to cut their own deals. Indeed, more liberal European law may well allow them to do so.

And that would be the day when the other SPL clubs would really start to worry.

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