By support

8th Sep, 2016 | 1:33pm

Charlie Adam: Celtic and Rangers can't compete without this major change

By Will Butcher

Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam has claimed that Old Firm duo Celtic and Rangers can’t compete with Premier League clubs, unless a drastic change is made.

The Scotland international, who began his career with the Gers after coming through the ranks at Dundee, believes that his former side and their Glasgow rivals should join the Premier League.

Talking to TalkSport, the 30-year-old midfielder claims that the two sides are unable to match Premier League sides financially and won’t be able to unless they move down south.

“On a financial side, they [Celtic and Rangers] feel like they want to compete with the English clubs,” Adam told TalkSport. “They never will until they get there [the Premier League].

“It would be great for the English game to have Rangers and Celtic come down every week, there’s a fantastic support.”

Adam did admit it wouldn’t be so good for the Scottish game. “I think it would be bad for the whole game of Scotland and for the nation.

“Let’s be honest, the two of them run Scottish football – that’s the power – they’re the two main clubs. It would kill the game.”

The former Liverpool midfielder made 76 appearances for the Gers after making his debut against Livingston in 2004, and went on to score 15 goals in all competitions as well as having loan spells with Ross County and St.Mirren.

A loan spell to Blackpool became permanent, and the midfielder was instrumental in getting the Seasiders promoted. His 12 top-flight goals though failed to keep Ian Holloway’s side in the Premier League, and he decided to chance his arm with Liverpool.

Now with Stoke, Adam has fallen down the pecking order at the Britannia Stadium behind the likes of Glenn Whelan, Giannelli Imbula and new signing Joe Allen.

In other Rangers news, former Gers forward Peter Lovenkrands believes this new signing will be the difference in the Old Firm derby.