Kevin Thelwell's first Rangers task is to transform ritual Celtic slaughter into a real rivalry – Keith Jackson

Kevin Thelwell hasn’t even settled into his new office yet.

But the man who will take charge of the latest in a long line of Rangers rebuilds already knows the size of the task with which he is about to be confronted.

Announced as the Ibrox club’s sporting director on the Wednesday. Watching Celtic wrap up another title on the Saturday.

Thelwell may be concerned already that his timing isn’t quite as he would like it to be.

It’s hardly his fault. The damage was done long before he agreed to oversee the American backed overhaul which is about to take place on the south side of Glasgow.

But, regardless, he’s the man who will have to come up with a plan to shatter a period of dominance which is so complete in its nature - so utterly suffocating - that it may soon feel almost overwhelming.

When Brendan Rodgers took his team to Tannadice at the weekend, needing only to avoid defeat to claim a fourth successive league crown, the outcome was inevitable.

That Celtic romped over the finishing line sent out an emphatic message which will have rippled all the way across the big pond.

Somewhere in Philadelphia, Andrew Cavenagh may have been shuddering too. What exactly is he about to take on here now that the documents are nearing completion and his multi-million pound buy out is about to be concluded?

Why on earth has he chosen to place himself on the wrong side of a fight which has become so one sided that the gap between Scottish football’s incompatibles is not even close any more?

Perhaps he might be wondering if it’s even bridgeable or, worse still, if - at considerable expense - he’s buying his way into a hopeless losing battle.

He’ll have to keep his fingers crossed that Thelwell is as competent as his CV suggests. And