MICHAEL MOLS admits he is ‘surprised’ Celtic have not made the most of Rangers’ absence from the top flight and clinched a domestic Treble in recent years.

The Dutchman was part of the last squad to win the league title, League Cup and Scottish Cup in the same campaign in 2003 as Rangers recorded their seventh clean sweep.

Celtic have not held all three trophies at the same time for 15 years and could meet Mark Warburton’s side in the latter stages of the Scottish Cup this term as they also look to hold off the challenge of Aberdeen in the Premiership.

Celtic were comfortable winners when the Old Firm met at Hampden last season and Mols knows it takes something special to lift all our major prizes in the space of a few weeks.

He said: “I was at the game, but I don’t know if the gap is closer - I hope so.

“I’ve not seen Celtic this year so don’t know their standard and only saw Rangers against Raith and that was in the Championship.

“They played really well but playing against a Premier League club is totally different and especially a club such as Celtic.

“If I look back now, it’s really special to win a Treble. When Rangers went down a few leagues, you would say, Ok, that will give Celtic a big chance of winning the Treble for maybe three, four seasons. But, from what we’ve seen, it’s still very difficult to do.

“You would have expected Celtic to have done it, so yes I’m surprised they never managed it, although I’m not sure about the standards of Celtic, Aberdeen or the other clubs.

“Normally you would have Rangers, Celtic and then a big gap, then maybe Hearts or Aberdeen – always one team would do something in the league.”