If we have a coefficient season like last one (both teams in Europa groups, one gets to knockout round and loses) this season and next season, we would be on the verge of getting a second CL place with the winner going straight in.
This is very achievable. We're zooming up the rankings as a country now that we're back and the future looks pretty positive.
Ironically it probably helps our coefficient that the filth don't make the CL groups - they'll likely get more wins in the EL groups which makes us more points.
The biggest barrier to the above unfortunately is the fact that European reconstruction is coming in the next 2-3 years and the rules re qualification are not yet confirmed.
I was looking at Bert Kassies' site yesterday -
https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/index.html
Right now, your country needs to be ranked #15 in the co-efficients to get two CL places. The league champions have to face two qualifying rounds in the Champions route, with their league runners-up facing three qualifying rounds in the non-champions route.
I believe this is more favourable than normal due to Spurs reaching the CL final last season. I think usually the champions would need to face three qualifying rounds - but don't quote me on that.
This position is currently held by Greece. PAOK, the Greek champions, were defeated by Ajax in the Champions route in their first qualifying tie, and have now dropped down into the Europa League play off just like Celtic. Ironically, the league runners-up - Olympiacos - have actually gone further than PAOK and will face Krasnodar of Russia in the play off round for a place in the CL group stage.
As far as I can make out, the nation co-efficient used to determine how many CL and EL places each nation gets for the 2019/20 season (and at what stage qualifying clubs enter the competition) is based on results from the seasons 2013/14 to 2017/18 inclusive. Only Celtic qualified for group stage European football over this period (and not always the CL), whereas we were out of the top flight until 2016, and didn't re-enter European football until the beginning of 2017/18, when we were knocked out by Progres in the EL qualifiers.
Based on this period, it is small wonder why Scotland are ranked 26th in the co-efficients. Such a lowly ranking is the reason why we, as last season's runners-up, have to negotiate four qualifying rounds for the EL, and Celtic had to face the prospect of the same number of qualifiers for the CL.
Next season's (2020/21) European places are based on the co-efficient of the five-season period up to and including 2018/19. This includes our EL campaign last season. Thanks largely to our efforts - and to a degree those of Celtic in reaching the last 32 - Scotland will move up from 26th in the rankings to 20th. Unfortunately, this isn't sufficient to grant Scotland a place in the latter stages of the qualifying rounds for European competition. Should we win the title this season, we will still face four qualifying rounds for the CL, or four qualifiers for the EL should we finish as runners-up again.
But there is no doubt Scotland is moving in the right direction. I cannot bring myself to want Celtic to win, nor I imagine would a Celtic supporter want Rangers to win in Europe, however if they do win then the silver lining is that it makes qualifying for the group stages of European football easier to do.
It really doesn't help when you have the likes of Aberdeen and Kilmarnock letting the country down, however.
As far as Rangers are concerned, we just have to keep on keeping on. Group stage football, whether it's the CL or EL, has to be the minimum requirement each season.