At Celtic Park most people were on the pitch; they knew it was all over. Many of the thousands who danced on the turf after the 2-0 victory over St Johnstone could still hardly believe it: that the Parkhead side had at last, after 10 years, wrested the championship from Rangers.

They will probably experience similar disbelief later this week when Celtic's head coach Wim Jansen is expected to announce that he will exercise the escape clause in his three-year contract and leave after only one season.

Pressed for a statement about his future after this title triumph the Dutchman insisted he would say nothing because he wanted time to think. But he then admitted that he has made a decision "in my own mind". There appears to be no reason to postpone an announcement unless he has decided to go.

He will take the team to Portugal for tomorrow's friendly against Sporting Lisbon, a money-spinner which was part of the deal that brought Jorge Cadete to Parkhead 18 months ago. On his return he will probably say he wants to go.

Celtic's captain Tom Boyd said that the players wanted Jansen to stay, sentiments endorsed yesterday by Paul Lambert, who was signed by the coach from Borussia Dortmund, and Jackie McNamara, the Scottish Player of the Year. "Wim makes it clear what he wants you to do and puts no pressure on you," said McNamara. "It would not be ideal for us having to adapt to a new manager again."

Jansen's non-commitment was the most disappointing aspect of a fraught and fluctuating day for Celtic during which they frequently looked as unconvincing as in several games during the run-in.

Even Henrik Larsson's stunning goal in the third minute was not enough to confirm that it would be a gala day against St Johnstone, who still had a chance of taking the last place in next season's UEFA Cup.

There were enough scary moments for the Parkhead faithful before the substitute Harald Brattbakk's clincher in the 73rd minute to fill the stadium with a strange silence. The cause was not so much St Johnstone's threat, more Celtic's own hesitancy.

Rangers's taking a two-goal lead against Dundee United at Tannadice was no help. Victory for the old enemy meant that Celtic needed to win.

Larsson's goal was fit to win a championship. The move started with Alan Main rushing from the St Johnstone goal to clear the ball. He drove it straight to Lambert, the most composed and accomplished player on the field, and the midfielder chested it down and played it forward to Larsson. The Swede came in from the left, beat two defenders and with his right foot hit a wonderful 25-yard drive, the ball drawing right-toleft to evade the diving Main and hurtle into the left corner of the net.

Brattbakk came on for the diligent but tiring Simon Donnelly, and when Boyd carried the ball out of defence and released McNamara down the right the Norwegian glided into a large hole in the visiting defence. McNamara delivered the perfect centre, allowing Brattbakk, without breaking stride, to sweep the ball rightfooted past Main from eight yards.

Rangers do not often leave the field as winners yet feeling like people who have been burgled. Their woe was deepened during their 2-1 win by the ordering-off of the German midfielder Jorg Albertz, who will now miss Saturday's Scottish Cup final against Hearts.

For the Rangers manager Walter Smith and captain Richard Gough it was an unhappy way to mark their last league match for the club; and worse may follow. If Rangers fail to lift themselves for the cup final, Smith's last season may end without silverware.

Rangers won nine consecutive championships, from 1989-97, but Celtic's triumph means that they still share that Scottish record with their 1966-74 run.

"It hasn't just been recent games which have cost us the championship," said Smith. "Celtic have capitalised on that this season but, when I look back, we've done the same to other teams over the years."

It will not be lost on Rangers fans that if Jansen leaves Celtic there will still be a Dutch presence in Glasgow: Dick Advocaat, Smith's successor, who will move from PSV Eindhoven to Ibrox this summer.