Wattie and the Huns feeling the pressure!

From today's Scotsman...

Smith accuses SPL of caving in to Celtic as pressure rises

Published Date:
26 April 2008
By STEPHEN HALLIDAY

WALTER Smith has accused the SPL of complicity with Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell in scheduling a fixture list which will require Rangers to play four games within eight days regardless of whether they reach the Uefa Cup final.
Speaking for the first time about the two fixture 'models' unveiled earlier this week, to be imposed in the event of either outcome of the Ibrox club's semi-final against Fiorentina next Thursday, Smith delivered a withering assessment of both the SPL and Lawell.

The Rangers manager believes Lawwell is being disingenuous in stating his opposition to an extension to the season is on the grounds of "sporting integrity". Smith insists the Celtic CEO should simply admit he is seeking to gain an advantage for his club in the title race which reaches a potentially pivotal stage with tomorrow's final Old Firm game of the season at Parkhead.

It is the second meeting of the great rivals at the ground in 11 days, and Smith also feels the scheduling of the Old Firm fixtures has seen the SPL favour Celtic's wishes about when they should take place.

"It's the kind of thing that managers don't normally get involved in but, from my own point of view, it has a direct effect on my job in this instance," said Smith.

"The sporting integrity comments actually gave me a good laugh. Peter Lawwell seems to be the person who is the head of the sporting integrity committee of the SPL, its chairman and chief spokesman.

"Peter would be better coming out and saying he wants Rangers to play four games in a week because it suits his team and helps their quest to retain the championship. If it was the other way around, I would be hoping Celtic would have to play four games in a week.

"So he is as well coming out and being honest about it, rather than trying to hide behind what he is calling 'sporting integrity'. In sport, we have to win. He is doing what he feels is the right thing for his club, by saying the season shouldn't be extended, but he is doing it for his own reasons. He is not doing it for 'sporting integrity', he is not doing it for the league. The thing that bothers me most about it is that the SPL has acceded to every request that has been made by Celtic this season, especially in the placing of the two Old Firm games we are having at the moment.

"It is no co-incidence that we are playing one of our biggest league games of the season at a period of time when they would have a fair idea that we would be between two very important Uefa Cup semi-final games.

"The SPL had the option of placing these last two Old Firm games at other times, but in the end have agreed to Celtic's requests. They are being played at the times, from Celtic's point of view, when it is the best time to play them. There were several other dates when they could have been played.

"When you take that into consideration, I would have thought they could maybe have given Rangers a bit of dispensation at the end of the season, even to play one of our outstanding league games between the last round of scheduled SPL fixtures (on 18 May) and the Scottish Cup final on 24 May).

"That would have meant us playing every midweek, rather than playing four games in one week as we are being forced to do. To me it is a reasonably simple thing just to extend the season. They may think I'm being a bit naive, but if we are helping raise the profile of Scottish football and improving the co-efficient which gives us European places, then should we not get a wee bit of help when it's necessary?"

If Rangers reach the Uefa Cup final on 14 May, they will then play league games against Motherwell (17 May), St Mirren (20 May) and Aberdeen (22 May) before the Scottish Cup final against Queen of the South. Should they lose to Fiorentina, they will play their final four SPL games against Dundee United (10 May), St Mirren (13 May), Motherwell (15 May) and Aberdeen (18 May) ahead of the Hampden showpiece.

"The SPL haven't really made any decision, in the sense that if we reach the Uefa Cup final it is physically impossible for us to play our remaining league games in the time we had left," added Smith. "So they had no alternative but to extend the season.

"What they have done with the other scenario is that we are being forced to play four games in eight days if we don't reach the Uefa Cup final. We accept we have to do that, but is it right from the SPL's point of view that they force a club to do that? I don't think it is, regardless of which team it is.

"For me, the SPL have opted out of making a decision which would help a club who in many ways are lifting the profile of Scottish football.

"Everyone was crying out for a closer league this season to raise the interest level. So when we get to this stage, we have to ask if it is fair one team is being forced to play four games in one week. Over the piece, I feel my own club have been treated a wee bit unfairly in terms of the overall decisions that have to be made in terms of placement of games."



Huns are feeling it big * time....superb......they're gonna cave big time, lose to us and the be demolished by Fiorentina and I wouldn't be suprised if QOS turn them over at Hampden too :icon_mrgreen:

MON THE HOOPS....

 

This isn't over yet. If they make the final they are going to push for more help.

 

walters * himself! would love to see what he had to say for himself if the shoe was on the other foot. sour grapes

 

They won't get there mate...yeah they're hard to beat but like Arsenal when Gallas cracked....the rest of them cracked. The Huns will be looking to Wattie for an example and he's already bubbling....seems to me like he's already building himself an escape/excuse route!

 

I'm not so sure. Fiorentina were rank. But I take your point about his leadership. BTW he does get the players fighting for each other, something we frequently lack.

 

Won't disagree with you on the point about Wattie, but I'm still convinced Fiorentina were on cruise control and will finish the job at home. They never looked under any real pressure and if anything I just got the feeling they were sizing the Huns up without giving too much away themselves. We'll see a different performance from them at home, I'm certain of that mate.

 

They will only feel pressure if they are beaten on Sunday. Anything other than a victory for Celtic and I can see them winning everything.

 

Walter smith is a * tube !! Why should they get the league extended. Players have got the euro championships coming up and vital world cup qualifiers to go to. The season should end when it is supposed to. Is that not why clubs have got big squads. As for fiorentina, I fully expect them to knock rangers out. After watching the 2 ties against everton, they were like a different side when they played at home, could have put 3 or 4 past everton.

On the celts !!

 

The pressure most definitly is on, I'm still convinced we win on Sunday we'll go on to win the league as they will crack.

 

i hear glass smashing

 

lol Walter Smith's right. Lawwall, as does any other tim, doesn't want an SPL extension as Rangers are in a difficult position with alot of games coming thick and fast. Lawwall's just labelling it as 'questioning the integrity'.

however, my argument towards Smith would be that the SPL are doing them a favour by having extension plans in place as there is no rule stating they must do so. furthermore, what other league in the world would even consider extending the season to accommodate a clubs games?

being the only league in the world to extend our season won't help 'raise the Scotish football profile.' no doubt Rangers have done this this season as they have gone far in the UEFA cup. but so have we, we'ved reached the last 16 of the Champion league again and our players show up for Scotland national team without complaint. infact, we demanded an explaination from the SFA for sending Robson back from the squad due to face Croatia. did Rangers even question the SFA for sending back a hand full of their players? no.

as for the SPL 'buckling' to Celtic pressure to rearrange the Old Firm game inbetween a UEFA cup semi, the game was rearranged before Rangers had played their second leg of their quater final! if anything the SPL and SFA have buckled to Rangers, asking for a league game to be postponed due to the Lyon Champions League game, the withdrawl of players for internaional duty and now this extension plan.

grow up Rangers and get on with it!!!!!! you can already see them wobble from their high horse.

 

I'm loving it, the excuses are coming out already, they're bottle could be gone by this time tomorrow

 

Im starting to smell the * running down their legs , they are * it big time , just Hope we can crush them tomorrow , absolutely demoralise them

 

theyl be gettin the pampers out now. especially after we pump them tomorrow mon the hooooooooooooooops

 

all it is is incase they do fluff the league. they can blame someone.
* priceless

 

I cannae wait. It is imperative that we are as aggressive as we were last week.

 

Hope the game kicks off like last time with Robson setting the tone early

 

Ha ha, Walter Smith, don't make me laugh! He questions Lawwells 'sporting integrity' but then goes on to say how Huns success is for the benefit of 'Scottish football as a whole'. I'm sorry but those idiots rampaging through europe brings nothing but shame on the Scottish game with their defensive anti-football tactics and the thuggish behavior of their fans abroad.

 

two valid points i left out of my first post that should of been included!