SPL grants McLeish's Old Firm rest request

Published on Wednesday 24 October 2007 01:12

ALEX McLeish has struck an early psychological blow in his bid to topple Italy in next month's European Championship qualifier after being granted his wish to see both Old Firm games postponed on the weekend prior to the must-win clash at Hampden Park on 17 November.

The Scottish Premier League took the decision yesterday after a lengthy meeting, but chairman Lex Gold emerged to issue a statement expressing his "considerable disappointment" that the Scottish Football Association had declined to make a financial contribution to the costs involved in rearranging the games.

The two Clydesdale Premier League matches originally scheduled for 10 and 11 November between Celtic and Falkirk, and St Mirren and Rangers respectively, have been postponed and alternative dates will be issued in due course.

Gold heaped praise on the clubs involved for their co-operation in the exercise of moving the fixtures, and paid special tribute to the broadcaster, Setanta Sports, for their support - the Irish-based station now having to rejig a weekend schedule which had included Rangers' visit to Love Street.

But Gold pointedly made reference to the role of the SFA in negotiations.

He said: "I would like to place on record my thanks to the clubs involved for their constructive approach and to our broadcasting partners, Setanta Sports, for their support.

"It is a matter of considerable disappointment that the SFA has refused to help defray the costs which will be incurred by our clubs."

Gold added: "In exceptional circumstances, the SPL decided today to agree to the request from the SFA to postpone two matches originally scheduled for the weekend of 10 and 11 November - ahead of the Scotland v Italy Euro 2008 qualifier at Hampden.

"Postponing games at short notice is fraught with fairness, inconvenience, broadcasting and cost implications. We recognise, in particular that this decision will inconvenience many fans, thousands of whom have already made travel arrangements to attend the matches.

"Our wish is to do all we can to support the efforts of the Scotland team at a critical point and trust the fans will understand the exceptional circumstances which led us to postpone the matches in question."

Despite the friction the episode has generated between the SFA and SPL, McLeish will be delighted that his pleas for a weekend of rest for the core of his squad have not fallen on deaf ears, and he can now look forward to an added freshness to the players, who gather for the crunch Group B match with the Italians.

Players from Celtic and Rangers are approaching the midway point in a hectic run of matches spread over 36 days.

Following today's decision, that sequence now consists of three Scotland games, three SPL matches, the two Champions League fixtures and a CIS Insurance Cup quarter-final.

Crucially, though, they can now have a breather between Champions League matches on 6 and 7 November - Celtic at home to Benfica, Rangers away to Barcelona - and the Italy match.

Victory against the world champions will assure Scotland of a place in next summer's finals, but defeat would end their qualification hopes. A draw would only suffice if France were to lose to Ukraine four days later. The SFA asked only for the two matches involving Celtic and Rangers to be postponed, although delaying the entire round of fixtures was considered by the SPL. League chiefs are understood to have been reluctant to allow clubs to get ahead of others in games played, but the significance of the Italy match for all stakeholders in the Scottish game meant McLeish and the SFA received the news they wanted.