Rumour Mill: Old Firm | Charles Green

The Old Firm will be gone in ten years - Gordon Strachan

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan believes that both Celtic and Rangers will have left Scottish football and be playing in a European league in ten years.

The former Celtic manager revealed his thoughts during a Q&A session about the future of Scottish football, at the SoccerEx European Football Forum in Manchester.

Strachan said he believed that, come 2023, there would be two European leagues where the world’s biggest clubs would compete.

Strachan said: “Perhaps 38 teams break away with two divisions and the owner will try and coral all of that sponsorship and look after it that way.

“That’s the way Celtic and Rangers will get there.

“Until then, we can generate money and make sure Scottish football is healthy before that comes along.”

Charles Green apologises for racist slur and faces SFA questioning

Rangers chief executive Charles Green last night apologised “unreservedly” for making alleged racist remarks about a former Ibrox director, as the SFA issued a notice of complaint against him.

Green was quoted in a newspaper report at the weekend referring to Imran Ahmad as his “little P*** friend”, and released a statement on Rangers’ official website which read: “I apologise unreservedly if any offence has been taken by my remark.

“I was actually trying to make the point, albeit clumsily, that I am not a racist.

Meanwhile, Green is facing an SFA probe over his involvement with Craig Whyte. Developments this week have prompted Scottish football’s governing body to ask Green to clarify his involvment with Whyte, whilst police raided Whyte’s home at Castle Grant in a bid to find information linked to his involvement in the Rangers takeover.

Stewart Regan backs Craig Thomson in wake of Malaga complaint

SFA chief executive Stewart Regan has defended the performance of Craig Thomson in Malaga’s game with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday night, after the Spaniards complained about the Scottish whistler’s performance.

Thomson, perceived to be the country’s finest official, was backed up by Regan who insisted that it was the referee’s supporting cast that let him down

Malaga have made a formal complaint to Uefa about Thomson and his refereeing team in the aftermath of their controversial exit at the hands of the German side.

Felipe Santana’s 93rd-minute winner took the hosts into the semi-finals with a 3-2 aggregate victory but the Spaniards were furious with the decision to let the goal stand after video replays conclusively proved it should have been disallowed for offside.

Club owner Al Thani was so incensed he accused Uefa of racism, but Regan argued: “I thought [Craig’s] handling of the game was very, very good.”

“Unfortunately a number of decisions from the people working alongside him perhaps let him down. But unfortunately these things happen in football.”

Rangers beat Linfield in ‘brothers’ friendly match

Goals from Chris Hegarty and Andrew Murdoch - their first for the club - gave Rangers a 2-0 win over Northern Irish side Linfield at Ibrox last night, in a friendly designed to repay Linfield for their donation to Rangers during last year’s financial plight.

Wanyama to learn red card appeal fate

Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama will today learn if he has been cleared to play his part in Celtic’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United on Sunday. The Kenyan was sent off for a challenge on Paul McGowan in the 1-1 draw between the Parkhead side and St Mirren, but the club appealed the two-game ban triggered by the sending off.

Rumour Mill: Old Firm | Charles Green | Craig Thomson