Rangers' reward for success is fixture chaos, claims Walter Smith

RANGERS manager Walter Smith has urged the Scottish football authorities to show more consideration of the demands placed upon clubs who achieve European success for the country.

By reaching the last 16 of the Europa League, Rangers have found themselves facing another fixture pile-up as they seek silverware on four fronts. The second leg of their round of 16 tie against Dutch League leaders PSV Eindhoven at Ibrox on 17 March will come just three days before they face Celtic at Hampden in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final.

Smith believes scheduling the first domestic showpiece occasion of the Scottish season at such a time indicates a lack of faith in the ability of the country's leading sides to have an extended run in European competition.

"If you put a cup final in the same week as European fixtures are being played, then you have to ask yourself if they are not expecting at least one of your two best teams, Rangers or Celtic, to be involved in Europe by then," observed Smith. "It's obviously not the ideal situation to be involved in, but that's where we are now and the fixtures have been out there all season."

While Smith accepts that the motivation for progressing as far as possible in the Europa League this season is primarily a selfish one from Rangers' viewpoint, he feels his team are being indirectly penalised for performing a wider service for Scottish football.

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Thursday night's dramatic away goals success against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal ensured that Scotland will finish at least 15th in this season's Uefa co-efficient rankings, thereby reclaiming the second Champions League place in 2012-13 which has been lost for next season.

"We are starting the season early to try and help all of our teams improve the co-efficient," added Smith, "but what are they doing at the end of the season? They are not doing anything to help the teams who are in Europe at the end of the season.

"Listen, we are not trying to go as far as possible in the Europa League for the good of the SPL. We are doing it for the good of Rangers. But everyone else benefits if the co-efficient improves, apart from us at the present moment.

"We are the team who has done as much as anyone over the last few seasons to try and keep the co-efficient as high as possible. So if they are going to try and help teams by starting the season two or three weeks earlier, what are they going to do for the teams still in Europe at the end."

For Smith, it is developing into a reprise of the frustrations he experienced in 2008 when Rangers reached the Uefa Cup final in a season which saw them play a record 68 games in all competitions and miss out on the SPL title in the final round of fixtures.

He still believes not enough was done by the SPL to assist Rangers three years ago but his unhappiness this time is also focused on the role being played by the club's bankers who continue to place strict financial limitations on the strength of his squad.

"Part of the problem is the club's own fault, because we don't have a big enough group of players," said Smith. "It's the health of the club which is important, you do need a bigger group of players. By cutting the staff, as they have done, then the more games we get, the bigger problem we have.

"I've said it before, if we have a situation where we have a lot of games, then it's difficult for us. With that in mind, I'd want the SPL to be a little bit more sympathetic than they were last time, that's all.

"I appreciate the problem and I stress I'm not blasting anyone or anything like that. It's awkward for Iain Blair at the SPL and I appreciate that, but I'd just hope for a wee bit more help if possible."

Rangers still have four outstanding SPL fixtures to be re-arranged, a home game against St Mirren and away matches at Dundee United, Aberdeen and St Johnstone. Their Europa League progress means none of those games can now be scheduled for March. If Rangers were to win their Scottish Cup fifth-round replay at Celtic Park next Wednesday night, their schedule would be intensified further by a quarter-final trip to Inverness on 13 March, directly between the two legs of their Europa League meeting with PSV.

While the fixture scheduling is outwith his control, Smith's focus is on trying to return his team to optimum form. While the 2-2 draw in Lisbon, secured by Maurice Edu's stoppage-time goal, restored morale after the 3-0 humbling by Celtic last Sunday, Rangers' overall performance was again less than convincing.

"There was a better show in terms of determination in Lisbon than we showed against Celtic," said Smith. "If the game at Celtic Park was an indication of how we're going to be, then we would be as well not turning up for any more games this season.

"But the players have a pride in themselves. Sometimes, things just come to a head for a team and the Celtic game might just be the thing which brought it to a head for us. I hope so. I would hope we would never have any repetition of that kind of performance.

"In terms of the SPL, Celtic have a clear run at it with fixtures this season and they have a freshness about their team.