Switching games would help Scots in Europe, says Rangers manager

Rangers manager Walter Smith believes Scottish teams would fare better on the European stage if they were given more help with domestic fixture arrangements.

The Ibrox side travel to Aberdeen on Clydesdale Bank Premier League business tomorrow, before hosting Bursaspor in the Champions League on Wednesday. In contrast, the Turkish champions faced Bucaspor last night, giving them more time to prepare.

Asked if it would be a benefit to Scottish clubs to be given extra preparation time ahead of European games, Smith said: "This comes up over the seasons. The answer to that is yes.

"But I know, through the managers I've met with the Scottish League and others, the difficulties they face, especially with rescheduling television games.

"I just think at times it would be helpful if Scottish teams got the same help that some of the European teams get.

"But it's only some of them, not all of the European teams allow their teams to play on a Friday night prior to Champions League games.

"We just have to accept it and get on with it. It's just what we have to do. There is no use complaining about it.

"Bursaspor can get their game moved back from Sunday to Friday but, unfortunately, we can't. There is no complaint from us, it happens each and every year that we've got a team in the Champions League or, indeed, in European football.

"It's a busy fixture list but we just have to put up with it."

Bursaspor are clearly taking the meeting with Rangers seriously following a 4-0 defeat to Valencia in their opening game.

Smith added: "I think it will give them a bit of an advantage, especially in an injury situation as a couple of days can make a difference, but not in terms of freshness.

"We've all been criticised for indifferent form in European games but if it's going to help the co-efficient, we should be looking to help all the clubs, not just us in this situation."

Meanwhile, Smith shrugged off criticism from David Longmuir about his club's failure to attend the Co-operative Insurance Cup draw.

Scottish Football League chief executive Longmuir claimed the four clubs who were not represented for the Hampden quarter-final draw should be more "thoughtful" as the organisation attempts to persuade the Co-op to renew their deal. Motherwell, Falkirk and Dundee United were also absent but Smith claimed it was difficult to meet such demands at short notice. "I've got a wee bit more to worry about at the present moment," he said.

"I think we have supported the league and sponsorship for any of our games. If we didn't do it the other day, there obviously must have been some kind of problem. You don't even know if you're going to be in it or not until the Tuesday evening.

"Then, players are off the next day and that kind of thing happens. It's a difficult scenario.

"But I don't think the league can complain about help they get from the clubs overall."

Motherwell manager Craig Brown apologised for his club's no-show but he also offered mitigating factors. Brown said he had not wanted to take a player out of training and pointed out that he had attended the third-round draw.

The former Scotland boss said: "We were asked at fairly short notice - it had to be because the previous round was only completed in midweek.

"We had organised a training session for the morning and a gym session for the afternoon.

"It was pointed out that we could have sent injured players and that could have been done, so we apologise for that.

"I have great respect for David Longmuir and great respect for the competition and the Scottish Football League."

However, Brown added on BBC Radio Scotland: "The previous round there were 16 teams in and I think only two managers attended, myself and Jim Weir of Brechin.

"I was pulled all over the place for photographs with the cup, a cup we hadn't won, which I didn't feel was appropriate. I don't know how many interviews I did. I felt I had done my fair share."

Dundee United manager Peter Houston said he believed the club had sent apologies because they did not get back to Dundee after their extra-time win at Ross County until the early hours.

Falkirk chairman Martin Ritchie also said his club had apologised in advance and added: "The first-team squad train every Thursday afternoon, therefore it was impossible to take a player out of training."