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Walter Smith yesterday lambasted both the Scottish Premier League and Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive, over the rescheduling of the final league games of the season, which may force Rangers to play four games in eight days.
While Smith criticised the SPL’s recent decision over the fixtures as “unfair”, he openly lampooned Lawwell for his much-quoted “sporting integrity” statement, in which the chief executive argued against extending the season in order to help Rangers to fulfil all their remaining matches.
If Rangers do not reach the Uefa Cup final, the SPL has still decreed that no outstanding games should be played in the free week between May 18, when the Clydesdale Bank Premier League is due to finish, and May 24, the day of the Scottish Cup final.
“Why could we not have played a game in that week? What the SPL has done, instead, is force us to play four games in a week,” Smith said yesterday. “Is it right to force a club to do that? I don’t think it is, regardless of which club it is. From Rangers’ point of view, the league have opted out of making a decision which would have helped a club which is helping to lift the profile of Scottish football [in the Uefa Cup].
“We then have this ‘sporting integrity’ situation, which actually gave me a good laugh. Peter Lawwell seems to be the head of the sporting integrity committee — both its chairman and chief spokesman. Peter would be better coming out and saying he wants Rangers to have to play four games in a week because it suits his team and helps their quest to retain the championship — he should just be honest about it.
“If it was the other way about, I would be hoping that Celtic had to play four games in a week, so fine. But Peter is as well being honest about it, instead of hiding behind what he is calling ‘sporting integrity’.”
Smith appeared to hint heavily that he believed the SPL had been overly-influenced, if not simply manipulated, by Celtic in their revision of the fixture list.
“What bothers me most is that the SPL have assented to every request that has been made by Celtic, especially these two [Old FIrm] games that we’ve had at the moment,” Smith added. “It is no coincidence that we are playing one of our biggest league games of the season when they had a fair idea that we would have two very important {Uefa Cup] semi-finals.”
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To suggest that 'the SPL have assented to every request that has been made by Celtic' is ludicrous. Rangers asked the SPL to postpone the Gretna game and they agreed. They asked to extend the season and again the SPL agreed.
Congrats to Rangers for making this look like they're hard done by.
Stuart, Glasgow,
Celtc lost their 'integrity' when they postponed the Jan 2nd game on the excuse of Phil O'Donnell's death because McGeady was banned and they had no decent full backs. Now they have Wilson back and Hinkel & Robson signed. Funny nothing was mentioned about Phil before, during or after the last game
Jim, Cheltenham,
I know exactly how you felt in 2003, did it hurt. It will be worse this time, when you can't even win the title from a team who are dead on their feet.
Gibbo, Carluke,
Listen to this clown with the boo hoo hoo malarky
They"ve been boo hoo hooing all season have they not bears
Billy Turnbull, Ankara, Turkey
Is this the same man,that walked out on Scotland and showed exactly what integrity is all about.Is this the team ,that when Celtic were in a similar position a few years ago,said"stop whinging and get on with it!"well it is about time they shut up with the whinging and got on with it.
Des Reid, Puerto de la Cruz, Spain
haw haw haw,who is walter trying to fool ,the mess rangers are in are all of there own making ,getting the gretna game postponed ,there innabillity to finnish of teams leading to replays ,the state of the ibrox pitch,now he is even trying to blame PeterLawell ,shame on you walter
atephen, johnstone, scotland
Pathetic. ..looks like Walter's mask is slipping...this is a man who walked out his country...his team have already asked for favours from the SPL this year AND been given them...and his team fielded weakened sides but failed to beat inferior opposition...all adding to a problem of their own making.
hector mcgubligan, Glasgow,
Walter-dry your eyes!!
Peter will never strip you of your crown as the King of Dignity - just cast your mind back to the last game you played against Hibs and your performance in their dug -out.
My God man - you are ,and always will be the personification of Dignity!! - long may you keep it up!
Brian Devlin, Ballymena, Ireland
Greetin faced Walter. But the situations sounds very familiar to what was forced on Celtic in their run the final of the same competition. I do seem to remember is OF game being played right after Celtic returned from playing Boavista.
John McPherson, Phoenix, USA
"I don't hear Manchester Utd complaining" was the quote from Ronald de Boer in April 2003 in response to Celtic's fixture congestion on the road to Seville. Seems very appropriate today.
John Burns, Glasgow,
"What bothers me most is that the SPL have assented to every request that has been made by Celtic " Does Walter Smith mean cancelling a game for Phil O'Donnell's? Seems very small minded to bring that up.
John Burns, Glasgow,
Eddie Thompson, Dundee Utd Chairman, has also came out and criticised the SPL for extending the league. Seems unsurprising that this gets no coverage in the media and also by bitter Uncle Walter. Walter might as well come out and say he wants the league extended so he's got more chance to win it.
Steve, Dunded,
Smith's "nice guy"mask slips,he is close to cracking,as the pressure mounts.
The ironic thing is, they are taking the fixture decision so bad because they haven't had enough special treatment...its not about fairness, its about the SPl not giving them even MORE of an advantage
Funny how Walter thinks its unfair his team are being disadvantaged.....is this the same thing that happens when one team pulls out all their players from an international match to give them more preparation time against there rivals who will have lots of players involved and therefore have much less time to prepare?
What goes around comes around Walter
robert jameson, glasgow, Scotland
It looks as if the bigots at the piggery have got thier own way once again and to think thier fans get hard done by and paranoid is just another way to cover up thier bigotry
There is only one way to shut the Porkheid bigots up Rangers and that win the league and make them really sick
Billy Turnbull, Ankara, Turkey
Boo Hoo Hoo?
4 games in 8 days? Celtic had that fixture list did they?
Richard, Dumfries,
Walter is right. Lawwell isn't man enough to say what he means. Weasel words are Lawwell's way. Where's the "integrity" in trying to win the league by making your rivals cram a load of games into a short period?
Frank, Grangemouth,
Take a look at history and see the amount of games attacking teams have played when they have been involved in mutiple cups etc at the end of a season Stop crying and get on with it...... even if it means having to play mighty Gretna as scheduled OOOOOPS to late for that....can we change the RULES
Daniel Doccherty, Windsor, Canada
The fixture congestion is partially his own fault. Asking the SPL to pospone a SPL fixture before they played a CL group game.
John McPherson, Phoenix, USA
This is a bit confusing, surely this cannot be the same Walter Smith that was quoted on April 3rd as saying; "But can I just clarify no-one from Rangers has ever asked the SPL to extend the season and we will not ask them to extend the season." So, if you didn't ask for an extension, why the fuss?
Matt, London, UK
Well said Mr. Smith.
It's way past time that Rangers dropped the dignified silence while Celtic's Lawell dominates the issue with his biased perspective and his media lackeys turn a convenient blind eye to what the "integrity" agenda is really all about.
Integrity? Don't make me laugh.
Rafel Gazpacho, Oxford, United Kingdom
Superb quotes from Smith. It's about time someone spoke up against the Chief media manipulator that is Peter Lawwell.
Jens, Ayrshire,
Smith is right regarding Lawwell. This man is a joke. Is he forgetting that Rangers showed plenty of integrity, respect and dignity regarding the death of Phil O'Donnell, a situation Lawwell spun out and used to Celtic's advantage much like what he's attempting with Rangers schedule.
Gerald Nugent, glasgow, uk
Boo Hoo Hoo now you know how we felt in 2003!!
scott reilly, glasgow, scotland
Oh dear, and they accuse Celtic of paranoia. Poor Poor show, where's the great dignity now that the Scottish public are forever told is aligned to that great football institution from govan. Fnaaaar Fnaaaar
Joe Dolce, Fiorentina, Italy