George Burley, the Scotland manager, has called for the Scottish Premier League to make changes ahead of next season in the wake of the Rangers fixture row.

The Ibrox club failed on Tuesday in their bid to have Saturday’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League game against Dundee United postponed to allow more time to prepare for the Uefa Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester next Wednesday.

The SPL’s refusal to extend the season further means Rangers will have to play six more games between now and May 24 in their quest to win four trophies, following last night’s league visit of Motherwell.

Burley, who named his squad for the friendly against the Czech Republic on May 30 in Prague, waded into the row, insisting Rangers had been treated unfairly by league chiefs.

“I think it’s ridiculous at this stage of the season, when I’m naming the squad, that Rangers still have seven games to play,” Burley said at Hampden Park yesterday. “It’s something that shouldn’t be allowed to happen and it’s something the SPL and everybody in Scottish football has to look at. Football is changing - the European scene, the Champions League, the Uefa Cup. Are we playing too many games? Other aspects have got to be looked at. It shouldn’t happen to any club. They are being punished for their success in reaching the Uefa Cup final and it’s something that has to be looked at in the fullness of time.”

Burley believes the SPL must learn from the mistakes of this season. “Football is changing and you have to change with it. Scottish clubs have shown they are successful in Europe and hopefully they will continue that,” he said. “They have got to be given the respect and know that, come this stage of the season, it [the fixture schedule] is not going to hinder them. The bottom line is can we do more to help clubs that are doing well in Europe?”

Burley said he was thrilled to see several Scotland internationals representing the country in a European final and believes the experience will be invaluable. “It’s absolutely tremendous,” he said. “A number of these players have played in Europe this season, they have gained experience, and to reach a Uefa Cup final is a magnificent achievement. I’m sure it will help them individually but for the country to see one of our sides in a European final is tremendous and shows how strong the Scottish game is becoming.”

Burley missed out on the 1981 Uefa Cup final with Ipswich Town after suffering torn ligaments and is well aware that such a gruelling fixture schedule could take its toll on Rangers’ players. Christian Dailly, Steven Whittaker, Kevin Thomson and Kris Boyd were named in the Scotland squad but Barry Ferguson, Allan McGregor, Lee McCulloch and David Weir were omitted to allow a period of recovery from injury and fatigue.

“You’re talking about players who are very valuable commodities for clubs and to ask them to play so much doesn’t help their performances, and sometimes it can create injury problems as well,” he said. “If you’ve got seven games instead of two or three, then it’s easier to pick up injuries.”

Burley knows that with so much still at stake in the SPL, he could find his 23-man squad depleted between now and the trip to Prague. “I’ve named the squad fairly early,” he said. “The English Championship season is finished and the Premier League finishes next week, so it was important for the English-based players to know who was going to be in the squad.

“There are a lot more games left in Scotland and that’s why I’ve chosen it early, knowing that there could be injuries because there are a few games left between now and the end of May.”

The international match will be a preparatory exercise before the World Cup qualifiers begin with a trip to Macedonia in September. Burley’s tenure as national team coach started reasonably well with a 1-1 draw against Croatia at Hampden in March, and he is anticipating another difficult encounter. “The Czech Republic are one of the best teams in Europe,” he said. “They are preparing for the European Championships and it will be a very stern test, but it’s one that I’m looking forward to.” (PA)

Scotland squads

Scotland (v Czech Republic, Prague, May 30): C Gordon (Sunderland), D Marshall (Norwich City); R Anderson (Sunderland), C Berra (Heart of Midlothian), G Caldwell (Celtic), C Dailly (Rangers), A Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur), S McManus (Celtic), K McNaughton (Cardiff City), G Naysmith (Sheffield United), S Whittaker (Rangers); D Fletcher (Manchester United), P Hartley (Celtic), J Morrison (West Bromwich Albion), G Rae (Cardiff City), B Robson (Celtic), K Thomson (Rangers); K Boyd (Rangers), S Fletcher (Hibernian), R McCormack (Motherwell), J McFadden (Birmingham City), S Maloney (Aston Villa), K Miller (Derby County).

Scotland Under-21 (v Norway, Rugby Park, May 20): G Fleming (Gretna), E McLean (Dundee United); P Caddis (Celtic), S Cuthbert (Celtic), R O’Leary (Kilmarnock), A Pearce (Reading), T Scobbie (Falkirk), L Wallace (Heart of Midlothian); S Arfield (Falkirk), R Conroy (Celtic), J Hamill (Kilmarnock), R McAllister (Dundee), K McDonald (Dundee), C Mulgrew (Wolverhampton Wanderers); G Dorrans (Livingston), C Elliot (Heart of Midlothian), S Lennon (Rangers), R Snodgrass (Livingston).