ian1964 10,409 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 A couple of quotes from Walter "Surely if the season's not going to be extended for one team, they can't extend it for any," "There was only one team going to benefit from the season not being extended then and that was Celtic.So they refused to do it then, so they can't do it now. Is that not fairly straight-forward?" "I think that's probably all we can be(annoyed) isn't it, if they make the decision? But surely they can't make the decision after saying to us before that they can't extend the season," "Of course it would be of benefit to us, and that would have been a benefit we would have accepted two years ago and we tried to get it, but they said no," "Much as we would like them to extend the season, we would have liked them to extend the season a couple of years ago, we would like them to extend the season if it's necessary. But they can't." 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 0 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Couldn't agree with him more. He's cleverly pre-empting the notion of the season being extended. Of course the reason the SPL would use to justify it would be that they couldn't accommodate just one team with an extension, but 12 is a different story. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewarty 1,876 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Memo to Walter: I'm sure we can rely on the SPL to honour the integrity of the league so please proceed in making arrangements for a fictional post-season tour to the far east. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,409 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 Walter Smith says the Scottish Premier League cannot extend the season to accommodate the number of fixtures that will have to be rescheduled. The Rangers manager says the SPL refused to extend the season when his side faced a backlog in 2007/08. Rangers had to play nine games in 24 days, including the finals of the Uefa Cup and the Scottish Cup. "Surely if the season's not going to be extended for one team, they can't extend it for any," said Smith. Rangers played two games after the final weekend of the SPL season in 07/08, against St Mirren on the Monday and Aberdeen on the Thursday. There was only one team going to benefit from the season not being extended then and that was Celtic Rangers manager Walter Smith But they lost the title race to rivals Celtic, whose chief executive Peter Lawwell had said an extension to the season would threaten the league's integrity. Smith, still irked by that scenario, said on Monday: "There was only one team going to benefit from the season not being extended then and that was Celtic. "So they refused to do it then, so they can't do it now. Is that not fairly straight-forward?" Smith admitted Rangers would be powerless to stop the SPL taking such a step this time, but said the club would be annoyed if it did happen. "I think that's probably all we can be isn't it, if they make the decision? But surely they can't make the decision after saying to us before that they can't extend the season," he added. Smith's squad has already been stretched this season as a result of injuries, and he has admitted it could become further stretched if they were to go on an extended Europa League run. 606: DEBATE Should the SPL extend the season to accommodate the fixture backlog? But while he acknowledged that an extension to this season could then help his side, he was adamant the SPL would not be able to justify it. "Of course it would be of benefit to us, and that would have been a benefit we would have accepted two years ago and we tried to get it, but they said no," he continued. "Much as we would like them to extend the season, we would have liked them to extend the season a couple of years ago, we would like them to extend the season if it's necessary. But they can't." Smith stressed that he does not feel the stage has yet been reached with regard to fixture backlog that an extension to the season is necessary in any case. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,409 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 Celtic would "strongly oppose" any extension of the Scottish Premier League season, the club's chief executive has warned. Peter Lawwell was speaking as the SPL announced the date of Celtic's rearranged fixture against title rivals Rangers amid fixture congestion. "Clearly, an extension is something which we would be strongly opposed to," he said. "Thankfully, it seems the integrity of the league will not be threatened." Lawwell suggested that the SPL would be damaged "by playing any more games away from home stadia or by extending the season". Celtic will on Sunday face Gretna at Livingston's Almondvale Stadium after problems at Fir Park, Motherwell, where the south of Scotland side are tenants. The SPL have had a very testing time and we appreciate all they have done in trying to re-schedule matches Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell Following eight postponed games in two months, hosts Motherwell have undertaken work to improve the playing surface and drainage. But Rangers' midweek Scottish Cup quarter-final draw with Partick Thistle has further exacerbated the Ibrox club's fixture backlog. Walter Smith's side, who last weekend won the CIS Insurance Cup, are also still involved in the Uefa Cup. However, Lawwell is pleased that SPL chiefs Iain Blair and Lex Gold have so far resisted any extension of the season despite receiving some criticism for the fixture pile-up. "We're glad that the fixtures have been confirmed and are pleased that our game against Rangers has been set for Celtic Park on 16 April," said the Celtic chief executive. MY SPORT: DEBATE No matter what happens, the league must finish on time and, if that means teams need to play four games in eight days, then so be it MadderTim "It is also likely that our match against Motherwell will be played on 12 April at Fir Park. "We clearly sympathise with the inconvenience supporters have experienced this season due to fixture cancellations and re-scheduling. "I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank both Iain Blair and Lex Gold for all their efforts during this difficult period. "They have had a very testing time and we appreciate all they have done in trying to re-schedule matches." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/7309089.stm 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineflyer 0 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Speak up Mr Smith, you're not shouting loud enough. You're bang on the money but you're leaving them too much wriggle room. Tell them it would amount to downright inequality and biased judgement were they to take a different view now. Ask them if they want to demonstrate favouritism towards one club at the expense of others? These monkeys only respond if you stand right in their faces. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,409 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 Speak up Mr Smith, you're not shouting loud enough. You're bang on the money but you're leaving them too much wriggle room. Tell them it would amount to downright inequality and biased judgement were they to take a different view now. Ask them if they want to demonstrate favouritism towards one club at the expense of others? These monkeys only respond if you stand right in their faces. WALTER Smith does not believe an extension to the SPL season is necessary but says even if it was needed it wouldn't be possible. Walter SmithThe Rangers boss points to the 2007/08 season when Rangers were refused a request for a longer campaign on the back of their run to the UEFA Cup final. It left the Light Blues with a run of four fixtures in a week after that European run ended in Manchester. And Smith believes that, regardless of whether a longer season would aid his side this time round, a precedent was set two and a half years ago. He said: "They can't extend the season. They wouldn't do it for Rangers a couple of seasons ago so they aren't going to do it now are they? "The phrase 'sporting integrity' was used at the time when we were told the season couldn't be extended so how can it be extended now? "If one team could play four games in a week like we did, why can't all the teams do that? "If the season isn't going to be extended for one team, it can't be for any team. "They refused to do it then, so they can't do it now. Is that not fairly straight-forward?" Smith accepts that regardless of future postponements his side will face a busy schedule in 2011. That could be compounded by a positive set of results in continental competition, and the Rangers boss accepts that any potential extension would benefit his side, although he feels that stage has not been reached in any case. He added: "We're going to have a fixture backlog at the present moment, and ours will be worse if we have a run in the Europa League. "That's our only problem above any other teams, so it looks like we will have that problem. "Of course an extension would be of benefit to us, and that would have been a benefit we would have accepted two years ago and we tried to get it, but they said no. "Much as we would like them to extend the season, we would have liked them to extend the season a couple of years ago, we would like them to extend the season if it's necessary. But they can't. "I don't think we're at that stage yet though. Surely we have enough midweek dates to fit the games in. I don't think we need to extend the season so far." 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineflyer 0 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 WALTER Smith does not believe an extension to the SPL season is necessary but says even if it was needed it wouldn't be possible. Walter SmithThe Rangers boss points to the 2007/08 season when Rangers were refused a request for a longer campaign on the back of their run to the UEFA Cup final. It left the Light Blues with a run of four fixtures in a week after that European run ended in Manchester. And Smith believes that, regardless of whether a longer season would aid his side this time round, a precedent was set two and a half years ago. He said: "They can't extend the season. They wouldn't do it for Rangers a couple of seasons ago so they aren't going to do it now are they? "The phrase 'sporting integrity' was used at the time when we were told the season couldn't be extended so how can it be extended now? "If one team could play four games in a week like we did, why can't all the teams do that? "If the season isn't going to be extended for one team, it can't be for any team. "They refused to do it then, so they can't do it now. Is that not fairly straight-forward?" Smith accepts that regardless of future postponements his side will face a busy schedule in 2011. That could be compounded by a positive set of results in continental competition, and the Rangers boss accepts that any potential extension would benefit his side, although he feels that stage has not been reached in any case. He added: "We're going to have a fixture backlog at the present moment, and ours will be worse if we have a run in the Europa League. "That's our only problem above any other teams, so it looks like we will have that problem. "Of course an extension would be of benefit to us, and that would have been a benefit we would have accepted two years ago and we tried to get it, but they said no. "Much as we would like them to extend the season, we would have liked them to extend the season a couple of years ago, we would like them to extend the season if it's necessary. But they can't. "I don't think we're at that stage yet though. Surely we have enough midweek dates to fit the games in. I don't think we need to extend the season so far." And..................? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy 0 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 As much as we'd be accused of cutting of our nose to spite or face, and an extension would benefit us, Walter is quite right in bringing up this issue. The SPL/SFA, whoever it was that made the decision in 2008, should be ashamed of themselves. They had the chance to help out one of their own and bring back the UEFA Cup and failed. Not only did they fail Rangers, but they failed Scottish Football. They set a precedent with their actions. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,409 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 And..................? And what............?,what is it you are wanting him to say that he hasn't already said?. “There was only one team going to get the benefit of the season not being extended at that stage and that was Celtic. That's fairly obvious. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/216554-smith-insists-spl-should-not-extend-season/ 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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