Rangers Moaning

[Doc Rob]

It's a hard one to call.

 

I think that SPL clubs don't often contest European finals, and that Rangers have a point in claiming that this is a special case. So there is certainly an argument to say that the SPL should try to accommodate them.

 

However, it's equally valid to point out that they haven't exactly been helpful to others in the past, and that they have a big squad, full of players they cherry picked from other clubs and don't play.

 

On balance, I think that they shouldn't expect too much special treatment. As has been posted above, if they don't think they can win all the trophies they are still playing for without help, then perhaps they need to be a bit less greedy and decide what's most important to them.

[Dr Ian Malcolm]

The thing is, they knew when the Scottish and Uefa Cup finals were when the season started. If they didn't expect to get this far in Europe then why even ask for their game against Gretna to be postponed because of a european tie, so they get no sympathy on that count.

 

The game against Motherwell is fair enough, you can't legislate for what happened there, and the St. Mirren game - sometimes the wather is bad, can't help that.

 

If they'd played the games they were meant to earlier in the season that'd be less games they have to worry about now. The same goes for Celtic in asking for the OF game in Jan to be postponed - had it been played as well then there would be no need for Rangers to ask for this extension.

[colingwood]

There wasnt fixture congestion tho.

 

God, are we so blighted by hatred we cant wish another scottish club well and give them the best chance of increasing to co-efficient.

 

If they win it and we get another UEFA place should we turn it down cos it was due to the rangers winning the cup.?

 

I believe there are no extra co-efficient points on offer for wimmimg the cup as opposed to reaching the final. To get an extra UEFA Cup spot Scotland would need to climb 2 places above the Netherlands and Portugal. The points difference to the hext highest is just under 5 points and would need a consistent year on year improvement.

As far as the extension goes there is no room for this. According to FIFA statutes Celtic are obliged to release Hesselink, Boruc and Samaras for UEFA 2008 on 24 May. I these circumstances, and bearing in mind a UEFA directive issued to all member countries to conclude their leagues before this date there is simply nothing else the SPL can do. It should also be noted that Rangers had a couple of opportunities earlier in the season to start making inroads into their backlog and chose not to do so. Even looking at the Gretna game they could have asked to move the game forward rather than postpone.

[269miles]

There wasnt fixture congestion tho.

 

God, are we so blighted by hatred we cant wish another scottish club well and give them the best chance of increasing to co-efficient.

 

If they win it and we get another UEFA place should we turn it down cos it was due to the rangers winning the cup.?

 

And what about all the players who have made arrangements to go on a long awaited break who have had to cancel holidays as a result of this farce. Who's speaking up for these guys ? Rangers caused the problem , Rangers have more than enough players to get around the problem - FFS , after the 1st leg of the semi final , Rangers dropped 7 players.

 

WS should stop making snide remarks about the SPL and do some research : the Russians have only just started their season so to cancel a couple of games for Zenit right now is no big deal. Rangers have already had more than a helping hand. They aksed for postonements and were given : but now they want even more and the season to be extended so long it's beyond farce.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

I've no sympathy at all for them. They shafted us years ago when we asked to move a fixture by one day. Now they get games cancelled for Champions League group games willy-nilly. They can jog on.

[Ben Dover]

Probably just shows how half-assed the game is up here in not having thought these postponements through ?

Motherwell haven't helped in having a gash pitch ( between them and Gretna 6 matches were lost to waterlogged surface IIRC ) and I bet the SPL / GFA would have taken great delight in sanctioning us for that.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course but if Celtic had problems during their Seville run ( purely due to 'extra' games ) then it surely ought to have been obvious that Rangers were piling up the misery for themselves ?

However I think they showed their true 'spirit' when refusing a TV beam-back just after we had cut their allocation for the Roseburn. The SPL should have booted their erse for that but it's quite clear to me that RFC run the game up here

[woody47]

Sick to death listening to Rangers moaning about their fixtures. They are professional footballers and that is their job:mad: So what they have to play four games in a week. All of SIX HOURS. FFS I work more than that in one day.

They caused part of the problem themselves when they asked for a game to be postponed earlier in the season. What do they want - wait until Christmas!

They can all just GTF.

[Gambo]

According to the press this morning, the SPL are allegedly looking to move the Utd Rangers game and the SFA are allegedly considering moving the Scottish Cup Final .

 

Wrong Wrong Wrong.

 

No dates should have been moved.

 

Rangers have a squad........................USE IT!

[mda]

The only game the huns wanted cancelled themselves was the one before Lyon. The other two were out of their control.

 

I don't see what the big problem is, its a UEFA final with a Scottish club, so why not try to help them?

[John Findlay]

Lets put this to bed once and for all.

 

1. Rangers failed in Europe. They came third in their Champions League group.

That was failure but, as a sop to the big clubs Uefa in their wisdom

deemed teams would be parachuted into the Uefa Cup. It's wrong but,

it's the rules at present. Rangers never said no and they wont be saying

no to the money they made in the Champions League or the Uefa Cup.

 

2. They asked for their game against Gretna to be postponed in order to

prepare for Lyon. They lost and wrongly ended in the Uefa Cup.

Only themselves to blame.

 

3. Other games postponed didnt have to be. I will say this again

saddening as it was the death of Phil O'Donnell there would not have

been so much made over it if he had not played for one of the OF(Celtic)

and had only ever played for Motherwell. Only Motherwell should have

had games called off and perharps ours against Dundee United. There

was no need for an old firm postponment.

 

4. Scottish Cup. Rangers had two extra games in this tournament due

to their failure to beat both Hibs and Partick Thistle at the first time

of asking. Afterall why should those teams have laid down just

because they were playing Rangers. Once again Rangers will not turn

down any of the prize money won in this tournament.

 

5. Rangers know the rules. They agreed to abide by them at season start

You can't change them at season end because they no longer suit

you. It's tough but at the end of the day they would rather be doing

this than being GRETNA. So to Rangers or any other team in the future

who may have to go through the same. STOP MOANING AND GET ON

WITH IT.

 

 

 

John

[marshallschunkychicken]

The fixtures have already been changed to help Rangers. If they feel they are not strong enough to win all of the 3 trophies they are still in they need to prioritise imo.

 

Exactly.

 

If they want to win the UEFA Cup, they should play their top team for that.

 

If they want to also win the league, they will have to do so with their squad players.

 

They made their bed.

[marshallschunkychicken]

Also, they don't need 'help' with the UEFA Final. They just need to play their best team and hope for the best - that's all anyone can ask of them.

 

What they are in essence asking for, is 'help' with the league run-in, as they want to also play their best team in that.

 

Tell them to bolt.

[Ben Dover]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course but maybe games should be rescheduled ASAP after their original cancellation. With the number of league games were playing now requiring Midweek games just to keep up, then a fixture jam is surely never that far away ?

I've dragged these dates off the Rangers website and whilst their may be unseen complications there appear to be one or two slots where games could have been fitted in ?

 

St Mirren v Rangers - 11/11/07 postponed, SFA request

 

November

Sat 3 15:00H InvernessCT SPLG

Wed 7 19:45A Barcelona CPLG

Sat 10 Matches off re. below

Sat 17 SCOTLAND MATCH

Wed 21 ?

Sat 24 12:30A Falkirk SPLG

Tue 27 19:45A VfB Stuttgart CPLG

 

 

 

 

Gretna v Rangers - 09/12/07 Club request, Rangers v Lyon

 

December

Sat 1 15:00HKilmarnockSPLG

Wed 12 19:45HLyonCPLG L

Sat 15 15:00HHeartsSPLG

Wed 19 ?

Sun 23 15:00AAberdeenSPLG

Wed 26 15:00HMotherwellSPLG

Sat 29 12:30AHibernianSPLG W

[Das Root]

That's the rub, the hun want to be able to play their best players in all comps to ensure they have the best possible chance of winning all. They want to make sure their players are suitably rested and it's not lots of games in a short time.

 

Taking the p*ss if you ask me, and if allowed it will only mean that every year if the OF are doing well in Europe the SPL will be switched around to make sure they can win there and dominate here. Virtually ensures top two finishes and good cup runs for them from now on.

 

Must be a kick in the stones too for the fringe players, if they can't get a game now, they'll never get one as it's plain that Smith thinks they're all crap.

[Das Root]

From the BBC site....

 

However, the SFA and SPL are expected to hold further talks which could see the season extended - and the Scottish Cup final moved to midweek.

 

 

Midweek?? Talk about belittling your own major trophy. Be a joke if the SFA allowed this to happen.

[shaun.lawson]

They reap what they sow?

 

Great, lets play tit for tat from now too eternity.

 

What would be your opinion if Celtic were in this position instead?

 

EDIT: Fair dos, I've just read your answer in post #45.

[Flimsy]

I think the Hun has played 18 European games culminating in their appearance at Manchester. I mean that is almost silly.There are more points available in "coefficients" if they win the thing meaning probably and extra UEFA cup place for Scotland. I dont think that happens if they lose. Our Stat Jambos can answer that one?

So extend the season to July if it gives us a better chance of getting to UEFA cup!!!:107years:

No point in hating the Hun so much it hurts us eh?

 

It won't make an difference whether Rangers win the UEFA Cup or not to the number of European places for the next two seasons. In 2008/09 Scotland will have 4 places and in 2009/10 Scotland will have 5 places. The extra place is due to a revamp of European competitions by UEFA including the scrapping of the Intertoto Cup.

 

My attitude to this request is that their request for a postponement was granted before the Lyon game and their extra preparation time resulted in a 3-0 home defeat. Rangers have been playing two games a week for months now and it hasn't affected their European progress, they should just get on with it as they have during this period.

[DETTY29]

That's the rub, the hun want to be able to play their best players in all comps to ensure they have the best possible chance of winning all. They want to make sure their players are suitably rested and it's not lots of games in a short time.

 

Taking the p*ss if you ask me, and if allowed it will only mean that every year if the OF are doing well in Europe the SPL will be switched around to make sure they can win there and dominate here. Virtually ensures top two finishes and good cup runs for them from now on.

 

Must be a kick in the stones too for the fringe players, if they can't get a game now, they'll never get one as it's plain that Smith thinks they're all crap.

 

This is what really irks me. Yes Scotland should get behind them for the UEFA Cup and the Eufa Cup only. What Rangers are looking for is as much help as possible to have a contingency plan in place should they not win in Europe to make sure they win the league and Scottich Cup.

 

Are they really running scared of Queen of the South. A team with 10 full timers and likely on no more a wage than our under 19s (and their under 12s).

 

My goodwill towards them is waning dramatically.

 

Vested interest naturally having been born in Dumfries.

[marshallschunkychicken]

They've been telt to bolt.

 

Good.

[mda]

What happened when the other mhanky lot got through to the final, did they get fixtures moved?

 

To be honest, this is symptomatic of the way the SPL has been run. To leave stuff like this up until the week before just makes everyone look incredibly amateur. Following the weather-related postponements and the fact they were still in the cup, Phil O'Donnell's death etc, the SPL could have been looking at this months ago. Whether or not they came to the same decision or not, it would have been the professional way to do it.

[Captain Canada]

The real farce is the difference in the fixture lists of the two Scottish cup finalists in the run up to the big game. QOS have no game for a month and Rangers have too many. Maybe they could loan some QOS players to help them through their busy schedule and at least the Queens players would get some much needed match practise. I'm sure Neil McFarlane would like a game in the UEFA cup final!

[redm]

Just heard Gordon Smith on the radio saying that if it were down to the SFA, they would have moved fixtures to accommodate them but unfortunately the SPL have turned the request down.

 

Soooo...is this Lex Gold & chums or is this the decision of the other top 6 teams?

 

[Colonel Kurtz]

The Hun received backing from only Dundee Utd and one other spl team.

The other team wasnt Hearts ,cue outrage from the orangelite mob on here.

Is anyone surprised that Gordhun Smith would have moved the cup final to accomodate his mates.

[Zico]

I've no sympathy at all for them. They shafted us years ago when we asked to move a fixture by one day. Now they get games cancelled for Champions League group games willy-nilly. They can jog on.

 

Exactly Geoff. And we did them a favour the year before by agreeing to move a game after one of their CL humpings.

 

Note to Walter - if you do well in cup competitions, you tend to play more games. Although you could maybe stop playing 8-2-0 so you don't end up playing extra time or replays in every round of every cup.

[redm]

I really shouldn't listen to this guff, I only ever end up absolutely livid with Ewen Cameron but is anyone else listening to Real Radio?

 

Some Rangers fan suggested that the fans take matters into their own hands and punish the 'SPL' by boycotting all away games, Ewen seems to think this is a wonderful idea and is now doing his flippin best to promote the idea by the sound of things. HONESTLY - these people!!!

 

Now some supporters club representative has confirmed that they'll be doing just that. What a bloody farce. How nice it must be for them to sit up there on their high horses, with a UEFA cup final on the horizon and without knowing who exactly is to blame they decide to act in spite and refuse to take up away tickets?

 

Great plan, screw over clubs who absolutely rely on this income and may have had absolutely nothing to do with this decision. What a ridiculously short sighted, childish and spiteful approach.

 

[Through thick and thin]

The Hun received backing from only Dundee Utd and one other spl team.

The other team wasnt Hearts ,cue outrage from the orangelite mob on here.

Is anyone surprised that Gordhun Smith would have moved the cup final to accomodate his mates.

 

Superb. Delighted we told der hun where to go.

[Stupid Sexy Flanders]

Yep.

It's the Huns. As a proper thinking non bigot non racist anti English Scotsman I am obliged to only see bad in them.

 

 

Hehe very good. That's nearly as good as the time a Celtic fan called me a "bigotted, Orange ba****d"! (Not that I am, he only called me it cos I'm a Hearts fan.) People are funny!

 

Back to the topic, ****** Rangers, if you're gonna attempt to win four trophies, you'll have to play more games, simple as that.

[Colonel Kurtz]

I really shouldn't listen to this guff, I only ever end up absolutely livid with Ewen Cameron but is anyone else listening to Real Radio?

 

Some Rangers fan suggested that the fans take matters into their own hands and punish the 'SPL' by boycotting all away games, Ewen seems to think this is a wonderful idea and is now doing his flippin best to promote the idea by the sound of things. HONESTLY - these people!!!

 

Now some supporters club representative has confirmed that they'll be doing just that. What a bloody farce. How nice it must be for them to sit up there on their high horses, with a UEFA cup final on the horizon and without knowing who exactly is to blame they decide to act in spite and refuse to take up away tickets?

 

Great plan, screw over clubs who absolutely rely on this income and may have had absolutely nothing to do with this decision. What a ridiculously short sighted, childish and spiteful approach.

 

Somebody should have nutted the ****** and his fat mate at dalmahoy today.

[King of the North]

Why we should be surprised by the arrogance of der hun is questionable, yet once again these odious, bloated feckers remind us exactly what they are all about.

 

From Judas Walter's sickening defection, to Gordon Smith's fawning reminder where his allegiances lie - is there a more sickening sight than a filthy hun striving for the moral high ground?

 

They had games cancelled earlier in the season, at their request - deal with it. How they have managed to get to the final of the UEFA cup is one of football's greatest mysteries, but they now have to play (wait for it) a MIDWEEK game then another on a saturday, before the final. Whoo, and indeed, hoo.

 

This shower have ridden roughshod over Scottish football for years - and let's not forget there was no season extension when Celtic FC got to the final. Yet the huns have already HAD an extension - but that is not enough?

 

Feck them. Good to see the SPL clubs standing firm. COme on Zenit, Celtic and Queens - let's see the bigot Walter's pus when his beloved boche end up with just the CIS.

[redm]

Somebody should have nutted the ****** and his fat mate at dalmahoy today.

 

Having been accused of supporting the idea, he now says he was merely discussing the concept...humph. Certainly sounded like he was very much a fan of that idea to me too.

 

I hate to say it but when Roughy is the most sensible person on your radio programme, you should probably give up.

[Colonel Kurtz]

somebody got a hole in one today

[scottg71]

Having been accused of supporting the idea, he now says he was merely discussing the concept...humph. Certainly sounded like he was very much a fan of that idea to me too.

 

I hate to say it but when Roughy is the most sensible person on your radio programme, you should probably give up.

 

I feckin hate ewen cameron.An absolute tool. The huns are getting exactly what they deserve. Never mind the spl embarrasing themselves this pile of s**t have bored europe to death. I hope they win feck all else.

[hawaii]

Rangers have a massive squad (70+ players) to help them cover injuries and be able to rest players, hell Walter signed 11 players last summer FFS for exactly this reason.

 

Now Rangers wanted the season to be extended as the squad of players is not deemed up to the task of beating Dundee Utd, QOS, Aberdeen etc etc and Walter wants to play his strongest line up in all of the remaining games to help them obtain the quadruple.

 

Sorry, but I am pretty sure that most SPL teams would have had the likes of Boyd, Buffel, Smith, Webster, Burke, Adam, Gow & Naismith in their first team and not playing for the reserves or on the bench stagnating.

 

I know they have injuries but don't they have any good youngsters at the club who can come in and do a job? After all what's the point of Murray Park if no reserves are ready for the first team? I must have been mistaken then when the Scotland youngsters squads have been announced and the bulk of the players are from Rangers!!!

 

Quit the whinging and use your squad.

[djf]

As another poster quite rightly pointed out - the issue is not allowing Rangers to prepare for the UEFA cup final, the issue is allowing Rangers the chance to play their strongest team in that alongside the remaining league fixtures and the Scottish Cup Final. That immediately calls into question the fairness of these competitions.

 

It's a joke they are even asking for this, much less expecting it.

 

Kris Boyd doesn't get near their starting XI and he would walk into 10 of the other SPL teams.

[oi oi]

I think the Hun has played 18 European games culminating in their appearance at Manchester. I mean that is almost silly.There are more points available in "coefficients" if they win the thing meaning probably and extra UEFA cup place for Scotland. I dont think that happens if they lose. Our Stat Jambos can answer that one?

So extend the season to July if it gives us a better chance of getting to UEFA cup!!!:107years:

No point in hating the Hun so much it hurts us eh?

 

they only played so many european games as they got pumped in the initial competition - tough luck.

 

can you imagine the media outcry if hearts tried to get matches postponed for the same reason?

[oi oi]

Just heard Gordon Smith on the radio saying that if it were down to the SFA, they would have moved fixtures to accommodate them but unfortunately the SPL have turned the request down.

 

Soooo...is this Lex Gold & chums or is this the decision of the other top 6 teams?

 

 

maybe rangers shouldn't have voted for Lex Gold to represent their interests in the SPL? jog on.......

[John]

perhaps if rangers fans do boycott away grounds, it would allow all those phannies who infest every other town & city in scotland, the chance to actually see the team they claim to be fans of.

 

[letsmakesomenoise]

If I recall correctly the league wasn't extended as a result of Celtic reaching the Seville final and Rangers won the title on the final day as a result.......that's what they are frightened of.

 

Oh please let it be true.

 

They get pumped 5-0 by Zenit

Then Scott Severin scores a 90th minute equaliser to whip the league from their grasp

Then Jamie MacDonald saves a penalty at Hampdump, then Nellie scores the winner!

 

Yaaas :)

[teepee]

Just heard Gordon Smith on the radio saying that if it were down to the SFA, they would have moved fixtures to accommodate them but unfortunately the SPL have turned the request down.

 

Soooo...is this Lex Gold & chums or is this the decision of the other top 6 teams?

 

 

m, heard an bit of Gordon Smiths interview while listing to the alan brazil show this afternoon at work, he came over as a complete to88er, he hummed and hawed is way through the whole thing, said that they has offered to move the cup final but he SPL told them it wasnt practical.

 

But what really got me was listing to all der hun supporters whinging that theyve bent over backwards for other clubs int he past

 

so hacked off that for obvious reasons i could nt call and tell them what a bunch of lying fecks they were...only hope someone came on the last hour after i left to tell them.