Rangers and Celtic must quit Scotland to have chance of success, warns Walter Smith

[ian1964 10,720]

WALTER SMITH wants the Old Firm to play in a European League and leave their reserve teams to battle it out for the SPL.

 

The Rangers boss insists a new set-up can help bridge the financial chasm that exists between the continent's elite clubs and Scotland's big two.

 

Smith admitted his team have no chance of competing at the business end of the Champions League while they earn a fraction of the money the big guns in England, Spain, Germany and Italy make. And he wants UEFA to sanction a new European League involving big clubs in small countries - teams like Rangers, Celtic, Ajax, Anderlecht, Marseille, Porto and Benfica.

 

He is advocating a league that would run at weekends - but insists Rangers would still put out a B team to play in the SPL should it ever come about.

 

And Smith believes that would make the Scottish league more competitive - giving the non-Old Firm clubs a much better chance of winning the title.

 

Smith said:"Rangers and Celtic are two huge clubs who deserve to be in a better circumstance than they are in in Scotland. There are a number of big clubs all over Europe who find themselves in the same position.

 

"We are nearly all hamstrung in terms of finance in comparison to the bigger leagues and few people are doing a great deal to try and equalise that.

 

"UEFA have got to help bigger clubs in small countries and there are a whole load of them out there, desperate to get closer to the likes of England, Germany, Spain and Italy in financial terms.

 

"It's the biggest problem in European football at the moment and it impacts on us at Rangers and Celtic.

 

"The problem is wider than just letting a few more teams into the Champions League.

 

"There should still be a Champions League but there should be a European League to rival ordinary domestic leagues.

 

"We should have a Saturday fixture in a European League. If Rangers and Celtic were offered the chance to play in a new European format I would agree to that.

 

"But that doesn't mean we couldn't have teams here. I would hope we could still have a team making a decent challenge in the Scottish league but it would give the other teams in Scotland an opportunity to win, which they are not getting for the same reasons we are not getting them European-wise."

 

Smith's frustration at being unable to compete with the game's giants was voiced as he looked back on a year that saw his team reach the UEFA Cup Final then fail to make the Champions League only three months later.

 

But even if Rangers had reached the Champions League, Smith is adamant it would have taken a miracle to come close to winning it.

 

He added:"UEFA have to come up with a way of helping teams challenge the big teams in the Champions League at the present moment.

 

"Benfica, Porto, teams like that, have a similar problem to Rangers and Celtic in terms of making a challenge in the Champions League. None of us are making a challenge.

 

"Who is going to win it - a Real Madrid or Manchester United. You won't get Ajax or Porto doing it again.

 

"It needs a closing of the gap in financial terms and there's no way of doing it at the moment.

 

"UEFA has a responsibility to look at that and to give the opportunity to big clubs in a small-country environment to get a level of finance that would help them compete."

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/2008/12/24/rangers-and-celtic-must-quit-scotland-to-have-chance-of-success-warns-walter-smith-86908-20993073/

[Gribz 846]

The Euro/Atlantic league has always appealed to me. But if we field 2 teams are fans expected to go to both games and handing out double the cash?

 

Surely the fans would only be interested in the Euro league and I couldnt see a full house to see Rangers reserves take on St Mirren. Therefore the Scottish league would be more competitive but the money for the other sides would still drop so they wouldnt vote for it.

[Cotter 0]

And if we win both leagues, which we obviously would, who would go into the CL?

[Super_Ally 0]

Although Gribz point may make what i'm about to say impossible, but might having a second string playing in the SPL allow us to properly develop youth players and benefit from Murray Park. With our youths now competing regularly with some senior players in the top division in the country.

 

Or would the lack of money and appeal to the SPL of the OF plying their trade elsewher severly dent the quality of the league and nullify the impact of regular first team football in the SPL?

[UCF2008 0]

The more I think about it, the more I like this idea.

 

Imagine playing the likes of Porto, Sporting Lisbon, Ajax, PSV, Gothenburg, Brugges, Rosenburg & Copenhagen week in week out instead of the backwater drivel we're served up at the moment. A league with these clubs involved would generate a cash windfall in TV and sponsorship deals. The extra travelling for fans wouldn't be as much of an issue anyway because the away ticket allocations would probably be relatively small. When the Gers are playing away we could all either watch it on Sky (Setanta wouldn't get a sniff), turn up to watch the SPL reserve side or, when we can get a ticket, travel to the Atlantic league game.

 

It's unlikely it'll ever happen though

[alexscottislegend 2,305]

The more I think about it, the more I like this idea.

 

Imagine playing the likes of Porto, Sporting Lisbon, Ajax, PSV, Gothenburg, Brugges, Rosenburg & Copenhagen week in week out instead of the backwater drivel we're served up at the moment. A league with these clubs involved would generate a cash windfall in TV and sponsorship deals. The extra travelling for fans wouldn't be as much of an issue anyway because the away ticket allocations would probably be relatively small. When the Gers are playing away we could all either watch it on Sky (Setanta wouldn't get a sniff), turn up to watch the SPL reserve side or, when we can get a ticket, travel to the Atlantic league game.

 

It's unlikely it'll ever happen though

Can't see why you make an excellent argument then demolish it yourself. Why would it never happen? Ajax, Feyenoord, Porto and Benfica to name but a few, are HUGE clubs that will not put up for ever with the domination of the big four leagues (and don't forget the French league is now being left behind too ). Yes, crowds would initially drop in the SPL but it could be counter-balanced by a more competitive league. If, say, Hearts were challenging strongly, then Gers could put out a strong team in crunch games which would increase attendances.

As to who would go into the CL - simple; the SPL winners would enter a qualifying phase. If we won both, runners-up would take our place. If we won the 'Atlantic League' then we would probably get guaranteed entry to the CL group stages.

Only downside I see is that we would need a huge squad - we would need at least 24 players of CL standard.

I can see no other alternative because the English Premiership is a non-starter now. Either the Atlantic league - or enter the Unibond League and try to do a Gretna:D

[Gribz 846]

If, say, Hearts were challenging strongly, then Gers could put out a strong team in crunch games which would increase attendances.

As to who would go into the CL - simple; the SPL winners would enter a qualifying phase. If we won both, runners-up would take our place. If we won the 'Atlantic League' then we would probably get guaranteed entry to the CL group stages.

Only downside I see is that we would need a huge squad - we would need at least 24 players of CL standard.

I can see no other alternative because the English Premiership is a non-starter now. Either the Atlantic league - or enter the Unibond League and try to do a Gretna:D

 

I dont think the other SPL sides would go for the idea of the OF being allowed to swap players between leagues. When the going gets tough we pull players from the Atlantic squad into the SPL games - that sounds unfair to me. Even though we are 1 club we would be spilt and have to submit squad players to each league.

 

Then there is the issue 2 Rangers sides could qualify for the CL. If we have 2 squads and the U21's won the SPL then why shouldnt they get a crack at the CL qualifier.

 

This idea has got to be thought through to a huge extent. The idea of playing U21's in the SPL would be good but i dont know who it would fit it.

[pete 2,499]

I dont think the other SPL sides would go for the idea of the OF being allowed to swap players between leagues. When the going gets tough we pull players from the Atlantic squad into the SPL games - that sounds unfair to me. Even though we are 1 club we would be spilt and have to submit squad players to each league.

 

Then there is the issue 2 Rangers sides could qualify for the CL. If we have 2 squads and the U21's won the SPL then why shouldnt they get a crack at the CL qualifier.

 

This idea has got to be thought through to a huge extent. The idea of playing U21's in the SPL would be good but i dont know who it would fit it.

I don't think Walter mentioned u21's playing in the SPL he said a reserve or second team.

[Gribz 846]

I don't think Walter mentioned u21's playing in the SPL he said a reserve or second team.

 

Yeah well I meant U21, Reserves or 2nd team. Im sure there would be some rule put in place to have a fair number of youngsters in the team.

[pete 2,499]

Yeah well I meant U21, Reserves or 2nd team. Im sure there would be some rule put in place to have a fair number of youngsters in the team.

 

I think that would have to be Rangers own choice as the SPL will want as strong a league possible. Graham Souness once said he wanted a team for Europe and another team for the SPL.