Muff 245 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 http://www.<No links to this website>/sport/2008/04...86908-20395360/ Walter Smith blasts Celtic over season extension 'lies' Apr 26 2008 By Colin Duncan WALTER SMITH last night fired a stinging broadside at Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell and accused him of not telling the truth. The furious Rangers manager insisted Lawwell was hiding behind the cloak of sporting integrity. Smith mocked Lawwell's reaction to SPL plans to extend the season by four days if Rangers reach the UEFA Cup Final. The Celtic chief executive angrily condemned the proposals, claiming the integrity of the competition had been compromised. But after staying silent for the past week Smith accused the SPL of pandering to Celtic while bending over backwards to make Rangers' title run-in as difficult as possible. The Ibrox boss believes his club will have to overcome both Celtic and the SPL if they are to be crowned champions. Smith said: "We have a sporting integrity situation which gave me a good laugh. "Peter Lawwell appears to be the person who is the head and chairman of the sporting integrity committee for the SPL. "Peter would be better coming out and saying he wants Rangers to play four games in a week because it suits his team and helps their quest to retain the championship. "If it was the other way about I would be hoping Celtic had to play four games in a week so he should be honest about it instead of trying to hide behind what he is calling 'sporting integrity'. "At the end of the day that's the way it is and in sport it's all about winning. "He's doing what he feels is right for his club by saying the season shouldn't be extended but he's doing it for his own reasons. "He's not doing it for sporting integrity or for the league and he's as well being honest about it. "The thing that bothers me most is that the SPL have this season acceded to every request Celtic have made and especially the placement of the two games we have at the moment. "I don't mind playing four games in a week. Celtic are using that situation to their advantage but that's what it's all about. You've got to win. "We have to overcome that if we are to win the championship so that's what we have to do. "The most galling aspect is that they have given Celtic everything they asked for and Peter is still complaining at the end of it. And he knows it is physically impossible to play the games in the time we've got." The SPL announced earlier this week two sets of fixtures for the title run-in with the final round of games being played on Thursday, May 22 - a four-day extension to the original season - if Rangers beat Fiorentina to reach their first European final in 36 years. Both scenarios would leave the Ibrox side facing four games in a week and the SPL's decision has left Smith with a burning sense of injustice as he attempts to lead his side to a quadruple. He said: "Normally managers don't get involved in this kind of thing but in this instance I feel it has a direct effect on my own job. "After reading the SPL's judgment I don't think they have actually made any decision in the sense that it's physically impossible for us if we reach the UEFA Cup Final to play our league games in the time we have left. "So they have no alternative but to extend the season. "In the other scenario they have been in a situation where we could play four games and we are now being forced to do that if we don't reach the UEFA Cup Final. "We accept that we have to do that but is it right from the league's point of view to force a club to do that? I don't think it is, regardless of which club it is. "From a Rangers point of view the league have opted out of making a decision which would help the club who are, in many ways, helping lift the profile of Scottish football. "It's no coincidence we are playing one of our biggest games of the season when they would have a fair idea we would be playing between two very important semifinal games. "In the two matches we've played Celtic recently the SPL had an option of placing these games at other times. "In the end they agreed to Celtic's requests and when you take that into consideration maybe they could have given Rangers a bit of dispensation at the end of the season, even just to extend the league by one game to be played between the last game and the Cup Final. "That would have meant we could have played every midweek rather than be forced to play four games in one week "It's happened and if the SPL think that's the way to treat their teams then that's fine. "It's strange as they called off a game to help us do well in a European situation and we played that game (Gretna) immediately. "During the season we also had two replays which we offered to play straight away in order to free up other weekends and both were turned down. "Everyone was wanting a closer league to raise the interest levels but when we get there you've got to ask if it's fair one team has been forced to play four games in one week. "Over the piece my own club have been treated unfairly in terms of the overall decisions that have to be made. "But we have to manage it. We will have to play the best teams we can on all the occasions we play because you never know what you will be hit with injury-wise. We had nine players missing from the group on Thursday night and that starts to put pressure on everyone else for the number of matches." Smith insists Scotland is the only country where such a shambolic end to the season could be allowed to happen. He said: "I don't take part in conspiracies and all that. I thought it was a reasonably simple request to extend the season but maybe I was being naive. "Possibly this could only happen in Scotland. I don't think there are a lot of other countries where teams are so aware of offending one side or another, Rangers and Celtic, and that definitely influences their decision." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 He's really putting the boot in there Muff. I love it. That's a fucher of a shoeing he's given Liewell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muff 245 Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share Posted April 25, 2008 Walter is absolutely spot on. It's about time someone stood up and took on Liewell. Just a shame it had to be the manager! Sunday is going to be mental. The two clubs from the top to the bottom absolutely hate each other, the passion, determination and tension is pumping through everyone's veins more than ever. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgruntled_bear 157 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I'm Glad Walter has the Balls to defend the Club and tell it how it is Something that SDM should be doing instead of Hiding :angry2: Only thing thats bothering me tho after reading it is, i hope Walter aint starting to Crack under the Pressure Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Walter is absolutely spot on. It's about time someone stood up and took on Liewell. Just a shame it had to be the manager! Sunday is going to be mental. The two clubs from the top to the bottom absolutely hate each other, the passion, determination and tension is pumping through everyone's veins more than ever. I agree. I think if Walter's this pumped up, so will Ally, Fergy and all the squad, especially the Scottish lads. I think we're really gonna crush them and make the run-in irrelevant. In fairness, Bain has been having a go recently, and before this Liewell propaganda over fixtures got to have much sway. Not a big fan of Bain, but I think he's picked up the ball of late. I think we've grown as a club since Walter came back. We've got UEFA off our backs, maily thanks to the fans' conduct, the finances have turned round to an exceptional sense, and so has the football. I think for Sunday, even if they start chucking coins, we'll be prepared to almost volley them back at them, like Cantona and the Devil in that Nike advert. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitalspark 72 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 never heard of sporting integrity since I started following in 1962 ..... load of bollocks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I'm Glad Walter has the Balls to defend the Club and tell it how it is Something that SDM should be doing instead of Hiding :angry2: Only thing thats bothering me tho after reading it is, i hope Walter aint starting to Crack under the Pressure Steady my ever-disgruntled one. Walter knows what he's doing. Not a word would have passed his lips without sufficient consideration. He's heard Liewell's semi-successful attempt at fixture tampering and made a valid, but heavily sarcastic dig at one of the sleaziest swines in the world of football, and that says something when you're talking about a club with John, war criminal and sex pest, Reid and dodgy Dermott Desmond and his pharmaceutically enhanced stables. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stardog 11 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 This will inspire us to fucking destroy Celtic in this next game. Bring them on. I only hope we can stand the smell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GersDude90 1 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 What i love about this is the difference with the managers. Walter really has stuck the boot in, but has still remained very dignified. Had this been Strachan who knows what the twat of a man would have said! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muff 245 Posted April 26, 2008 Author Share Posted April 26, 2008 Strachan has already had a couple of digs. I will play when I'm told to play. I was like that as a player. you play Saturday, Wednesday, Sunday, you get on with it." Slightly different than playing 4 games in 8 days. He also said in his interview today that he'll be writing to the SPL for money to refund his holiday flights. What a prick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza 21 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Goan yersel Walter!! Great to here the club being defended. We have lay sielent for too long. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvager 498 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Good for Walter. Just pissed that Cuellar will be missing Sunday! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_ni 12 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 walter is absolutely spot on. I am fed up with this whole fixture congestion pish. If we hadnt postponed the celtic game in jan or had a stupid meaningless friendly before the old firm game at ibrox we wouldnt be in such a position. The whole integrity thing just makes me laugh. Teams are not supposed to be given any advantage so why are we being made to play 4 games in 8 days when other teams will play those 4 games over the space of a couple of weeks. Even plastic paddy admits that celtic having more rest before sundays game is an advantage for them. LIEwell spouts his pish about sporting integrity then one of his own players admits that the rest is an advantage so is admitting that us playing so many game is a disadvantage. Where is the "integrity" in that??? They are so thick its incredible. Celtic had a game postponed by the spl to give them a weeks rest before the 2003 uefa final. What do we get? 3 games in 6 days and a 3 day rest before the cup final if we get there. The spl have just been sitting hoping that we dont go further in europe so their mess gets sorted out. They can try all they want, the title is coming home and there is nothing they can do about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zulu 981 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 What does Liewell know about integrity ask Kenny Millar about Liewells meaning of integrity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintbob1969 1,524 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 What I'm struck by is the steely intelligence of the man, he says little but it conveys a lot. He does not stamp and shout and ask for pity. He does not sound in any way paranoid. He does not talk about Rangers being picked upon. Cool thought out assassination I'd call it. I dreamt we opened the scoring on sunday, probably nothing to it but I don't usually do such things. We don't need a victory but we do deserve one as we are without question the better team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertime 0 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Well done Walter. Someone has to make a stand against this crap the SPL and Celtic are coming away with. 4 games in 8 days - sporting integrity!! Walter said the right things and am glad he spoke out. For too long Rangers have just put up and shut up. We know that’s probably the best thing to do to keep your own integrity but clearly the Celtic way of moaning at every turn does pay dividends as the SPLs treatment of Rangers illustrates. Murray lost his edge a long time ago so it is going to be up to Bain and Smith to do the talking and stick up for the gers when required. Don't get me started on WGS and his comments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dado 334 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Take note Murray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coopermania 1 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Take note Murray. Absolutely Dado Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisVanDarche 23 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Lewell's a bawsack. Good on ye Walter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
delparlane 5,764 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 SPOT ON WATTY, GOD BLESS YOU. It's about time someone from our club had the bollix to stand tall and say what needed to be said. To H*ll with this whipping-boy nonsense! This truly cements Wattie's legendary status in my eyes. Sunday will be a firestorm, no shred of a doubt - I sincerely hope we roar into that shower and hammer them to pieces!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooper1989 0 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Brilliant stuff from Walter. And his assertion that the league has acceded to Celtic's every wish is a thinly veiled shot at the POD affair. Well done WS! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gid 46 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 We are going to fucking destroy these cheating mhanky bastards tomorrow! We've got the battle fever!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmac 0 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Walter has said what we have all been thinking and it is about time someday told the truth about these clowns from across the City. So well done big man. Lets hope he now goes out and hurts them even more by clinching the league tomorrow and before anybody says anything, I know on paper we could still be caught but win tomorrow and it is all over. With regards to integrity. I doubt they could spell the word and after what they did in getting the game cancelled at new year, they should take a good look at themselves look in the mirror. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUE CYCLOPS 26 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Walter has said what we have all been thinking and it is about time someday told the truth about these clowns from across the City. So well done big man. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They,re not clowns M8, they,re hypocrites, but lets look at why they,re behaving as they are. They are shit scared of playing Rangers on a level playing field. They have cheated and lied at every opportunity to try and gain an advantage. POD, integrity, my erse. If Celtic were even half as good as they keep telling everyone they are then they wouldn,t need to cheat for advantage. Truth is they,re scared off us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCLoyal9 53 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Spot on , nail on the head , well in ... take your pick. I'm delighted that Walter has shown the front to come out and speak the truth. I'm further delighted that he has expressed this with calm - yet acidic - rationale. THIS is how I like to see the Rangers doing things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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