bashfulblueorange Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Now been changed to 15th Aug to help out national team. The Scottish Premier League has agreed to postpone the start of next season by a week to 15 August. The Scottish FA had requested the delay in order to increase preparation time for Scotland's World Cup qualifier in Norway on 12 August. The SPL wanted the SFA to move the Scottish Cup semi-finals to a midweek date to accommodate the fixture switch. However, the SFA say they will only do so if Scottish teams make good progress in Europe. Scotland manager George Burley had initially asked for the SPL campaign to start a week earlier, leaving the weekend of 8 and 9 August free. But the SPL were reluctant to make a 'false start' to the next campaign and pointed to the number of European ties Scottish clubs could be involved in at that time of the season. "Facing a late start and an early end to the season because of the World Cup, we asked the SFA for a firm commitment to move the Scottish Cup semi-finals to a midweek," read a statement from the SPL. "This would have provided certainty in giving a clear weekend to play a round of league matches and helped our teams with European commitments. "The SFA told us that they would meet our request. But, subsequently, this commitment was withdrawn. "The SPL board were deeply disappointed at the SFA's unwillingness to provide the commitment sought. "But, given the board's wish to meet the Scotland team manager's request for a free weekend on August 8, they decided the season would now start on August 15. "Helping the national side was at the forefront of our efforts over the past few days. "We worked to find a way of accommodating George's request while managing the issues this creates for us and our clubs. "We are disappointed the SFA were not more willing to work with us in assisting the national side." SFA chief executive Gordon Smith told BBC Scotland why the request had been made. "George Burley had made the request on the basis that he felt it was crucial with such a vital World Cup qualifying match, that there wasn't a fixture weekend just prior to it," he said. "We obviously helped in terms to saying we have moved some aspects of fixtures regarding the Scottish Cup, which helps create the timescale when these matches can be fitted in again. "That was crucial, but we're just happy that the SPL have made the decision to try and help the team. "The national team is so crucial - the government themselves are realising how important the national team is for the psyche of the public, and we think that too. We want to be qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. "George Burley felt it was crucial to have these games cancelled in order to do so. "We've still to come out with the full details of it, but we've cleared everything with sponsors and TV companies, so we can make one weekend available in the later stages of the cup, so that the fixtures can be fitted in." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/i...als/7884052.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muff Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Scotland will be out of the running by then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythebest Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Another week without Rangers then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TunnyLoyal Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Fuck off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MayboleLoyal_atb Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Scotland National Team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootSpeedKillLight Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 The national team is so crucial - the government themselves are realising how important the national team is for the psyche of the public, and we think that too. Erm...WHAT?!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Well that will be one more boring weekend to add to all through the summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kplfishtank Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 i was hoping gers would kick up a fuss about this as ive got a long memory of the way these people fell over themselves telling us they did try to help rangers last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hammer 11 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Shocking this surely compromises the integrity of the league Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClintonGrey Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Hypocritical bastards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin93 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 good news for me tbh, i dont get back till the 18th so would mean i would only miss one game probably,instead of two if it had started when it was meant to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbm26896 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 if we play Cl qualifiers does that man we will have played no competeive games before it. if it is this is not a good idea plus scotland may be out by then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaguy51 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 You need to laugh at the SPL. Hypocritical bastards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverBlue_Since91 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Fuck off ya Tartan Trannie Cunts u change fixtures for them why not Rangers Last season? the SFA Have just shown there bias towards Rangers again u would think they would want to hide it away bit wouldt you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Fuck off ya Tartan Trannie Cunts u change fixtures for them why not Rangers Last season? the SFA Have just shown there bias towards Rangers again u would think they would want to hide it away bit wouldt you. Rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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