Gordon Strachan is standing by his comment that he’d like to see the SPFL manipulated to get Hearts, Hibs and Sevco into the top flight.
The Scotland boss first mentioned the prospect on Sky Sports at the weekend and is bound to incur anger from Tartan Army fans over his wish.
So far Strachan has enjoyed an extended honeymoon with fans and media but his old school views on a number of issues will be at odds with rank and file supporters across the country.
Since the liquidation of Rangers the SPL and SFL have merged with a number of rule changes helping the new club with the introduction of play-off’s giving the fourth placed team in the Championship the chance of promotion to the top flight.
With no sign of proper licencing and the other Championship teams playing against a club with unaudited accounts, and going concern issues, a number of supporters are concerned that further moves are afoot within the corridors of power.
Asked yesterday at the announcement of the Scotland squad about his manipulation comment Strachan explained: “It doesn’t matter to me one little bit. That’s my opinion. I think everybody in Scottish football agrees with me.
“I’m sure 95 per cent agree. It’s like anything you say in the public eye. There might be 99.9 per cent but you find that 0.1 shout the loudest but you’re scared to say anything these days. The majority want big games, full stadiums, atmosphere, build-ups. That’s what we’re after. That’s what the sponsors want.
“That’s what we want – people viewing around the world, seeing stadiums full, not with a couple of people standing behind the goal. You want to go to these games, we all want to go to these games but somehow it’s not happened. The quicker we get back there.
“I just know those three clubs missing have made it difficult. I know the argument is they got themselves into this mess. I got that but that’s what I want to see – all of them back in there.
“Fill the stadiums. Make it exciting. Queue to get into a stadium, not walk up with five minutes to go and pick your seat. Listen to the TV and you can hear people shouting at each other on the pitch.”
After twenty plus years of financial doping the Scotland boss really should be pleased to see a return to his own playing days when clubs like Aberdeen, St Mirren and St Johnstone had a fair crack at winning trophies.
If UEFA and FIFA were to use Strachan’s manipulation idea in international football Scotland could kiss good-bye to appearing on the big stage that they’ve been absent from since 1998.
Having broken the ice on the matter it’ll be interesting to see what actions the SFA come up with over Micky Ashley’s involvement at Sevco, surely having a Sports Direct Reserve XI in the top flight wouldn’t be in the interests of the Scotland international side.