At his pre-match media conference Phil Clement claimed that his club considered options to play home matches in England before deciding on Hampden as their home from home.
None of the nodding dogs in the room opted to ask the Belgian Beale for some detail on those options, the ever obedient BBC Scotland decided to make a headline of it without looking into any detail.
Today is the first of four possibly five matches to be played at Hampden in the next fortnight, not the sort of workload any pitch wants to take on at this stage of the season, certainly not one that was reseeded a month ago then put on an accelerated programme to have it ready four weeks ahead of schedule.
By the time Steve Clarke sends his Scotland side out to play Poland on September 5 he’ll be wishing that the match was being played across the road at The City Stadium (Lesser Hampden).
?? Philippe Clement reveals Rangers considered playing in stadiums in England while Ibrox would be out of action.
However, he is happy they will be able to play at the more familiar Hampden.#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/kyTpfBKjs0
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) August 9, 2024
There are only a handful of stadiums north of London that have capacities in line with Hampden, those clubs spent extensively on stadium maintenance and don’t hand out mates rates like the SFA.
Newcastle, the Manchester clubs and Liverpool are kind of precious about who gets to use their stadium.
The thought of John Souttar, Ben Davies, James Tavernier, Connor Barron and Scott Wright churning up their precious pitch would horrify those clubs. Not a chance of that happening even before you invite thousands of patriots to spread their poison around the stadium and host city.
Unfortunately for the residents and businesses of Mount Florida they are about to be inflicted by those issues, today, on Tuesday, next Saturday, possibly again in midweek then again on Saturday August 24.
Week by week Clement evolves into the Belgian Beale, speaking complete nonsense to an audience that will never pick up on his comments and throw a question back.
After a draw against Dinamo Kiev his side are world-beaters again, after six wins in 17 matches a home win against Motherwell today will probably have Liverpool, Manchester United and Barcelona chasing after Clement, astutely the Ibrox board got him signed onto an extended contract last week.
BBC Scotland have barely touched the Ibrox story which is a mile away from their Scottish HQ, no mainstream outlet wants to break the news that Ibrox won’t be used again this year.
Today’s daily spoof from the serial spoofer ?
— (C)mon the Hoops????? (@CWN1967) August 9, 2024
This guy is more nuttier than Beale????
— Craig Whyte (@RIPRFC) August 9, 2024
The Clown strikes again. pic.twitter.com/N3aBN1uVM8
— BARNEY FRASER ? (@gordoncrockett1) August 9, 2024
Did ye aye? Baldy Beale strikes again
— Alan Johnson (@VicVinegar1984) August 9, 2024
Can someone ask him if this situation is as ‘ unprofessional’ as Dundee’s pitch being unfit to play?
And can fans who maybe have to travel further now,claim their expenses from the club?— Hunglika Dunkie (@Bawzoot1) August 9, 2024
Not content with letting him spout this ‘big stadiums in England’ being an option rubbish unchallenged, BBC Scotland actually trumpet this interview with ‘journalistic’ pride.
— Fattyfallon (@fattyfallon) August 9, 2024
Happy because English stadiums would have made them pay, whilst the SFA and SPFL probably gave them Hamden for next to nothing. More undisclosed figures ????
— notleksF1 (@notleksF1) August 9, 2024
— new gold dream (@newgolddream3) August 9, 2024
Doesn’t surprise me, he even said they would travel to the moon to play games!
— Nicky Barnett (@NickyBarnett7) August 9, 2024
No english club/city would want that bile/bigotry/mess on their streets for a few saturdays….
— steve (@thegambler5) August 9, 2024
Since 2008, their fans are about as welcome visitors to Manchester as the Luftwaffe were in the 1940s and any ‘rapport’ they imagine they enjoy with either of the Merseyside clubs is exactly that – imagined. Sunderland is another option in the North with a big stadium, but of course they’ve caused major disturbances there too at a testimonial in the ‘90s after which they stopped playing English teams away in friendlies and testimonials for decades.
I doubt this was ever serious as the security costs would be astronomical and the logistics would be nightmarish. Maybe they were looking to please the uber-staunch by playing at the home of Berwick Rangers……
Is Jim Traynor back at ibrox???
I.e. ‘claim’ we were looking at English stadiums, but chose Hampden:
the PR message being that the displaced sevco fans should just shut up
and be grateful that they only have to travel to Hampden!
And if the SFA ever gets round to invoicing sevco for using their stadium,
will they remember to invoice the outstanding £400K compensation
for Walter dropping the national team – to return to managing Rangers….?
There are plenty of unused stadia in North Korea that Mr Clem-on could have considered too, just like in england. Cheap plane flights , tons of fanatical natives and a leader who has a short volcanic temper fuse …a seamless transaction ,all round ..job done !
Just how bloody lucky are the residents of Newcastle, The Manchester Clubs, and The Merseyside one’s that they didn’t get to use their stadiums then…
And these poor residents around Hampden today and going forward !
I wonder how the ” Like for like ” seating arrangements are going…Canny see that havin’ a happy ending…( Feck’s sake ah’m in Row A at the Sellik end…ah wiz in the Main Centre Stand at Ibrox…BASTARTS.)
England, the Moon, Buenos Aires, wtf, we’ll play anywhere, eh Phil!?