Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NOT THE DUN THING
Clement: This is a bad look for league
RANGERS travelled north last night for the game that could take them back to the top of the table – without the slightest idea if it will go ahead.
A war of words broke out yesterday before Philippe Clement boarded the bus for the trip to Tayside having branded the situation “crazy”.
He will now wait to discover the outcome of a pitch inspection early today before learning if his side will be in action or not.
To add to the confusion, Dundee angrily shot down proposals his club might be forced to play the game at a neutral venue behind closed doors.
But the final decision will be taken out of Dundee’s hands and made instead by SPFL bosses who are becoming increasingly frustrated at the on-going farce.
While Dundee’s preference would be for the game to be played next week, Clement wants it done and dusted ASAP – and is happy to play at a neutral venue.
But amid all this, league chiefs could step in to put the kick-off back by 24 hours instead in the event the match officials believe it might be playable by then.
Clement reckons the image of the league is being tarnished as a result of the indecision.
Speaking as the bags were being packed onto buses at the Rangers Training Centre yesterday, the Ibrox boss said: “It’s a crazy situation in a top league that you don’t know the day before.
“We are going to travel now, we are going to stay in a hotel and we don’t know yet if the game is on or not.
“That is a really weird situation.
“OK, it can happen in extreme circumstances.
“I don’t think the last few years in all the top leagues it ever happened but now when it is raining in Scotland there is every time a problem.
“If it’s not possible you want to see what is the alternative and then you need to find an alternative elsewhere and there is not much time because it is the split next week.
“You want an alternative and to play as fast as possible but you need to prepare also. These things give a really bad image to the league and it needs to be solved in the future that it is not possible.”