HELP USTO BEAT BAMS Clubs ask MSPs and cops for action
Heart rules Ed in quest to make dining at the big boys’ table a fairer deal
SCOTLAND’S top-flight clubs are demanding urgent talks with the government and police as they attempt to crack down on the recent upsurge of violence inside their own stadiums.
We revealed earlier this week that the SPFL and the SFA are joining forces to draw up an emergency action plan to tackle the spike in hooliganism.
That has seen ugly, high-profile incidents in which Rangers skipper
EDWIN VAN DER SAR knows how much European nights mean to everyone at Celtic Park.
The former Dutch goalkeeper saw it for himself with Manchester United as Shunsuke Nakamura’s iconic free-kick beat him in November 2006 to send Gordon Strachan’s side into the last 16 of the Champions League.
He also knows that it’s becoming a bigger ask every season as Scotland’s co-efficient means the Parkhead club have to negotiate four qualifying rounds.
Van der Sar feels clubs like Celtic and his own Ajax should be judged on their own efforts rather than that of the country in which they play.
The former Holland star, now Ajax’s chief executive, believes that being held back by the efforts – or failure – of others is fundamentally unfair and he has spoken to his Parkhead counterpart about trying to resolve the situation.
He said: “Celtic and Ajax are historic clubs but that is why it is difficult not to be involved. They see the Champions League running away a little bit.
“Celtic have done well in the last couple of years to reach the Champions League group stage. But for maybe 10 years it has been harder to compete in the groups.
“It is not just Celtic, other clubs and countries. It is getting harder and harder just to get there. We had to play three rounds just to get there. With Celtic coming from Scotland, they had to play four qualifying rounds this year, that’s tough.”
Lawwell and van der Sar work together at the European Clubs Association (ECA) an independent body representing over 200 clubs, trying to persuade UEFA to stem the tide of rich European leagues who now have 20 of the 32 group places reserved for them.
The Dutchman believes that Celtic and Ajax are punished for the poor co-efficient of their respective leagues. “Yes, I think so,” he said. “We want to raise the level of football in our countries but as a big club you face the difficulties which come when the other clubs do not qualify for the group stage of the Champions or Europa League then dividing the points between all of the teams who got into Europe.”
While van der Sar lifted that famous trophy twice as a player, in 2008 with United and in 1995 for his first love, Ajax, he has reinvented himself as a chief exec with the Amsterdam club.
These days, what happens off the pitch in terms of revenue and finance is just as important as results on it. Like van der Sar, Ajax have created a brand new identity with their Champions League exploits this season.
The stunning 4-1 defeat of holders Real Madrid in the Bernabeu helped Ajax earn millions of extra Euros in prize money by reaching the last eight. But the penny only dropped that they had to change their playing fortunes, 19 months ago on a torrid night in Trondheim.
Ajax were sent into a year in the European wilderness after they were knocked out of the Europa League play-off by Rosenborg. The only reason the Norwegians were there was that they had just been beaten by Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers.
Ajax had reached the 2017 Europa League Final just a few months earlier, losing to Manchester United. While that trophy will always pale in comparison to the European Cup which Ajax won four times, following in Celtic’s 1967 footsteps, van der Sar would love to see both clubs retain a say in the future of the European game.
Celtic and Ajax have been adversaries since 1971 when Johan Cruyff and Co knocked out Jock Stein’s side in the last eight en route to their first glory, with Celtic responding with a win in 1982. Martin O’Neill’s Celtic also defeated Ajax in 2001 in a play-off clash.
The clubs also met in 2013-14 in the Champions League group and the
Europa League of 2015-16, with van der Sar sitting in the directors’ box as CEO, which began his friendship with Peter Lawwell.
The pair share a vision of the future. Both are in charge at clubs who need the extra revenue from the Champions League stage. But they know that Dutch and Scottish football is now marginalised by the wealthy European leagues and scrambling to even get entry.
Ajax took a huge financial hit from last season’s Euro exile. In contrast, Celtic earned €32.5million as some comfort for the maulings by PSG, dropping into the last 32 of the Europa League and elimination by Zenit St Petersburg.
Ajax rebuilt their reputation by recovering from a Champions League elimination to reach the Europa League Final in 2017 and van der Sar endorses the tournament, even if last season’s winners Atletico Madrid only earned €1m less than Celtic did.
“The Europa League is a great competition also,” said van der Sar. “It is hard. But if you want to play European football and have ambitions, it is a podium where you can play and also meet the likes of Valencia. It was good for Celtic still be there after January.”
Elimination by Rosenborg last year that forced Ajax to turn to their youngsters. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong is on his way to Barca in June for €75m and others will follow.
But the fees that Ajax command, such as £42m from Spurs for defender Davinson Sanchez, are sums which Lawwell and Celtic would be unable to match from any English suitors. History has taught us that.
Celtic and Ajax see the Champions League running away a bit VAN DER SAR