SPFL facing huge fixture problem over semi-finals
● Rangers and Celtic Euro ties cause chaos
Brendan Rodgers last night said the SPFL had a serious scheduling issue on their hands after his Celtic side’s 1-0 Betfred Cup quarter-final victory over St Johnstone.
With the Parkhead side drawing Hearts and Rangers being paired with Aberdeen in the last four, Hampden will not be able to accommodate both semi-finals that will require to be played on Sunday, 28 October. There would appear no other date available since the Glasgow clubs have Europa League fixtures on the previous Thursday and a full Premiership card is scheduled for the following midweek.
That would appear to preclude one of the semi-finals being switched to the Monday.
The situation could bring Murrayfield into play, with the Police Scotland unlikely to sanction Celtic and Rangers playing in Glasgow on the same day through utilising one of their stadia alongside Hampden.
“I think they will have to look at it now,” Rodgers said. “It obviously presents a problem because there are midweek games the week after. I’ll let them sort that out.”
Rodgers cut a relieved figure as his team bounced back from their 2-1 defeat at Kilmarnock on Sunday to secure success courtesy of an 84th-minute strike from Leigh Griffiths – the Scotland forward’s third in as many games. But, while the Celtic manager had praise for his goalscorer he slammed centre-back Dedyrck Boyata for a straight red card in the stoppage time that followed the Belgian refusing to let up in berating referee John Beaton for not awarding him a foul.
“It is a stupid red card. He has got enough opportunities to not get sent off. It was a very emotional game towards
the end. Dedryck feels as if he should have got a free-kick and didn’t get it,” said Rodgers, who admitted it could leave him short for the semi-final after Kristoffer Ajer was forced off with a hamstring pull. “In fairness
to John [Beaton], he gives him a chance not to get the red card. It’s not what we would want. We move on.”
Rodgers was also een to move on from the revelation last night that he turned down a “serious offer” from China in the summer, meanwhile, which he acknowledged had come via a formal approach.
“Since I’ve been at Celtic the last couple of years, I’ve had a few offers,” he said. “That’s
no different to any of the others. My focus is very much on Celtic and being here, helping us rise to the challenge of this season. My focus is very much on Celtic and being here. And trying to help us rise to the challenge of this season. There’s nothing more really to say on that.’
Pressed on the interest from China and what consideration
he had given to it, Rodgers said: “What you know with China is that it’s an awful lot of money. But I’ve found happiness here and I spoke with the owners of the club and the board and we found an agreement and we move on.
“I’ve had other opportunities, but I’ve still got this year and another two years on my contract and unless they get fed up with me or something else happens I’m very privileged to be here.”
Rodgers, who said the meeting with Hearts made for “a tough draw” that the identity of the semi-finalists meant his team were “always” destined to be handed, expressed contentment at his team getting the job done after stepping up their tempo and pressure on the home goal in the second period.
“I think we could have decided the game a lot earlier than what we did. We had a slow start. We had a lot of possession, but weren’t dangerous enough, which we would prefer. But we still created two really good chances in the first half and didn’t take them. It was just a case of trying to tire St Johnstone out. More of the same in the second half. We continued to create opportunities. As long as you take one and don’t concede up the other end. It was a really good finish by Leigh. He made a good run to the first post, it has gone beyond him, but he checked back out, was alive and alert and produced a very good finish.
“Leigh could have had a hat-trick, but what is important is that he is smelling the goals again. He had a couple of great opportunities getting into good positions and credit to their keeper as he made a couple of great blocks. Leigh is always going to be alive in the box for chances coming and it was a great finish.”