Smith: Squad investment key to revamp
Ex-ibrox chief says league overhaul must let clubs tap into cash pipeline for new players, writes Richard Wilson
WALTERSmith does not believe league restructuring alone will improve the state of Scottish f ootball. The f ormer Rangers manager insists the game needs to find ways to significantly increase its revenue streams so clubs can invest more in their squads.
Smith was speaking ahead of tomorrow’s vote among Scottish Premier League clubs, with 11 needing to be in favour of plans to introduce a 12- 12- 18 format. The proposals also include fairer wealth distribution, a single league body and more play-offs, as well as an 8-8-8 mid-season split between the top two leagues, but St Mirren have already announced their intention to vote against. Ross County are also thought to be ready to do the same, which would end the reconstruction plans before the Scottish Football League clubs even vote on Friday.
“We’ve got to be sure it’s going to generate more money to raise the standards,” said Smith.” What we find ourselves doing all the time is saying, ‘We’ll change the leagues, the supporters will like that’, then five years later we’re back at the same situation again.
“It’s an improvement in standards that has to be made. That costs a bit of money but we’re going to have to find a way – if possible – to generate cash, instead of getting involved in constant arguments about changing the league. We’ve put all this concentration on shuffling teams about, but they’re still the same teams. The Premier League suffered, Celtic’s performances domestically have suffered. Celtic have got a hell of a burden placed on them. It’s not easy for the manager to motivate his players when they know they are the best team in the league – and they are by a mile.”
Smith also noted that Celtic “in many ways have saved Scottish football this season with a decent run in Europe. They’ve kept up our level.
“But they need the competition, even their crowds are down. It’s the finance that’s necessary and Rangers need to play in the Premier Division to maximise the amount of finance that’s coming in. Scottish football has suffered, but the [clubs] did so knowingly [when they voted Rangers into the third division last summer]. It’s their own fault.”
If the reconstruction vote fails,
We have to generate more cash and not focus on shuffling sides about
the SPL clubs – many of whom fear the consequences of a further drop in revenue if the Sky deal is renegotiated in the summer – will consider establishing a second-tier, or SPL 2. They may even consider more radical change.
However, Smith does not believe that Rangers should accept any invite that might come to move up the leagues more quickly than the conventional route.
“Rangers have got to s ay they’ve got two years to get up the divisions,” Smith said. “The people who made the decision to put them into the Third Division are the only ones who can put them back.
“I don’t think it matters much to Rangers. They’d obviously have to re- arrange financial things if they got back immediately into the Premier Division. Whether it would change for the rest of the clubs is for them to decide.”