Dalglish: Give Ukraine bye to World Cup in 2026
Scottish football legend Kenny Dalglish insists Ukraine should not be placed “under pressure in any way, shape or form” to fulfil their World Cup play-off semi-final against Steve Clarke’s men while a brutal war is being waged on them by Russia.
Furthermore, he has suggested that a possible way out of the football predicament for all involved parties created by the atrocities for which Vladimir Putin can be held directly responsible could come from granting Ukraine automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the USA and Canada.
The postponement of Scotland’s play-off semi-final from last month until early June could be considered no more than an exercise in buying time over an issue that will hardly be figuring in the minds of ordinary Ukrainians. Dalglish, above, suggests it would hardly sit well either to expect them to turn their attentions to a football game, or lose out on the chance of only a second World Cup appearance. Instead, he believes Scotland should go forward to face Wales in a June play-off final while Ukraine are provided the assurance of knowing that a World Cup awaits them, with the 2026 edition likely to feature 48 teams.
“I don’t know what should be done, but you’ve got to have huge respect for the Ukrainian players and the football association,” Dalglish said. “It’s not their fault that they are in the position they are in. I think it’s unfair to put them under pressure in any way, shape or form. Maybe [give them] a wee olive branch and say, in the next World Cup you can go straight through, you don’t need to qualify.
“It would be a way of showing your respect for them and at the same time moving forward with this World Cup in Qatar. And people will say: how can they get that? Well, if you want to get your places bombed, your parents killed and your friends killed, that’s what you need to go through to get it. I just think it would be nice, if they want a solution, to give them that.”
Scotland had been due to face Ukraine at Hampden last month and since the postponement of the original date, both football federations and Uefa have been locked in discussions as to when the match could be played. With Wales awaiting the victor in the final, The Scotsman understands that the qualification-clinching match in Cardiff is slated for Tuesday, June 7, with an expectation that if Scotland v Ukraine does go ahead, it will be played on Tuesday, May 31. It has reported that Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell has flown to Switzerland in the past 24 hours as discussions accelerate over the rescheduling of the match.
The carrot of automatic entry into the Champions League is likely to be dangled for Scotland’s champions over the coming seasons.
Andkennydalglishconsiders that could profoundly alter the top-flight terrain in this country, and prove a game-changer for the longevity of Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at Celtic.
The footballing great is mildly amused the chat around the Australian has flipped entirely overthecourseofhis10months in post.
Initially it centred on suitability for the role at Celtic Park. Now,followingthe56-year-old’s transformationofceltic’ssquad and on-field fortunes that sees themhominginonthechampionship, the potential for Postecogloubeingenticedbyanenglishpremierleagueclubbefore too long has become a talking point.
The previous two winners of the Scottish top flight – Steven Gerrard and Brendan Rodgers – left their positions in Glasgow while their teams were champions.
However, neither had the luxury of these successes banking Championsleaguegroupstages for them.
Notsince2010-11hasthatbeen the prize for the top flight victors in this country.
Assuming this year’s Champions League winners qualify for the tournament through their domestic league – and of the eight current quarter-finalists, only Villarreal and Benfica do not – that will change for the 2022-23 campaign.
Next season’s cinch Premiership winners will definitely go straight into the group phase of the blue riband tournament come 2023-24, and the prospect of regularly mixing it with the elite has Dalglish believing Postecoglou’s head will not be turned easily.
“It’s not a given, but Celtic are obviously favourites to win the league,” said the Liverpool icon, with six points separating Glasgow’sbigtwowithonlyfive
games remaining. “They’re [all but guaranteed to go] straight intothechampionsleaguesection.
“Where is he [Postecoglou] goingtogoandgetajobthatwill givehimthat?therearenojobs.
“They keep saying about respect for Scottish football.
“You can’t ask for respect and at the same time expect somebody that does well with Rangers or Celtic to move on if it’s not somewhere that’s going to be better or more satisfying.
“He might get all he wants here.
“That might be all he wants.” Dalglish disputes the notion that Gerrard and Rodgers left the first chance they were given to pursue their careers with mid-ranking clubs in England’s globally-exalted upper tier.
The former England captain was three-and-a-half years into his first managerial role with Rangers before Aston Villa came calling and made him
an offer he couldn’t refuse last November, while Leicester City spirited away Rodgers before he completed a third season at Celtic a little over three years ago.
“I will tell you it wasn’t the first option either of them got,” Dalglish said.
“Theyhadbeenrattledbefore. But they moved on.
“The English Premier League is an attraction for managers in Scotland.
“But it’s less attractive if you’ve gotateaminscotlandthatisgetting straight into the Champions League section.
“Everybody is different, but it is an attraction for your team to be playing in the Champions League.
“All right, you will get a couple of bruisers because you are going to be in the fourth pot. “But you are still playing in it. “Finances to get players in, managers are looking for help with that. That helps them.”
Kenny Dalglish believes the availability of top scorer Kyogo Furuhashi will give Celtic an extra psychological edge ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers.
The Hoops are deemed favourites by many for the Hampden showdown after beating their city rivals 2-1 at Ibrox a week last Sunday to move six points clear at the top of the cinch Premiership.
The only negative development for Celtic in the buildup is that striker Giorgos Giakoumakis looks set to miss
out with a hamstring problem.
But former striker Dalglish feels the return from injury of 16-goal Kyogo – who made his first appearance of 2022 as substitute in Saturday’s 7-0 win over St Johnstone – will make Rangers wary.
“Even if Kyogo doesn’t start he’s a hell of a substitute to bring on,” said Dalglish. “If Celtic fall behind then he’s great man to bring on.
“If Rangers see him stripping off and getting ready to come on for the last 20 minutes or half an hour, you’re not going to be too comfortable are you?
“Kyogo was brilliant at the beginning of the season and
Dalglish says Kyogo can give Celtic the edge in semi-final mind games
even in the first Old Firm game which Rangers won he was through three times on Allan Mcgregor who had to make big saves. His movement and pace is good.”
Dalglish insists whatever happens on Sunday is unlikely to have any bearing on the outcome of the title race, with Celtic six points clear with five games to play.
“I don’t think it'll affect what happens with the league campaign,” he said. “That’s in Celtic’s hands and there’s one Old Firm game to come [in the Premiership]. If they come through that then it’s almost done and dusted for them, isn’t it?
“You can tell by the way
they went about their job at the weekend, beating St Johnstone 7-0, that they want to make sure they finish it off.”
Dalglish feels everyone involved with treble-chasing Celtic deserves credit for the spectacular turnaround in
fortunes since Ange Postecoglou took over last summer at the end of a campaign in which they finished 25 points adrift of Rangers.
“At the beginning there was a bit of grumbling but you’ve got to be fair to the people who put him in place,” Dalglish said. “They're the ones who stood by him and been patient.
• Kenny Dalglish was promoting exclusively live Premier Sports coverage of Celtic v Rangers this Sunday from 1pm. Premier Sports is available on Sky, Virgin TV and the Premier Player from £9.99 per month, and on Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription.