The league CEO has been discussing Rangers and Celtic on a new podcast
SPFL CEO Neil Doncaster has weighed up the chances of Rangers or Celtic ever joining a European Super League – as he explained the deal that’s taken the Light Blues to Hampden.
Doncaster was discussing a wide range of issues on the Price of Football Podcast when the subject of a new ESL cropped up. Talk of a European Super League crashed and burned during 2021 when top clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and some sides in England attempted to form a breakaway division, and while UK interest has subsided following this collapse, there’s been debate on such plans having a second coming.
Doncaster was asked if he could imagine Rangers and Celtic in a European Super League, and insisted his hope was society taking a stand against such plans were they to appear. He said: “I think making predictions in football is never a great idea. It’s an ever-changing kaleidoscope.
I do think it’s entirely possible the biggest clubs in Europe may wish to resurrect the monster that is the European Super League but I think it’s possible the rest of football and society will want to unite to kill it off and I certainly hope so.”
being involved again, he added: “It’s not our issue. I don’t see any of the medium sized leagues or the clubs in those leagues being courted by a European Super League anytime soon. I think it’s vitally all leagues unite to resist what I think is a pretty unsavoury structure.”
Meanwhile, the SPFL chief executive also believes Rangers’ move to Hampden shows a strong relationship between the league, SFA and the Ibrox club. Delayed renovation works at Ibrox have forced the club to the national stadium temporarily, where they have played a Premiership game, Champions League qualifier and Premier Sports Cup tie. It has, however, added ‘a level of complexity’ to the fixture schedule.
Doncaster added: “This season, clearly, Ibrox being out of action for the start of the season has added a level of complexity to what is already a hugely congested fixture calendar. I am pleased that alongside the Scottish FA and Queen’s Park, who use Hampden, we have been available to make Hampden available as an interim measure to ensure Rangers games don’t play away from Glasgow.
It’s important where we can to help our member clubs, as long as we don’t create problems for our other clubs. It’s important we help the members and I think this is a very good indication of the close and positive working relationship that exists between the league, Scottish FA, Rangers and the chairman, John Bennett. We have been able to find and facilitate a solution that works for everybody.”
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