Partners: GoodsFromJapan | JapanVisitor | PortugalVisitor

Scottish Premier League Update

Ali Hannah on the latest from the Scottish Premier League, May 2009

Celtic | Rangers | Round Up

Celtic Roundup

At Celtic Park, the fall-out from the bubble bursting is considerable.

The Hoops meekly surrendered the title they have held for the past three seasons and within 24 hours Gordon Strachan had vacated his managerial seat.

The hunt is now on to find a suitable candidate to replace him and with the Champions league qualifiers just eight weeks away, there is a pressing need for the club to appoint someone sooner rather than later.

A number of candidates have emerged as potential successors including West Brom manager Tony Mowbray, a former Celtic player, and Owen Coyle who led Burnley into the Barclays Premier League. However, Coyle has believed to have resisted Celtic's early advances, while Everton manager Davie Moyes has told the Parkhead side there is no way he is quitting his £4m-a-year post at Goodison.

George Burley, the Scotland manager, has insisted he has is saddened to see the end of Strachan's regime at Celtic and it remains to be seen just who is brought in to assume the role.

"I don't think it was a surprise but I was saddened by it," said the Scotland manager.

"I know Gordon very well. I played with him at under-21 level and at full international level. "He is a great professional and he has shown what a fantastic manager he is.

"He came in and raised the bar as far as standards are concerned, he has improved players and he has always been tremendous with me so he is going to be a big miss for Celtic and Scotland." Strachan's record at Celtic Park was impressive.

But despite winning the three previous SPL championships, a Scottish Cup and two Co-operative Insurance cups, as well as taking the club in to the last 16 of the Champions League two years running, the former Southampton and Coventry manager's position was left untenable after losing the title to Rangers.

Burley sympathised with the incessant pressure Strachan had operated under in his four years at Parkhead.

"I think it difficult for any manager to survive for four years, no matter where you are," he said. "That's the way football has gone.

"I don't think it's for the better but with the press and expectations, it's getting tougher and tougher.

"I don't think it's right but it does happen and as a manager you sometimes have to take it on the chin while at other times, you feel that maybe you have had enough.

"But overall, I think everybody will look at Gordon Strachan's role at Celtic over the last few years with admiration. He did a fantastic job there and good luck to him.

"I'm sure he will be back soon. He's very passionate about football, he loves coaching and I'm sure he will do well wherever he goes."

Celtic are keeping an open mind regarding their choice of a new manager despite asking permission to speak to Swansea City's Roberto Martínez. Coyle and Mowbray are also believed to still be on the shortlist of the Parkhead side.

The Swansea chairman, Huw Jenkins, confirmed he received a call from Celtic's chief executive, Peter Lawwell, "making me aware that they'd like to talk to Roberto." That approach has been rejected for now, with Jenkins due to hold talks with his 35-year-old manager when Martínez returns from a break in Spain later in June.

Martínez has four years remaining on his contract, so Swansea would seek a significant seven-figure sum in compensation for the Spaniard, who is understood to be attracting attention from at least two other clubs, Wigan Athletic and Real Sociedad among them.

Initial suggestions from those close to the manager who guided Swansea to eighth in the Championship last season are that he is keen to speak formally with Celtic this week. "We'll do everything in our power to keep him but ultimately it always comes down to the individual himself, how he feels and what we wants to do and what he wants to do with the next step of his career really," said Jenkins.

Celtic, though, have not completely ruled out the possibility of luring Coyle, the Burnley manager, as Gordon Strachan's successor. Coyle, on holiday in Florida, distanced himself from a move north last week following a discussion with Lawwell. Yet the 42-year-old, a lifelong Celtic supporter, is still to put pen to paper on improved terms at Turf Moor after leading the club into the Premier League and, while that remains the case, officials at Parkhead believe he may be attainable.

The club also retain interest in Mowbray. West Bromwich Albion have again stressed there has been "no official approach" from Glasgow for their manager but the former Celtic player is very much on Lawwell's radar and is expected to be privately sounded out over his thoughts and aspirations. Mowbray has refused to comment on speculation linking him with a Celtic return.

Craig Levein is believed to be the fourth name currently under Celtic's consideration.

Rangers

Barry Ferguson - and Rangers' regular goalkeeper, Allan McGregor - were both in action for the first time since they were banned for breaches of discipline which occurred while they were on duty with Scotland for the World Cup qualifying double header against Holland and Iceland.

Rangers rounded off their season in style as they held their nerve in the SPL to clinch the title and follow it up with a Scottish Cup double.

Celtic's failure to score a goal in their final two league games against Hibs and then Hearts enabled Rangers to get to the finish line at something of a canter as they celebrated their first Championship success in four years.

Ibrox captain David Weir did more than most to help Walter Smith collect his 16th trophy as Rangers manager before going on to assert that Smith deserves to be ranked alongside managerial legends Jock Stein and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Smith signed Weir for Everton from Hearts in 1999, restored him to the national team during his tenure as Scotland manager and then rescued him from the periphery at Goodison when he replaced Paul Le Guen at Ibrox in 2007.

"You can't speak highly enough about him," he said. "He's turned it round in two years here and got it back to where it should be. He has got us winning the league again and qualifying for the Champions League.

"He's won four trophies out of six, eight league titles out of 10. That record stands with the best ever.

"For me he's up there with Jock Stein and Sir Alex Ferguson, I don't think there's any doubt about that. You consider his record and I don't think you realise how good people are when they're doing it at the minute. For me he's up there, definitely."

The veteran believes Smith has not been credited for the courage he displayed when accepting Sir David Murray's offer to return to Ibrox, where he had enjoyed so much success during his first spell in charge.

"It could have gone belly up," he said. "You cannot argue with his record over his career. It would have been easy for Walter to have sat with his feet up and said he had played his part for the club with nine in a row.

"He could have gone into retirement but he came back hungry and you can see how much he enjoys it and how much he puts into it. He's obviously very good at it."

Even though Rangers were toiling to catch Old Firm rivals Celtic when he arrived at the club, Weir was confident that Smith would resurrect them. He certainly did not believe they were down and out.

"Not really, because when I came in the door it was Walter and Ally [McCoist] and, for me, that's Rangers," he said. "I grew up with Walter as manager and Ally scoring the goals, for me that's what Rangers were all about.

"I walked in and those two were there and it was all I ever knew. I can't say the club was on its knees when I saw people like that."

Weir could have been forgiven for wilting in the intense heat at Hampden. Kris Boyd, 14 years his junior, did just that, failing to reappear after the interval.

However, at a time when his contemporaries are moving into management, Weir is already looking forward to another gruelling pre-season schedule and it is reported that he will sign on for another year in Govan.

His wife and children remain in England but, asked if he would accept a new contract from Rangers he unhesitatingly replied: "Yes.

"There are obviously factors to consider, including my family life. If the manager wants me to stay and my wife is all right about it for another year then I'd be delighted to stay. It would be purely a playing contract.

"I have to do a bit of travelling but that's not a major difficulty for me and that's the consideration.

"As long as it's not a problem for my family it won't be a problem for me to continue doing it. That's something I'll have to look at, but up until now it has been OK.

"These are the best days of my career. I've been lucky and had a good career and enjoyed everywhere I've played but it's special coming here and winning trophies."

Smith, meanwhile, has scorned any talk that he will move into an advisory role with the Ibrox side.

There have been rumours that having won the league and Scottish Cup that he would move over and allow Ally McCoist to take over, but he has insisted that he remains hungry for the challenge of club football.

"I don't want to be a director of football, or anything like that, and sit and have judgment of another manager," he said. "If I leave Rangers, then I will leave and that is it. I won't be a director of football as such. If they welcome me back again, and I'm able to watch a game or two, that's fine. But I won't be doing it in the capacity of director of football."

Ally McCoist, who returned to Rangers as Smith's assistant in January 2007, has been clearly identified by chairman Sir David Murray as the club's next manager unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

But while Smith is equally keen to see that line of succession realised, he has no immediate plans to retire. The 61-year-old is also unconcerned by his contractual position at Rangers, with his existing deal due to expire in January next year.

"I came back to try and make Rangers a bit better than they were and I think we have done that," he added. "Once you get to be over 60, and it happened to Sir Alex Ferguson as well, everyone starts to talk about you as of retirement age and wondering when you are going to leave.

"It is a natural assumption that it is going to happen shortly. Contracts don't become major aspects of what you are about. The timing has got to be right for you to leave. That's what I would look at more than anything else.

"When I feel like retiring, it will be something that might change. If we did not win the league and cup this season, the thoughts might have been a bit different in terms of what I wanted to do.

"I am not saying I would have walked away, but the thought process would have changed. But I cannot sit here and look five years down the road. When you are in your forties, it is different, but in your 60s you inevitably don't take such a long-term view.

"Thoughts of retiring cross your mind, but when things are going well it is easier not to think about it. Sir Alex still takes motivation from working with great players at Manchester United and seeing his team doing well. Seeing improvement at Rangers will keep me going. I enjoy that aspect of it."

Smith's success in delivering Rangers' first SPL title for four years means he has a Champions League campaign to look forward to next season.

It is one he will approach in the belief that he is a more capable and rounded manager now than he was during his first successful spell at the Ibrox helm.

"The experience I have gained at Everton and Scotland before coming back to Rangers has helped me a lot," he said. "I think I am better manager now.

"I think, when you look around Britain in general, people are inclined to discard experienced managers.

"Look at the job Harry Redknapp and Roy Hodgson have done in England, lifting up clubs who were in a bit of a struggle.

"When you look at the fact Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger are extremely successful managers in their 60s, then I think people are maybe inclined to discard that level of experience too quickly.

"Obviously I am more experienced and I think I am also far calmer now. Back then, I might have been inclined to jump into a few situations, but now I am able to step back and assess things better.

"My motivation is just the same, though, to try and win. I like to be involved in that environment.

"It is important for me to have that competitive nature and when you have it, that is what drives you on. You do not lose it as you get older. You might lose the capability of being competitive in the athletic sense but you do not lose the competitive nature."

SPL Round Up

Hibernian and Aberdeen are also in the hunt for a new manager after they parted company with Mixu Paatelainen and Jimmy Calderwood respectively.

Paatelainen's exit came out of the blue and the Easter Road players were stunned when news broke that the affable Finn had called it quits after just 17 months in charge.

Midfielder Lewis Stevenson admits no-one expected it.

"After the final game of the season, everything seemed normal, the manager was shaking everyone's hands and talking about seeing them for pre-season training," he said.

"I don't think anybody has a bad word to say about him.

"He might look like a bit of an ogre at times, but he's a lot gentler than that image. He was a good man-manager and good on the training ground."

Internal politics and back-biting played a part in Calderwood's exit at Pittodrie.

The Pittodrie board are believed to want Mark McGhee, but the Fir Park boss is holding out to see what happens at Celtic Park, where his name has been mentioned.

Football director Willie Miller said: "There has been an extensive list of applicants from a diverse area, including overseas.

"The standard was exceptional but we have whittled down the numbers for what is a very attractive post.

"Speed is important in appointing a manager in time for the new season and the Europa League but it is vital we appoint the right candidate."

Meanwhile, fears are growing for the viability of Setanta's financial commitment to Scottish football after the broadcaster defaulted on a £3m payment owed to the Scottish Premier League.

It is understood that a number of top-flight chairmen are concerned that Setanta will not be able to honour their exclusive agreement to show live Clydesdale Bank Premier League in the short term, let alone for the entirety of a five-year commitment. It means a number of clubs, already in a vulnerable position in the midst of a credit crisis, could have their futures placed in jeopardy unless a solution can be found quickly. In the most extreme cases, the urgent cash- flow problem could place some on the brink of administration over the summer.

One SPL chairman, who did not wish to be named, said. "These are worrying times for everybody," he said. "Some clubs were dependent on that money because there is no cash coming through the turnstiles during the summer.

"The players have to get paid and season ticket money will take a dent during the credit crisis.

"We can only hope Setanta can make the final payment of this season as soon as possible or some might not survive."

Others believe the SPL members only have themselves to blame. Nine of the 12 clubs voted through the agreement with Setanta but Rangers, Celtic and Aberdeen voted against the deal, in favour of renegotiating with the more established BSkyB.

The SPL board recently claimed they were open minded after Setanta requested a renegotiation of their £125m four-year deal, effective from season 2010/11. The current agreement is worth £54.4m and, while the majority of this season's money has been paid, the SPL have not received the final installment on time.

Ali Hannah

"The Onside In-Site" Copyright © From 2000. All rights reserved. Soccerphile Ltd.