SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE:SCOTTISH PREMIER League chief executive Neil Doncaster aims to achieve a consensus on changing the structure of the competition after claiming clubs were "broadly happy" with the latest fixture list.
The SPL faced several complaints in April from clubs unhappy with their post-split fixtures. The system of splitting the league into two will remain in place for this season at least, despite Doncaster’s review of the set-up.
The fixtures, which see Rangers host Kilmarnock and Celtic visiting Inverness on the opening weekend, were formulated on the basis of criteria set by the Fixtures Working Group.
Representatives from Celtic, Hearts, Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Rangers are involved in the panel, whose requirements are fed into the software of Canadian firm Optimal Planning Solutions (OPS).
Rangers have noted that they play away from Ibrox immediately after five of their six Champions League group games. But Doncaster believes there are no major issues in the fixture list.
“I think people are broadly happy with the fixtures and that’s to be expected, frankly, because clubs have had a lot of input into what they want to see and what they don’t want to see.
“We’ve been able to reflect that with the help of our partners, OPS, who have helped us put the fixtures together. The Fixtures Working Group is where the clubs feed in their requirements.
“That’s, for example, why clubs this year are at home on either Boxing Day or New Year’s Day, rather than being at home or away on both like last year. That’s why there are no three-in-a-rows home or away, why the Old Firm games are at the times they are. Clubs have asked for certain requirements to be met and we’ve been able to meet them.”
Several clubs were unhappy with their fixtures for the last five games of last season, especially Motherwell, who had 20 away games out of 38 and missed out on a fourth home clash against an Old Firm team despite qualifying for the top six.
Rangers called for an end to the split after being handed three consecutive away matches but Doncaster will not rush through an alternative system despite the disquiet.
Meanwhile, Alan Thompson admits he jumped at the chance to return to Celtic – even though it meant quitting his coaching role at Newcastle United.
The 36-year-old was unveiled as the new first-team coach at Parkhead yesterday and will work alongside new manager Neil Lennon.
Thompson, the former Celtic midfielder, said: “As soon as Neil made me aware of the position, it was one that I couldn’t refuse. He didn’t have to sell it to me, I know what the place is like. I always wanted to come back here.”
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