If it’s not referees, it’s pitches, Rangers seem to be stuck in a news cycle rut recently between the Old Firm derby and Dundee’s inability to present a football pitch capable of holding a match.
Gers boss Philippe Clement has had his say and was clearly a frustrated figure during the press conference having to field questions that a manager shouldn’t have to deal with – he’d rather talk about his squad or the game coming up.
Until it is played though, Rangers will hope it is third time lucky against Dundee with the conspiracy theorists‘ claims looking more and more ridiculous by the hour.
Rangers and Dundee postponement plot thickens
It’s all over social media, that Rangers turned down the opportunity to play last Wednesday before the Old Firm derby.
Even Jim White was confident enough on Talksport to make the same suggestion.
“Getting confirmation that @RangersFC travelling to play @DundeeFC last midweek was never an option – Tayside club reportedly told @spfl on April 2 and 3 their pitch was unplayable! Plot thickens!”
A day later and he’s performed a 180 degree about turn.
There is only one issue, both Rangers and Dundee have said that this simply wasn’t possible already.
First up was the home side last week after the original attempts were foiled by the weather.
Releasing their statement on the 4 of April, Dundee confirmed that they had been working non-stop to get their fixture with Motherwell on last weekend, a game that was very nearly called off too:
“As we all know, there has been heavy rainfall in the Dundee area since the start of the week.
“The club has had a full grounds team along with consultants working on the pitch since the postponement of the Rangers match along with all the associated machinery and this will continue right up until Saturday.”
In short, the pitch wasn’t even remotely playable during the week, we saw that against Motherwell when it had been worked on all week.
What has Philippe Clement had to say about the matter?
Add this to Clement’s comments at the press conference and it’s clear that the myth about Rangers picking and choosing when this game gets played is simply that – a myth:
“I don’t think the option was there because Dundee needed also time to fix their field to be playable.
“It was on the edge against Motherwell. If I hear the Motherwell manager, it was over the edge even because it was not ready to play.”
Motherwell didn’t think the pitch was playable and even went as far as making a statement claiming that player safety had been put at risk.
Someone, somewhere has made up the nonsensical conspiracy and you can guess where their allegiances lie.
As always, the defence is ‘prove it isn’t true’ when there is no proof to back up their original claims either.
You can’t win, so why bother?
