Rangers’ Allan McGregor questions ‘sporting integrity’ with early shutdown
Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor has shared doubts surrounding the “sporting integrity” of Scottish football.
10 out of the 12 SPFL clubs voted to bring forward the winter break in order to combat the coronavirus spread.
Two rounds of fixtures have been rearranged with the new break coming into effect after the Boxing Day fixtures (December 26).
With Rangers’ clashes with Aberdeen and the Old Firm derby being pushed back, McGregor told the BBC Sport: “I don’t see why it didn’t go on the way as planned,”
When asked whether the decision to bring forward the winter shutdown was sporting or tactical he replied: “Well, we all know sporting integrity is one of the biggest things in Scotland, don’t we? So I would like to hope not.
“But if that is the case, ooft, sporting integrity, as we know in the last few years, is a massive part of Scottish football.”
He added: “If there’s a new variant in three months, four months, five months, which there probably will be, are we going to shut up shop again?
“We take all the precautions we possibly can. It’s unfortunate that clubs have got players with Covid but it’s going to happen. I think you just need to live with that.”
Trial & error
Unfortunately, it does have its implications for Rangers but bringing the break for could – and I stress could – have a positive impact on the league.
The rescheduling of fixtures unfortunately means that the Gers could be without key figures Joe Aribo, Leon Balogun and Calvin Bassey as they have been called up by Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations.
That could have a huge impact on the title race, but Celtic are also set to miss players within that period and who knows what could happen in either squad between now and then.
Either way there will be a break in football over the winter as there always is. Bringing it forward with covid so rife is a good experiment in terms of whether it is effective or not.
McGregor may be proven right in saying that we need to live with it as nothing looks to stop or even slow the spread of the virus amongst football.
Whether right or wrong, there will no doubt be calls to null & void the season if the situation gets any worse. Something Rangers will fear whilst sitting top of the league.
In other Rangers news, Josh McPake set for Rangers loan exit to Tranmere in January.