THE face of Scottish football has transformed exponentially in the last four years.

From the merging of the SPL and SFL, introduction of play-offs to an extra point for winning a penalty shootout, those in control of our domestic game can never be accused of not being open to embracing new ideas.

Yet, the winds of change may well be yet to blow through the corridors of Hampden even further in the not-so-distant future.

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In an exclusive interview with HeraldSport, Neil Doncaster, the Scottish Professional Football League chief executive, has spoken out about the imminent Old Firm derby as it makes its league return after a four-year break and, even more crucially, how he sees Scottish football fitting into the ever-shifting - and shrinking - landscape of European football.

HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO HAVE THE OLD FIRM GAME BACK?

ND: Very excited. It’s certainly the most talked about, most marketable and biggest single game in Scottish football and it’s right we look forward to it. As indeed much of Britain is looking forward to it and much of the rest of the world is looking forward to it this weekend.The Herald: SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.

WAS IT A RELIEF FOR YOU WHEN RANGERS GOT PROMOTED NOW YOU HAVE THEM AS A PACKAGE?

ND: It certainly adds to the strength of the league and the value of the league to broadcasters around the world. Broadcasters do tell us time and again that although it’s simply one of a number of games we have it’s the one for their subscribers that clearly resonates around the world in a way that is quite unique. We are looking forward to it from a commercial point of view as well as a football point of view. The amount of interest that has been shown by broadcasters overseas is remarkable. We’ve got a lot of overseas broadcasters coming into the UK this week ahead of the game, and that doesn’t happen for other games.

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HOW HARD HAS IT BEEN WITHOUT THIS OLD FIRM GAME TO BRING MONEY IN?

ND: This year we will be distributing more money to clubs than we ever have done before, and that’s on the back of a number of deals done over the past few years. We’ve effectively sold out all of our competitions. All of our broadcast deals are tied up long term with Sky Sports and BT Sport until 2020, overseas with our agency MP & Silva until 2023. We have Ladbrokes as title sponsor of the league, we have Betfred as the title sponsor of the League Cup and Irn-Bru as the title sponsor of the Challenge Cup. There is a huge Scottish football strength in depth, and while this is the biggest single game that we are most renowned around the world, it’s the strength of Scottish football as a whole that has enabled us to drive that value for all 42 clubs.

OLD FIRM GAME ALSO BRINGS NEGATIVES AS WELL AS BENEFITS. DO YOU HAVE ANY WORRIES HAVING IT BACK ON A REGULAR BASIS?

ND: Certainly it’s a very high-profile game. We know that and understand it and that there will be a lot of focus on it from within Scotland and further afield this weekend. We certainly hope that it will be a footballing spectacle for all the right reasons. I think Scottish football benefits hugely from Celtic and Rangers and we know there is a huge amount of attention that goes with this game. We just hope it’s remembered for all the right reasons and the rivalry on the field rather than any other reason.

ANY EXTRA PRECAUTIONS GIVEN THE HEIGHTENED ANTICIPATION?

ND: We’ve got to remember this is not a game that we control. It’s not at Hampden or a League Cup semi-final or final, it’s a club game. The host club will have their preparations very much in hand. They will be working with Police Scotland to do what they can to ensure it’s a peaceful occasion.

I think making any predictions about what may happen either on or off the field is always ill-advised. We will obviously monitor the game closely. We will have a SPFL match delegate at the game who will act as the eyes and ears of the League at all Premiership games, and we will look at the report of the game as we would with any other game.

THE TOPIC OF CELTIC AND RANGERS GOING TO ENGLAND HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AGAIN BY THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WOULD THAT BE CATASTROPHIC IF BOTH CLUBS WENT DOWN THAT ROAD?

ND: As we have discovered ourselves a league structure and format is a topic that never ever goes away. It’s always in debate, certainly in Scotland but that’s equally the case in other leagues around the world. So it’s no surprise that the English Football League should be talking about theirs again. I’ve clearly seen the reports on a possible fifth tier and we’ll see what emerges from the discussions with their clubs.

HOW IMPORTANT WOULD IT BE TO SCOTTISH FOOTBALL TO KEEP THEM?

ND: There will be a lot of change in European football over the next two decades. I think given the recent debate about European club football, the announcement of the Uefa club competition cycle from 2018 to 2021, while we welcome the fact the Champions route has been retained for that cycle I suspect there will be further discussions in the future about what will happen from 2021 onwards. There will be further change and that change could be considerable.

We need to do what we can to ensure the interest of Scottish football are promoted and protected. I think we can expect there will be more focus in the years ahead throughout Europe on cross-border leagues. We’ve got our own cross-border competition in the Irn-Bru Cup this year where we welcome teams from Northern Ireland and Wales. It’s a concept that is relatively new, it’s certainly new for us, but I suspect it will feature increasingly in European football landscape in the years ahead. We need to be prepared and positioned for that.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TYING UP WITH ENGLAND OR ON A EUROPEAN SCALE?

ND: I don’t think we should confine any thoughts or conversations to any particular country. I think it’s right that we have an open mind about the concept of cross-border competition because, be in no doubt, it’s something that is coming down the road towards us. Uefa seem to be increasingly relaxed about the concept and there are a number of leagues that will seek to take advantage of that for their own benefit. It would be wrong for us to stand on the sidelines and not participate in those discussions. We need to make sure that if there is scopes for our clubs to be involved for the benefit of the Scottish football as a whole and all 42 members, then it would be wrong not to take part.

DO YOU MEAN A LEAGUE MERGE OR SPECIFICALLY CELTIC AND RANGERS?

ND: It’s wrong to be narrow in our focus, we should be open minded about any possibility which is going to be good for the game as a whole. What would be wrong is to turn our back on any such discussions and possibilities. We need to be open-minded and at the table when these discussions are being held and if there are possibilities that are going to enhance the game for the benefit of everyone.

IF THE EFL APPROACHED YOU TO SPEAK TO CELTIC AND RANGERS WITH A FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO THE SPFL, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO DISCUSSION?

ND: I know your question is a specific one and my answer is a general one which is we have to be open minded. It would be irresponsible to be closed-minded. We have to see what is on offer and we have to ensure whatever direction the football in Europe goes in that we are not left behind.

IS THIS NOT A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE FROM UEFA?

ND: The Scottish football identity is strong. I was fortunate enough to be in Malta at the weekend to see that. It has a unique passion and identity and I don’t see that being lost whatever league structures emerge in the future throughout Europe. I’m confident that identity can be protected and we need to be open minded to any flexibility that comes down the line. Change is constant, we’ve seen that with the new access route into the Champions League for 2018 onwards. They are relatively minor but I think there is further change which is likely to come down the line from 2021 onwards. That change may be greater.

HOW FAR AWAY IS IT?

ND: It’s wrong to put any likely timescale on it because you can’t unilaterally make things happen. If you were able to, you’d be able to put a time on it. Ultimately, I believe change in the structure of European football leagues is very likely and is very likely over the next decade. Let’s see where that goes, let’s see what the pace of change is, and let’s ensure that we are in the middle of those discussions.

SCOTLAND HAS SHOWN ITSELF TO BE OPEN TO CHANGE AND INNOVATION

ND: Absolutely. There is no doubt that I think we in Scotland are tougher on ourselves and see ourselves more negatively than the rest of the world sees Scottish football. When I go to these meetings across Europe and talk to my counterparts they are impressed and surprised by the forward-thinking nature of the clubs in this country who have embraced the re-merger of the leagues, the introduction of the play-off place, the creation of a pyramid for the game, the bonus point and new calendar of the Betfred Cup, the cross-border competition and the colts teams in the Irn-Bru Cup.

We can lead the debate on change at a league level. Fundamentally that change only happens if the clubs want to embrace it, and I have to pay tribute to all of them who have done that, allowed it to happen and are now enjoying the commercial successes that they brought.

HAVE THE SPFL BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY DISCUSSIONS?

ND: There are informal discussions which are clearly taking place across Europe as we speak. I’m in Amsterdam tomorrow [Wednesday] for a board meeting of the European Professional Football Leagues and we’ll be in discussion with the leaders of the biggest leagues around Europe. One of the topics that keeps figuring is cross-border leagues and we’ll see where those informal discussions take us.