WITH the current rumblings and sensitivities surrounding the possibility of Celtic winning the league title against old foes Rangers, Gordon Strachan has expressed an empathy with those charged with sorting out the fixtures.
With the post-split programme set to be announced in the very near future, the prospect of the reigning Scottish champions securing a seventh title in a row with their Glasgow rivals in attendance has caused considerable teeth-gnashing and uncomfortable twitchings across a variety of fronts.
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The memories of the chaotic scenes which marred the conclusion to the 1999 campaign as Rangers took the title amid a hostile atmosphere which spilled over linger on to this day. Last week, meanwhile, Strachan was left shocked by the images from Anfield when the Manchester City team bus came under attack by Liverpool fans as it rumbled towards the ground ahead of a feisty Champions League first-leg encounter.
Strachan said: “The Liverpool and Man City game was wonderful but what we end up talking about was a bus getting attacked. It was a horrible sight. It wasn’t a surprise to me because I was on a bus one time which was attacked with CS gas at a Manchester United versus Liverpool game. And I got a brick thrown at the bus. I’ve seen it before and it’s frightening when it happens.
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“Nobody knew it was coming last week and if you take it for granted then something like that might happen here. I hope that never happens here but it can and that’s why the Government and police think we maybe can’t take that gamble. I can understand where they are coming from.
“Yes we want to promote the football, but the scenes in 1999 when the ref was hit with a coin were ones that went round the world and we don’t want that again. Have we got better? I don’t know.
“But when you see the scenes from Liverpool last week then you think ‘hmm, I don’t want that coming from my country’. This match is huge for those involved in the game who want to see it go well.”
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