IT may be over four months late, but the timing of the ALBA Challenge Cup final could hardly have been better.
Having originally been scheduled for November 28, heavy snowfall rendered the McDiarmid Park pitch unsuitable for a game of football. Even less suitable, that is, than it has been for much of this season.
Not that Queen of the South or Ross County have been short of ways to pass the time. The Dingwall side have undergone two managerial changes since the competition began on July 24, while Queens have spent the intervening months fumbling around behind the sofa cushions in an effort to address their financial worries. Yet after a season of relative tumult for both clubs, tomorrow’s cup final is a sign things may finally be showing signs of settling down.
This is especially true of Queens. While County appear to have grown contented since the appointment of Jimmy Calderwood as manager, the Dumfries club have been stalked by a litany of off-field issues. Queens’ financial concerns have improved – an outstanding tax bill was settled last week – but there have been reports that the relationship between manager and board had become as strained as the club’s resources.
Kenny Brannigan, Queens’ manager, was reportedly critical of the club’s reluctance to begin contract negotiations with both he and his players, while his squad size has been emaciated by a need to curb costs. It is easy to sympathise, but losses of £1.2m this year need to be addressed. Their big day out in Perth has afforded Queens a timely boost to morale, although the club have played down suggestions of an internal dispute.
“That has been grossly exaggerated,” said David Rae, the Queens chairman. “Managers like to get things in place, Kenny’s contract doesn’t run out until May 31, so he’s no need to panic, but they like to plan ahead.
“We’re not Real Madrid or Manchester United, we’re Queen of the South from Dumfries and we need to keep that in mind when it comes to contracts. But our relationship is fine. Chairmen and managers will always have wee disagreements, but that’s nothing unusual, I would be very surprised if there was a team in Scottish football where the chairman and manager agreed on every issue.”
The Palmerston chairman does have at least one eye on the future, though. Rae, a retired farmer who speaks of his club with a zealous enthusiasm, was in charge as Queens reached the Scottish Cup final in 2008 and is acutely aware of the benefits a cup final can bring.
“If you win a cup towards the end of the season then it can help you launch your pre-season the next year,” said Rae. “You can have it in the papers and in the programmes and it is great prestige. You can market it and it would be a massive boost for the club; it would give the whole town a buzz.”
The Queens players will show little regard for the business implications of their actions tomorrow. For them, it will be an opportunity to imbue their careers with personal success. “We’ve got a few young boys coming through and you might think they have plenty time to win a trophy, but that’s not the case,” he said.
“We’ve got Allan Johnston, who has played with Rangers, down south and in France. He is 38 and has been playing for over 20 years and he hasn’t got a medal. It would mean a lot to him to win.”
CHALLENGE CUP FINAL Queen of the South chairman is standing by his manager. Chris Tait reports
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