By Stewart Fisher
STEVE Clarke has revealed that he plans to ask league bosses for their help in Scotland’s bid to qualify for Euro 2020.
Facing two make-or-break play-off ties at the end of March against either Bulgaria, Israel or Romania then most likely Norway of Serbia to make it to our first major finals since 1998, the national team boss said last night that the SFA may start a dialogue with the SPFL in a bid to make sure the Ladbrokes Premiership card immediately prior to those matches is all concluded by the Sunday in order to maximise his time working with his players.
Such a request, of course, would just relate to the national team’s domestic-based players, and require the agreement of broadcasters Sky and BT Sport, with St Mirren playing host to Rangers on the weekend of March 19/20 and Celtic due to take on St Johnstone at Parkhead.
Another potential fly in the ointment could be either Celtic or Rangers qualifying for the last 16 of the Europa League, with matches in the continent’s second club competition also scheduled for Thursday March 19. It may only buy him 24 hours for some of his players, but Clarke reckons that pushing all domestic matches to the Saturday where possible could pay dividends.
“I don’t think it would be possible for them to postpone it,” said Clarke. “It might be nice if there were no Sunday fixtures.
“Maybe we could make that request. That would then become a dialogue between another organisation and the television people.
“But it would be nice to think no one would be involved in a Sunday game. Maybe we could control that better in Scotland than down south.”
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