Ally McCoist backs SFL league reconstruction delay

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has welcomed the prospect of league reconstruction being delayed by a year.

Scottish Football League clubs met at Hampden on Thursday to discuss plans to revamp Scottish football and merge with the Scottish Premier League.

The possibility of having those changes in place for the start of the coming campaign has been mooted but the SFL has now indicated a desire to wait a further year.

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The stance has been backed by McCoist, who said: “We need to get it right. If the delay is for the right reasons, then I’m all for it.

“We don’t want to jump into something that is wrong and we are faced with the same problems three or four years down the line. If it takes another season, then I don’t have a problem with it as long as we can all continue to have dialogue and pursue the correct decisions for the clubs and Scottish football itself.”

Rangers – as associate members of the SFL – do not have a vote on the issue but have been vocal in their opposition of a 12-12-18 structure being implemented for next season. Such a scenario would see them remain in the bottom tier of Scottish football regardless of title success in the Irn-Bru Third Division this term.

McCoist added: “You can’t move the goalposts during the season. I’ve said that all along. That’s my opinion and it hasn’t altered and it won’t alter.

“Waiting a year means every team in the league will know where they stand. They will know the rules at the start of the season and that can’t be a bad thing.”

Rangers could wrap up the title at Montrose today, depending on the outcome of nearest rivals Queen’s Park’s game against Elgin City. The league leaders have failed to impress in recent weeks but McCoist said clinching the championship is all that matters at this stage.

He said: “I’d love to do it in style, we all would, but getting over the line is the most important thing.

“The boys have given themselves an ideal opportunity to get over the line. The main thing for our team this year was to get themselves out of the division they are in.

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“In my opinion, that would be progress. It wouldn’t be massive progress but it would certainly be progress considering where we were last summer.

“If and when we are lucky enough to do it, that will be the objective achieved. It will be the first step back for us and the players will deserve enormous credit. I appreciate there is a section of the public who will think it was inevitable and a foregone conclusion.

“Never for a minute have we thought that. If we do it, the players will be thoroughly deserving of the achievement.”

McCoist again spoke of his desire to recruit Jon Daly next season, after the Dundee United captain this week revealed he had held talks with the Rangers manager.

A transfer embargo means Rangers are restricted to signing free agents from 1 September and, as far as McCoist is concerned, Daly fits the bill perfectly. He said: “I’ve spoken to Jon and it’s been well-documented that he’s a player we are interested in.

“The bottom line is, we have to bring good players to the club.

“We are in a situation just now where we are really low on numbers, we are struggling to fill benches these days.

“We need to bring very good players in and Jon would certainly come into that category.

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“Our hands are tied a little bit by the fact that we can only sign free transfers with a view to registering them on 1 September.

“But good players who are available will certainly be of interest to us and Jon Daly is certainly one of those.”

Meanwhile, McCoist confirmed Francisco Sandaza is still suspended by the club.

Rangers began an investigation into comments the Spanish striker allegedly made during a hoax telephone call. McCoist said: “That’s ongoing. Nothing has been resolved there at all.”

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