Giovanni van Bronckhorst admits Rangers were against the idea of bringing the Scottish Premiership’s winter break forward but says the club “respect” the decision.
Rangers and Ross County were the only two cinch Premiership clubs who wanted all the festive fixtures to go ahead amid new rules limiting outdoor events to 500 spectators as the Scottish Government bids to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
The Scottish Professional Football League board, which includes Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson, ultimately decided to go ahead with Boxing Day games and postpone the following two fixtures until January and February.
Rangers expressed their “immense frustration” at the new restrictions on crowds and ahead of Sunday’s game against St Mirren, Van Bronckhorst said: “We heard the news that Boxing Day was only 500 people.
“Of course, the decision to move the winter break after Boxing Day, I think we were clear as a club – we had our arguments and our standing point in playing on.
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“But the decision is made by the board and by the league so we respect the decision and we move forward.
“We’re concentrating on the game on Sunday against St Mirren. After that, we’ll have time with our families and to rest and then we start again in January to prepare ourselves for the second half of the season.”
Van Bronckhorst relaxed about fixture rescheduling
Van Bronckhorst insists there is no frustration over the possibility of key Rangers players missing the rescheduled game against Celtic due to international duty.
Joe Aribo, Leon Balogun and Calvin Bassey have been included in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
The Ibrox boss had previously revealed the trio would be available for the trip to Parkhead on January 2 after a delayed release to their national team was agreed.
However, the rescheduling of the winter break means they could now miss a few Gers games, starting with Aberdeen on January 18 and potentially extending through to February 6 against Hearts, with the game at Celtic Park rescheduled for February 2.
Asked if the squad depletion scenario was a source of frustration, Van Bronckhorst replied: “Not at all. It’s just the way football is.
“Of course you want to have all your players available but you also know that sometimes the international calendar is not synchronised with the league.
“It’s just the way it is. We have to take it as it comes and play the game with 11 players and seven players on the bench, but it’s just the way it is.
“So frustration, for me, is not a good word. It’s just handling the situation as it comes.”
When postponed Premiership games will take place
The fixtures that were due to be played on December 29 and January 2-3 have been pushed back, including the Old Firm, Edinburgh and Dundee derbies, and will now take place on the following dates – either side of the Scottish Cup fourth round:
Monday January 17
Celtic vs Hibernian – 7.45pm
Tuesday January 18
Aberdeen vs Rangers (live on Sky Sports) – 7.45pm
Dundee United vs St Mirren – 7.45pm
Heart of Midlothian vs St Johnstone – 7.45pm
Livingston vs Dundee – 7.45pm
Ross County vs Motherwell – 7.45pm
Tuesday February 1
Dundee vs Dundee United – 7.45pm
Hibernian vs Heart of Midlothian (live on Sky Sports) – 7.45pm
Livingston vs St Johnstone – 7.45pm
Ross County vs Aberdeen – 7.45pm
St Mirren vs Motherwell – 7.45pm
Wednesday February 2
Celtic vs Rangers (live on Sky Sports) – 7.45pm
‘SPFL will be given financial support’
The Scottish government’s decision to limit crowds to just 500 people have left a lot of people frustrated when many stadiums can house more fans safely.
However, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster is positive crowds will return in full force and confirmed the Scottish government had already pledged financial support to those affected.
“The situation has been and continues to be crippling for SPFL clubs so it’s vitally important we get as much financial support as possible from the Scottish Government in the light of these restrictions,” Doncaster added.
“We’ve been told very clearly there will be support and I think the Scottish government do understand how critical finances are within Scottish football and how important it is to get as much funding as possible, as quickly as possible.
“In the meantime, we have to make the best of the situation and continue to liaise with the Scottish government to hopefully get back to full crowds as soon as possible.”