by The Knitting Circle »
09 Oct 2009 09:30
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 297988.stmRangers chief executive Martin Bain believes the Ibrox club will have left the Scottish Premier League behind in the next 10 years.
And Bain suggested that a new European set-up might be the likely escape route for Rangers and Glasgow rivals Celtic.
When asked by BBC Sport if he thought Rangers would be playing elsewhere within a decade, Bain replied: "I do.
"There are a number of like-minded clubs who are currently hamstrung by the environment they are in."
An Atlantic League involving clubs from outside the five major European leagues; England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France, has been discussed at length before.
And Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, was cool on the idea being investigated again, preferring to court a move to England.
However, Bain is determined to explore every possibility when it comes to increasing Rangers' stature and spending power.
"There are a number of big clubs playing in smaller leagues," he added. "And I think there will be a wind of change.
"I understand all the cross-border aspects but there are a number of like-minded clubs, who are currently hamstrung by the environment they are in.
"As that groundswell grows, I think Uefa will take note and maybe that will lead to other things.
"We have to be invited to a party. So we need to maintain our club and its infrastructure in order that at the time to be invited, we are there or thereabouts, then that's an objective."
Bain spoke of his frustration at seeing the lowest placed club in the English top flight earning almost 15 times what the top club in Scotland can garner through sponsorship and media rights.
And he believes the Old Firm are an attractive proposition for broadcasters.
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Give your reaction to Bain's comments
"What the media companies want is the live spectacle and full houses," he added. "Celtic and Rangers have got that in abundance with our fan bases.
"We are a huge club commercially. Our fans are the lifeblood.
"If you couple that with the additional media revenue that might come with a new opportunity, we certainly would be a club to be reckoned with in any league in the world."
With Lawwell saying Celtic would consider any route that could lead to the English Premier League, manager Tony Mowbray said the issue was being spoken about within football circles.
"It's something our club would be interested in listening to of course," he told BBC Sport. "Where do I think we are in a football context having had experience of the English Premier League?
"Glasgow Celtic, and indeed our city rivals would fit into the Premier League pretty well."
fcuk off! we created the premier league and made it work, now just because its been succesful the jealous scots are moaning again.
why don't you just invest some money and improve your own shyte game instead of crying all the time about wanting to jump ship.
the old firms "great" support would soon get shown up when they start getting beat every week and don't win any titles and tin pot cups anymore. so you are better off staying where you are anyway.
living in the past like the english
