Champions League - Smith glad to bypass qualifiers

Eurosport - Fri, 12 Jun 15:16:00 2009

Walter Smith is "absolutely delighted" that Rangers will not face potential Champions League embarrassment again next season by going straight in to the group stages.

FOOTBALL Rangers Walter Smith - 0

The Light Blues' European aspirations ended at the first hurdle last season with a defeat in the qualifiers to Lithuanian minnows FBK Kaunas, but they recovered to win a Clydesdale Bank Premier League and Scottish Cup double with their first title win in four years guaranteeing them Champions League group stage entry.

"Apart from the initial delight of winning the championship, when you sit down and analyse exactly what it means, everybody focuses on the amount of money that there is (in reaching the Champions League)," Smith told Rangers World.

"But avoiding these qualification games is a major, major factor.

"They are not nice games to be involved in.

"When you maybe have a few changes to your squad, or, like our team last year, a slightly slow start after the rigours of the previous season, then important games coming so soon as they do is very awkward.

"So I'm absolutely delighted that we are not involved in the two qualifying rounds.

"In previous years it has turned out all right at times for us but they have not been that pleasant."

PA Sport

Comment 1 - 18 of 18

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  1. gers will dae well in europe mon the bears

    From EDITH, on Fri 19 Jun 11:24AM

  2. It is time that the OldFirm started to take European­ football seriously and show 'em how to play! ­ Seriously, they need to get wins under their belts to­ up Scotlands euro points so that another SPL team can­ venture into the Champions League. They do qualify­ every year so they have the continuous euro experience­ under their belts

    From cloud95, on Fri 19 Jun 11:07AM

  3. liam: ur wrong, metz: calm down... Celtic and rangers­ arent walkovers. the were last season but were u­ watching the season beforehand, rangers beat lyon 3-0­ in lyon and celtic got into the last 16 and were beat­ by barcalona. even aberdeen did well for an SPL club,­ gettin to last 32 then being knocked out by Bayern. so­ the spl clubs arent exactly a waste of space, just­ inconsistent and im scottish!!!

    From dodger, on Sun 14 Jun 8:25PM

  4. #13 Sorry,was that funny? forgot to laugh,Ha Ha! Sang­ any gud song recently?Quis separabit big man

    From METZ, on Sat 13 Jun 5:45PM

  5. Sill not signed, but any manager who takes a team down­ is welcome to the pig sty­ hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    From css, on Sat 13 Jun 5:08PM

  6. 9 - I prefer to wait until after their monthlies have­ passed them by, but each to their own I suppose!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 12 Jun 11:31PM

  7. point 2 - never realised celtic finished BOTTOM of­ their group. I think you might want to get checked for­ senile dementia and/or parkinsons disease!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 12 Jun 11:29PM

  8. Frankie,they way things are going,or not going as the­ case may be,you`ll be nedding that S.O.H.in buckets

    From METZ, on Fri 12 Jun 8:50PM

  9. #9.
    cool bud, keep the sense of humour. don't have­ it removed yet, the seasons' no started yet!!­ i'll keep mine as long as i can

    From frankiethebear2002, on Fri 12 Jun 8:39PM

  10. #6 thanks for puttin me straight frankie,btw I dont­ like cocco pops,I only eat jam tarts for brekkie

    From METZ, on Fri 12 Jun 8:22PM

  11. @#$%, slimeball, wakner, tit, breastie boy,­ wattie's bum bashing batty boay aiee!, fcukwit,­ hun_ny monster, virgin oan the ridiculous, cnutface,­ penis breath, wakner of dead dogs, toad sucker, rabbit­ worrier,
    everlivin'coolfizzin
    Pepsi!

    From frankiethebear2002, on Fri 12 Jun 8:05PM

  12. Ginger everybody is stealing the windae licker and­ cocopops theme...we will need to think of a few­ more...or can u bhoys come up with other themes for­ Paul G

    From Stuart, on Fri 12 Jun 7:34PM

  13. erm...metz, you appear to be the one with the counting­ problem son. The six points liam is talking about is­ from the two games against the mighty rangers...
    Sorry­ to pull you up but if you want to slag anyone you can­ at least make the effort to read the comment in the­ proper context and not just make it up as you go along?­ Now run along sonny, back to the coco pops...

    From frankiethebear2002, on Fri 12 Jun 7:24PM

  14. Metz, Celtic 1st game is on the 12th July and the­ players start back 6 days earlier so whats the rush in­ getting a new man in?

    From Stuart, on Fri 12 Jun 7:24PM

  15. #3 Dont you mean 9 points?(3 teams rather than 2?Think­ you will find theres 4 teams to a group not 3)Sorry to­ pull u up on that but if you want to slag us at least­ get your maths right

    From METZ, on Fri 12 Jun 7:13PM

  16. the rest of the CL are glad to, as they know who ever­ gets Rangers in their group will have one less team to­ worry about as 6 points will be a shoe-in

    From liam, on Fri 12 Jun 6:08PM

  17. You mean like Celtic last year?

    From LINDA M, on Fri 12 Jun 5:17PM

  18. Walter Smith is "absolutely delighted" that­ Rangers will not face potential Champions League­ embarrassment again next season by going straight in to­ the group stages...

    However, he won't be quite as­ delighted when rangers finish bottom of their group,­ and get embarrassed there instead!! HAIL, HAIL!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 12 Jun 4:53PM
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