Giovanni van Bronckhorst admits, that Rangers were opposed to the idea of bringing the Scottish Premiership winter break forward, but he claims, that club “respects” decision.
Rangers and Ross County were the only two small Premiership clubs, which they wanted, for all gala matches to take place under the new rules limiting outdoor events to 500 viewers, as the Scottish Government tries to slow the spread of Omicron's variant of COVID-19.
Board of Directors of the Scottish Professional Football League, of which Rangers chief executive Stewart Robertson is also a member, eventually decided to go ahead with the Boxing Day matches and postpone the next two matches to January and February.
- The SPFL brings the Premiership winter break | New dates confirmedRangers express "tremendous frustration" at the restrictionsScottish Premiership Boxing Working day previews
Rangers expressed their "huge frustration" with the new crowd restrictions and ahead of Sunday's game against St Mirren Van Bronckhorst said: "We heard the news, that on Boxing Day it was only 500 people.
"Of course, the decision to move the winter break to Boxing Working day, I think, that we as a club were clear - we had our arguments and our attitude towards the game.
“However, the decision is made by the board and the league, so we respect the decision and move on.
“We will focus on Sunday's game against St Mirren. Then we'll have time with our families and rest, and then we'll start again in January, to prepare for the second half of the season.”
Van Bronckhorst released about changing the date of the matches
Van Bronckhorst insists, that there is no frustration with the possibility, that key Rangers players will miss the postponed game against Celtic due to international duty.
Joe Wednesday, Leon Balogun and Calvin Bassey have been named in Nigeria's preliminary squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
The Ibrox boss has already revealed, that the trio will be available for the trip to Parkhead 2. January after that, which was an agreed delayed release to their national team.
However, moving the winter break means, that they may now miss a few Gers games, starting with Aberdeen 18. January and potentially extend until 6. February against Hearts, while the game at Celtic Park is postponed to 2. February.
In question, whether the team exhaustion scenario is a source of frustration, Van Bronckhorst replied: “Not at all. That's football.
"Of course, that you want to have all your players available, but you also know, that sometimes the international calendar is out of sync with the league.
“That's right, as it is. We have to take it that way, as it comes and play a match with 11 players and seven players on the bench, but it is so.
“So frustration is not a good word for me. It's just a solution to the situation like that, as it comes.”
Premiership matches will take place when postponed
Matches, which were to be played 29. Decembra 2. to 3. January, were postponed, including the Outdated Organization derby, Edinburghu a Dundee, and will now take place on the following dates - both sides of the fourth round of the Scottish Cup:
Monday 17. January
- Celtic vs. Hibernian – 19:45
Tuesday 18. January
- Aberdeen vs Rangers (live on Onlinebetnews) – 19:45Dundee United vs St Mirren – 19:45Coronary heart of Midlothian vs St Johnstone – 19:45Livingston vs Dundee – 19:45Ross County vs Motherwell – 19:45
Tuesday 1. February
- Dundee vs. Dundee United – 19:45Hibernian vs Heart of Midlothian (live on Onlinebetnews) – 19:45Livingston vs. St Johnstone – 19:45Ross County vs Aberdeen – 19:45St Mirren vs Motherwell – 19:45
Wednesday 2. February
- Celtic vs Rangers (live on Onlinebetnews) – 19:45
"The SPFL will receive financial support"
The Scottish Government's decision to limit crowds to only 500 people left many people frustrated, when many stadiums can safely accommodate more fans.
But SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster is confident, that the crowds will be back in full force and confirmed, that the Scottish Government has already pledged financial support to those affected.
“The situation was and still is crippling for SPFL clubs, so it is vital, to obtain the greatest possible financial support from the Scottish Government in light of these constraints,” Doncaster added.
"We were told very clearly, that the support will be and I think, that the Scottish Government understands, how critical finance is in Scottish football and how important it is to get as much funding as possible as quickly as possible.
“In the meantime, we need to build a bridge out of the situation and continue to engage with the Scottish Government, that we, let's hope, they returned to the full crowd as soon as possible.”