Mark Hateley Says Motherwell Shouldn't Suffer

[Rickoza]

 

Euro hopefuls Motherwell shouldn't suffer because of Gers

By Mark Hateley on Jun 1, 12 08:16 AM in rangers STEVEN HAMMELL and Keith Lasley - just two of the solid pros who excelled last term to earn a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

 

Helping Motherwell into the Champions League is a one-off. A stunning achievement.

 

To have that taken away from them by outside influences would be absolutely tragic.

 

The fall-out from Duff and Phelps' decision to go to the Court of Session in Edinburgh to fight the transfer embargo imposed on Rangers threatens to have a major impact on a lot of innocent people.

 

Scotland's national team and the country's club sides such as Celtic, Dundee United, Hearts and St Johnstone are faced with missing out on big tournaments if FIFA take a hard-line stance.

 

I'll use Well as the example of the unfair nature of this.

 

Hammell, Lasley and the rest of the boys, including my own son Tom, put their hearts and souls into a season trying to achieve what has been an impossibility for many years.

 

The Champions League was a closed shop. It was Rangers or Celtic every season.

 

Then circumstances came along, to the detriment of Rangers, which opened the door for four clubs to battle for a place at Europe's top table.

 

It's not just the younger lads, it's the senior pros who have played their whole careers in Scotland without a glimpse of Champions League football.

 

All of a sudden, the window of opportunity opened for them.

 

Motherwell were the ones who fought and scrapped and played the good football required to get that third spot and earn their chance.

 

Your Hammells and Lasleys, who have battled for the club for years through dark times, were suddenly in the position to do something special.

 

It's something to tell the grandkids. I played in the Champions League. Not many folk can say that.

 

Spare me the rubbish about how they'll get knocked out after one game, and how it's hardly the Champions League.

 

That's just not the point.

 

No-one gave the Greeks a hope in hell at Euro 2004 and Denmark didn't even qualify for Euro 92 but went on to win it.

 

Bordeaux were in the InterToto Cup back in 1995 yet they made it through that competition, progressed into the UEFA Cup and only lost in the final to Bayern Munich.

 

Teams such as Espanyol and Fulham have also made it all the way to the Europa League Final having started in the qualifying rounds in the past five years, so don't say it can't be done.

 

Regardless of that, Motherwell deserve their chance to be involved and I just hope commonsense will prevail to ensure these guys aren't denied.

 

To be fair, commonsense has been thin on the ground in recent months, but something has to happen with Rangers and the SFA because the thought of FIFA stepping in to the situation is frightening.

 

But this is not some sort of new development. Anyone who understands anything about football and the politics which surround the game could see this coming from a mile off.

 

Anyone who goes outwith the laws of FIFA and UEFA will feel their wrath, as Sion did last year.

 

When one of their partners in the game is attacked through a Judicial Court, you have to expect this is going to happen.

 

Rangers' transfer embargo, which prompted the case, could end up looking like a lenient punishment in comparison to what the Ibrox club could be hit with now.

 

Everyone, ultimately, is accountable to a governing body.

 

I don't know whether Duff and Phelps were misinformed or misguided or whatever.

 

But what I do know is that there were always going to be ramifications for going outwith the game to attack an associated partner of FIFA and UEFA.

 

The administrators should have known what would happen, but they seem to have bumbled through this process from day one.

 

Some of their decisions have raised quite a few eyebrows.

 

They are dealing with a football matter at Rangers so, for me, they must seek direction from people within the game or lawyers within the game if they are doing their jobs properly.

 

Yet again, it's been another own goal and a really massive one at that.

 

You have to investigate thoroughly. They decided they were going to fight in the courts, but should have done their homework properly.

 

As I'm looking, everyone has made a mess of this and it's about understanding the game and the rules and regulations.

 

Knowing those rules ensures you don't fall foul of the authorities. Ignorance means you are always going to run the risk of being in trouble.

 

And trouble is something Rangers have got enough of at the moment.

 

In the eyes of Duff and Phelps, I'm sure it's a great result as they appeared to get the outcome they wanted from the Court of Session.

 

But you do not mess with FIFA and UEFA and there is now a real danger of this whacking on to the international teams and other clubs as these two powerhouse bodies do not like having their noses clipped.

 

The SFA are now facing a huge problem.

 

I've no idea if the SFA, as they say, made Duff and Phelps aware that the Court of Arbitration for Sport was an avenue open to them or if the administrators didn't know or chose not to go down that route.

 

All I do know is that it is blatantly obvious what was going to follow from FIFA when the matter was taken to the Court of Session.

 

Now it's a huge mess and an absolute minefield.

 

There are going to be victims and I just hope it's not the likes of the Hammells and Lasleys.

 

They don't deserve to suffer.

 

 

[bladesman]

For once a former currant taking off the blue tinted goggles and seeing the world as the rest of us do! Fair play to the man.

[TvTotherwell]

Only because his son is in our team

[bladesman]

Only because his son is in our team

You think?!

[Well Up For It!]

Much better read than Goram's guff in yesterdays Sun!

[tottenmfc]

Still doesn't change the fact that the guy is a fud and has been spouting nonsense defending 'Tha Rainjurs' on a regular basis throughout all this.

[Guest]

Mark Hateley can bolt. Keep our name out of your mouth and we can keep it the same.

[steelboy]

there was me thinking we only had one hammell and one lasley

[Inthebasement]

Fair play i say - has the balls to express a view which sections of the buns support will likely never forgive. Have seen him at fp no end of time quietly supporting his son, maybe he's developed a soft spot.

[Tweed]

Of course he has a soft spot for us, the number of times we giftwrap Rangers three points. Seriously though, we took a punt on his son when he was toiling and he has improved a lot with us. He played every minute of every SPL game last season which for an outfield player is unreal. Also, whilst he is right there is no way the SFA will jeopardise Scotland's place in the World Cup so I don't see there being anyway we won't be taking our place in the Champions League.

[Steve Diggle]

I laughed loud

[cooper_no1]

Mark Hateley is a baldy long-haired beetlejuice suit wearing filthy h*n prick. Who gives a monkey's fuck what he has to say about anything? I hope he develops cancer AIDS of his prominent top gums and dies whilst driving a bus full of handicapped rangers fans into an Orange lodge that's hosting a hug-a-f****n day.

 

The dick.

 

There we are, Eddie sitting on the fence as usual.........

 

I laughed

[madscot]

Mark Hateley is a baldy long-haired beetlejuice suit wearing filthy h*n prick. Who gives a monkey's fuck what he has to say about anything? I hope he develops cancer AIDS of his prominent top gums and dies whilst driving a bus full of handicapped rangers fans into an Orange lodge that's hosting a hug-a-f****n day.

 

The dick.

 

Hope that comment doesn't bite your arse on the way back !