Fixtures headache: Miller wants better judgement shown on Euro 2012 scheduling.
Scotland will have a better chance of reaching Euro 2012 if they get a good result at the fixture scheduling meeting, says Kenny Miller. The Rangers forward said the organisation of the last campaign was a disaster but backed Craig Levein and his SFA bosses to get it right this time round.
Scotland’s World Cup campaign saw them face Macedonia at the height of summer in punishing heat and play Norway before the domestic season had even begun. Miller criticised the scheduling of both those games and then said the organisers had to get it right so the players didn’t have any excuses.
“A lot of thought has to go into the planning of a campaign and we have to make sure we get it right,” he said.
”Then it’s all up to us players. We can’t have any complaints about playing in ridiculous temperatures or before we have kicked a ball at the start of a season.
“There’s no doubt we’ve got to perform better. I’m sure everybody will have their opinions, but Craig will have his team behind him and I’m sure they’ll go and sort this out.”
Levein will travel to Madrid next Friday with SFA president George Peat and chief executive Gordon Smith to thrash out the order of games. With Scotland being drawn in a five team group there will be more flexibility with dates but each country will be lobbying to get the fixtures at times that will benefit them most.
Miller revealed it was only with experience of international football that he realised the importance of a good series of dates.
“As a player, I didn’t think about the dates and fixtures until a couple of years ago,” he added.
“But the more you think about it, teams are trying to seek an advantage, maybe home games at the end of a campaign and away ones at the start.
“There’s a lot of thought going into it. Hopefully we will get favourable dates.”
