Monday 27 April 2015 17:53, UK
Sky Sports pundit Andy Walker believes Queen of the South will fancy their chances against either Rangers or Hibernian in the Championship play-offs.
The Dumfries side have enjoyed decent results against the two so-called bigger teams this season, winning twice each against Rangers and Hibs.
Now Walker thinks the Doonhamers could be the team to watch in the play-offs after they clinched the final spot with a 2-1 win over Dumbarton at the weekend.
“I think the big dark horses are Queen of the South,” he said. “It’s easy to rule them out because it’s tiny Queen of the South. But when you think of their players Danny Carmichael, Mark Millar and the experience they have.
“I saw them recently at Ibrox; they got a draw and were unlucky not to win. They’ve beaten Rangers twice this season, they’ve beaten Hibs twice this season.
It’s so difficult. You feel for Stuart McCall who is working under circumstances that are so difficult. The truth is he has a poor side.
“They might feel they have a slight advantage playing their home games on the artificial turf which they are used to. If someone was to tell me that Queen of the South were favourites against either Rangers or Hibs I wouldn’t dispute it because on the evidence of this season they certainly know how to perform against the bigger clubs.”
Walker believes it is Hibs who are in line to finish second in the Championship after Rangers slipped up at home to Falkirk at the weekend.
The Gers scored twice late on to salvage a point at Ibrox while Hibs cruised to a 4-1 win over Alloa. It means the Edinburgh side are in pole position going into the last weekend of the season to secure the more favourable play-off spot.
Finishing second would mean two less fixtures against Queens, as they look to claim a tie with the team hoping to avoid the drop from the Premiership.
On the last day Rangers face a stern test away to runaway champions Hearts, while the Easter Road side will be looking to exact revenge on Falkirk after their Scottish Cup semi-final defeat.
“I think Rangers will find it tough at Tynecastle, I think Hibs will finish second,” Walker said. “When Hearts are getting presented with the Championship trophy, they will not want to lose and I can only see a Hearts victory there.
“For Falkirk versus Hibs, there might be bit of revenge in the air with Hibs. They of course want to keep the momentum going into the play-offs but it’s certainly up for grabs and I don’t think there’s a clear favourite.
“And don’t be surprised if both teams lose at the weekend. Falkirk seem to have some kind of hold over Hibs this season, they are undefeated. They have the cup final to look forward to. I think there will be a bit of added spice given the spat that there was between Peter Houston and Alan Stubbs. I’m sure that will be carried in to both dressing rooms.”
Difficult
Walker also said he feels sorry for Rangers manager Stuart McCall who is uncertain of his own long-term future, as well as 12 of his players who are out of contract in the summer.
He said: “It’s so difficult. You feel for Stuart McCall who is working under circumstances that are so difficult. The truth is he has a poor side.
"It would be a remarkable achievement if they were to go up. At the same time, it would be a disgrace if they don’t go up because with the budget that they have they should absolutely be in the position where they are not as far back from Hearts as they are.
“They should not be struggling at home against clubs with just a fraction of their resources. I don’t know whether their players can step up to the plate in the big games when the occasion demands it.”
Walker also thinks that the recent return of the play-off system in Scotland has helped to improve excitement levels around the game throughout the country.
The play-offs were re-introduced in Scotland with the creation of the Scottish Professional Football League, and were used at the end of last season for the first time since the 1990s.
Hibernian, Rangers and Queen of the South are all bidding to join Hearts in achieving promotion from the Championship to the top flight while Motherwell currently occupy the play-off spot in the Premiership.
Walker said: “When I think of play-offs, I think of excitement and I think of everything supporters want. I just think it’s an absolute scandal that we haven’t had them for so long. This is only the second play-offs we are going to enjoy.
“We were all amazed at the drama we had last season with Hibs going to Hamilton and winning 2-0, seemingly having one foot on survival. And then Hamilton go to Easter Road and win in a penalty shoot-out, you couldn’t script that.
“I don’t know who’s going to be in the final when it comes down to it but the play-offs themselves are terrific. I had a little experience of it when playing for Sheffield United.
“We finished fifth or sixth in the Championship and we came up against Ipswich Town who had missed out on automatic promotion by a point. They battered us twice that season. The first leg was at Bramall Lane, we were lucky to get a 1-1 draw. We went down to Portman Road and went through with a 2-2 draw on away goals.
“The drama is absolutely fabulous and hopefully they are here to stay but my goodness, they should have been here a long time ago.”
