Scottish Premiership play-off schedule 'ludicrous' - Inverness boss John Robertson
- Published
Dundee United won 2-0 on their last visit to Caledonian Stadium
Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager John Robertson says the scheduling of the Scottish Premiership Play-off semi-finals is "ludicrous".
His side face Dundee United on Tuesday after completing a 4-2 aggregate win over Ayr United on Saturday.
It comes after Ayr boss Ian McCall described the schedule as "utterly pathetic" and "anti-sport".
"I don't understand why we cannot play the first leg on Thursday and the second leg on Sunday," Robertson said.
"It's ludicrous that you are trying to get the best product on the pitch and I don't think it is fair asking us to play Tuesday-Friday when Dundee United have had nine days' rest."
Caley Thistle and Ayr contested the quarter-final after finishing third and fourth respectively in the Championship.
The winners face runners-up United in the semi-final, with the team finishing second bottom of the Premiership awaiting in the final, again over two legs.
In the six years since the present play-off system was created, no team has negotiated their way to winning promotion after finishing third or fourth.
Now Robertson had added his criticism, saying: "We didn't want to say anything before the game, but there is no reason to go Tuesday-Friday when they could have gone Thursday-Sunday.
"It would have been a much fairer outcome for both sets of players."
Scottish Professional Football League play-offs
Premiership
Tuesday 7 May - quarter-final, first leg: Ayr United 1-3 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Saturday 11 May - quarter-final, second leg: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1-1 Ayr United (4-2 agg)
Tuesday 14 May - semi-final, first leg: Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Dundee United (19:45)
Friday 17 May - semi-final, second leg: Dundee United v Inverness Caledonian Thistle (19:45)
Thursday 23 May - final, first leg: Dundee United or Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Hamilton Academical or St Mirren (19:45)
Sunday 26 May - final, second leg: Hamilton Academical or St Mirren v Dundee United or Inverness Caledonian Thistle (15:00)
Championship
Tuesday 7 May - semi-finals, first leg: Montrose 2-1 Queen of the South, Raith Rovers 2-1 Forfar Athletic
Saturday 11 May - semi-finals, second leg: Forfar Athletic 1-1 Raith Rovers (2-3 agg), Queen of the South 5-0 Montrose (6-2 agg)
Wednesday 15 May - final, first leg: Raith Rovers v Queen of the South (19:45, Live on BBC Alba)
Saturday 18 May - final, second leg: Queen of the South v Raith Rovers (16:05, Live on BBC Alba)
League One
Tuesday 7 May - semi-finals, first leg: Annan Athletic 2-0 Stenhousemuir, Edinburgh City 0-1 Clyde
Saturday 11 May - semi-finals, second leg: Clyde 3-0 Edinburgh City (4-0 agg), Stenhousemuir 1-2 Annan Athletic (2-4 agg)
Tuesday 14 May - final, first leg: Annan Athletic v Clyde (19:45)
Saturday 18 May - final, second leg: Clyde v Annan Athletic (15:00)
League Two
Saturday 11 May - final, first leg: Cove Rangers 4-0 Berwick Rangers
Saturday 18 May - final, second leg: Berwick Rangers v Cove Rangers (15:00)
