Dick Advocaat last night lambasted the Scottish Premier League for failing to assist Rangers' UEFA Cup final preparations and accused the league organisers of being egotistical.

The Zenit St Petersburg manager returned to Glasgow yesterday to watch his former club's game with Motherwell at Ibrox. Advocaat restated his astonishment at the SPL's refusal to delay Rangers' match with Dundee United at Ibrox on Saturday, after the Russian Football League cancelled three of Zenit's domestic games ahead of the City of Manchester Stadium final.

The SPL refused to extend the season despite the late intervention of the Scottish Football Association, who were prepared to permit league games after the Scottish Cup final or even delay their own showpiece event.

"If you tell people in Russia about it, they'll say the Scottish competition is a Mickey Mouse competition," said Advocaat.

"The egos at the SPL have to think how long it's going to be before a Scottish club comes back to the UEFA Cup final again. They have said the Dundee United game is not off, but I don't understand how they can say that. They certainly won't understand the decision around Europe - and I cannot understand the decision."

The RPL granted Zenit special dispensation within 24 hours of beating Bayern Munich in the semi-final and Zenit have since arranged a tune-up match against AZ Alkmaar in Holland before flying to Manchester. Lex Gold, the executive chairman of the SPL, explained their decision has been made easier by the fact the Russian league is still in its early stages.

Advocaat, however, said the decision not to grant Rangers a delay was farcical. "After the game against Bayern, I said it would be a good idea to scrap our games before the final," he said. "On the night, they said they would think about - and the next day they had done it.

"I don't think that Walter Smith is afraid to play the games. He is just afraid, as I would be, that someone gets injured on Saturday and misses the final. The decision is a farce - it is unbelievable."

Advocaat has previous had experience with the SPL. His youth coach, Jan Derks, accompanied Bert van Lingen, the former Rangers assistant, to a coaching seminar with the SPL, but their ideas on youth development received short shrift. Rinus Michels, the former Dutch national coach, was also the figurehead of the aborted think-tank conceived by the former SFA secretary, Ernie Walker.

"I have tried in the past with the SPL," said Advocaat.

"I tried to give them ideas on a youth programme but they just didn't want to listen to me.

"Rinus Michels was quite famous and was given an invitation to come here and speak to them. He came over to talk but they didn't listen to him, either. He had ideas but they said no thanks'," he added.