Rangers manager Walter Smith believes the current Scottish Premier League 12-team set-up with the top-six and bottom-six split has run its course.

He feels an 18-team SPL would be ideal, but unrealistic in Scotland, and a 10-team league could reap rewards.

"We do need a change," said Smith. "Quite a few problems occur which don't occur in normal leagues.

"When we had a 10-team league we had a situation where teams like Aberdeen and Dundee United had successful periods."

In a series of meetings held in October to discuss improvements in Scottish Football, a 14-team league was one of the options put forward.

Further talks are planned on the matter, but the SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster said it would be too ambitious to initiate any agreed changes in time for next season.

However, Smith feels a restructuring of Scotland's stop league needs to take place soon.

"The 10-team league was competitive and we had good crowds and Scottish teams full of Scottish players, so maybe that is something they could revisit.

"But I think the change to the number of teams in the league is necessary.

"If everyone was looking at an ideal situation, you would be looking at a bigger league and you would be talking about going to a league of 18.

"But I don't think we can do that in this country."

After two of Rangers' SPL games against Dundee United and Hearts were postponed due to the poor weather, Smith was also delighted that Saturday's match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle will go ahead.

And while he believes there is little to be added to the calls for the SPL winter break to be reinstated following the recent cold snap, Smith believes any decision taken should be adhered to.

"We are always in favour of a winter break after a week like we've just had and then it seems to die away," said Smith.

"If we are going to do it then we should do it and keep it, or keep on going in the manner we are doing."

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