Alex Salmond is once again becoming involved in football. And he is once again missing the point as well.

With the imminent passing of his party’s highly controversial, and probably ultimately ineffectual, Offensive Behaviour at Football & Threatening Communications Bill, followed today by his own comments on Rangers’ administration and liquidation worries – in which he expresses a very questionable viewpoint, to say the least – it would not be a big surprise to see Salmond’s Scottish National Party (SNP) suffer a downturn in support.

Have you ever heard of a politician who advocates someone getting away with the evasion – or perhaps more accurately, avoidance – of tax? No, me neither. In fact, the only time politicians seem to be fine with anyone cheating the system (no, cheating the country) is when it is them doing it themselves.

It is both a surprise logically and potentially damning politically to hear Salmond sticking his two pence in to a situation which, quite frankly, has nothing to do with him. Continuing that notion, the financial situation at Ibrox has literally nothing to do with Celtic either. Yet seemingly every article, interview and radio show seems incapable of disassociating the two.

The opinion expressed by Celtic’s chief executive Peter Lawwell – that the club is equipped to not only survive financially, but continue to flourish regardless of Rangers’ presence in Scottish football – has for the most part gone ignored or ridiculed. Indeed, the club released a statement condemning Salmond’s stance just hours after his opinion was made public.

Salmond is no different to most mainstream media personalities in disagreeing with Lawwell’s assertion. This in itself is not a problem - he is as entitled to his opinion as anyone else. The problem, however, is Mr. Salmond’s contention that HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs) must come to “a settlement whereby Rangers can continue because Rangers must continue for the future of Scottish football and for the fabric of the country”.

This attitude is terrible. Rangers cheated the taxman and should be treated no different to any other “tax cheat” in society. Unfortunately that could eventually mean liquidation for them, but what makes Rangers untouchable compared to any other business? They will be back, whether under the same guise or different is debatable, but Rangers will not simply cease to exist, the fans will make sure of that.

Salmond heads a party who, for the last half a year, has spent a vast amount of time pushing through legislation which is supposedly aimed at stamping out sectarianism and the influence of political beliefs in football. He is First Minister of Scotland, and is hoping to achieve independence in 2014; the last thing he should be doing is giving people – or in political parlance, the electorate – an excuse to distrust him.

Unfortunately for him, that seems to be exactly what he continues to do. To hear suggestions of political and economic leniency from him in favour of one club – regardless of the size of this club – simply stinks of hypocrisy. Take some advice from your own party, Mr. Salmond, and keep football away from your politics.