Relegation big issue as FAI continue talks with clubs to find a way to restar t season
would still have to have something to play for this season, so the possibility of promoting two teams with a play-off for the third placed team is also being considered.
That means that the 2021 season would see 12 teams compete in the Premier Division.
“We’re still not there,” Tommy Higgins, Sligo Rovers Chairman, told The Sligo Champion yesterday (Monday).
“Hopefully good will come out of tomorrow. We’ll still have to do a lot of fundraising to get the season back up and running but hopefully we can.”
Earlier in discussions, there were suggestions that games would be played in neutral venues, but that seems to no longer be the case.
The Government announced last week that up to 500 people would be allowed to attend outdoor sporting events from July, which means that the ‘behind closed doors’ rule is no longer needed.
On the state funding pledged for sports organisations, Mr. Higgins says that they have not yet been made aware of how that will be divided out.
“All we’ve heard about that (funding) is what was released over the weekend and we won’t know until tomorrow. We’re very hopeful that by this week it will all be sorted and we’re all ready to go soon.
“Games will be played at home which is very positive. We probably won’t at first have many people there and we have to look after season ticket holders as well so I would be hopeful that maybe by September we’ll have a lot more people allowed to come into the Showgrounds, that would be brilliant.”
Sligo Rovers, like all clubs, are eager for action to return, but with a short season looking likely, they would prefer if they knew they would not be relegated.
“The season is quite short then, it’s only 13/14 games but there’s a lot yet that has to be ironed out, relegation etc. How long does the season go on for, the FAI Cup. This week will be crucial,” Higgins said.
He added: “We signed up for a 36 game season and there’s a huge difference in it.
“It definitely goes against the teams who didn’t have a good start. We would fancy our chances in a 36 game season, you have plenty of time and you’d have players back.
“The league are trying to finish the season, it’s a compromise. I think we’ll work it out. It’s in everyone’s interest to get back playing, we all want to get back playing and we just have to work out these things.”
It’s a difficult situation for the FAI. They are not blessed with the finances of other football associations, mainly through their own mistakes, but the fact that the season was only five games old when it came to a halt means that it is vital solutions are found to continue the season, no matter what the cost is.
“I have a huge amount of sympathy for the FAI who have enough on their plate cleaning up the previous mess without the Covid being landed on top of them.
“It’s a huge problem both trying to sort out the league and the finances.
“Nobody knows what way the government funding is going to be divided up yet but I’m sure we’ll have word on that. Decisions will have to be made quickly if we are to finish the season before Christmas.”
Changes have also been made to the European qualification games.
All Europa and Champions League qualifier games, including play-offs, will be single leg games rather than a home and away leg.
“If you look at the European games, they reckon one leg now and it will either be home or away. Nothing is the same. We’re just trying to recalibrate a season to get it over and done with in the best possible way that suits everyone. Everybody’s not going to get exactly what they want but hopefully we’ll figure it out.
“Every association has to cut the cloth according to what finances are available. The timeframe too is important, we’ve lost four months. We’ll be into July next week, we’re running out of road for finishing the season.”
The Rovers chairman praised the attitude of the club’s players throughout the pandemic. All of the club’s staff were temporarily laid off back in March.
“The players have been great. They’ve been very supportive and they’ve been very good. The discussions with the players have been terrific. They’re looking for certainty as well because everybody’s livelihood is up in the air at present, inside and outside football.
“The same with Liam (Buckley - Sligo Rovers manager). They’re all anxious for certainty. It’s the same for every club. If you look at England, there’s a huge amount of uncertainty and clubs are letting go of players and they still don’t have a date for when they’ll re-start next season.”
The resumption of the League of Ireland is complex, and with most player contracts set to expire in November, it means those would have to be extended should the season go on past the original completion date of November.
It is likely we will know more this week about the plans to restart the season, but it is extremely tricky and complex.