Scottish Cup ‘curtain-raiser’ excites Cormack
we will play both the semi and final when we get back, which will be a really good thing to do,’ said Cormack. ‘We don’t know how everything is going to shake-out yet but that would be exciting.
‘We have never been through this before, so we ABERDEEN chairman Dave Cormack last night raised the prospect of a three-match Scottish Cup curtain-raiser to next season.
While all eyes focus on the fate of the suspended SPFL league season, the SFA’s flagship tournament also remains unresolved and to resume. And he would love to see that match, along with the other semi between Edinburgh rivals Hibernian and Hearts, rolled up into a quick-fire Hampden package that sees the trophy presented before the commencement of the 2020-21 campaign.
‘My understanding is that ought to have played out its semi-final ties over the course of this weekend.
Cormack expects his club’s fixture against Celtic, originally scheduled for today, to go ahead as soon as Scottish football is given the go-ahead TURN TO PAGE 133
don’t know if it will take a number of months before we get there but a curtain-raiser to next season would be excellent.
‘It would provide a real positive focus on Scottish football.’
Although unhappy at being rushed into a decision, on Friday Aberdeen voted for the SPFL proposal to end the second, third and fourth tiers with immediate effect.
As of last night, that vote remained unfulfilled as Championship club Dundee considered whether to rethink their natural inclination to reject the proposal that would determine titles, promotion and relegation based on current positions.
A yes vote from Dundee would pass the plan and set a precedent for the Premiership, who will make a decision after a UEFA meeting on April 23.
In the meantime, it has been decreed that no Scottish football will be played until June 10 at the earliest and, when competitive action does return, games could be played behind closed doors as the long-term response to the coronavirus pandemic continues.
‘It’s very difficult to see us going from a shutdown and isolation to playing in front of 50,000 people the next day,’ admitted Cormack. ‘It (a closed stadium) wouldn’t be ideal but it shouldn’t be off the table.
‘But we need to find a way to let people see the matches, especially if everyone has been isolating at home.
‘There are mental health issues and people get a lot out of football. If they can’t see games in stadiums, then the next best thing is to see a competitive game on television.’
The June 10 date is also significant as it marks the point at which many players will reach the end of their current contracts.
FIFA are currently working on a proposal that might offer the chance of short-term extensions to allow an incomplete season to be fulfilled by the same playing squads but Cormack insists he would be comfortable to see next term’s teams utilised in the outstanding cup fixtures.
‘I am probably a bit biased because we have hardly anybody out of contract this summer,’ he said. ‘But we also need to be pragmatic about what is ahead of us on player transfers. Who would want to sign for two months and get injured?
‘I think it’s important from a sporting integrity standpoint to play the games. There are a number of issues but I would be happy to go forward with next season’s squad.’
The financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic has yet to be fully quantified but, regardless of the final numbers, Cormack admits manager Derek McInnes’s summer transfer plans have effectively been shelved.
He added: ‘It would be unfair on the players if, after they agreed to deferrals over a significant period of time, we turned round and started signing other players.
‘From a morals and ethics point of view that is not the right thing to do.
‘So we have no thoughts about any recruitment at all. We’re going to be working with the squad we have.’