Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Airdrie eye extension
Airdrie director Stuart Millar has called for a transfer window extension amid claims players will require ‘a mini pre-season’ if and when League One returns.
Millar says it’s common sense to allow teams more time to rebuild and says it’s unrealistic to expect players to just get right back into games after the SFA suspended the lower leagues on January 12.
Diamonds director of football Millar said: “Hopefully, depending on the Scottish Government, Scottish FA and SPFL, football can get the go-ahead if it’s safe to do so, but it’s impossible
just to start straight back up.
“I don’t know whatthe minimum wouldbe but my guess wouldbethat youwouldneed at least another week or 10 daysto get yourself organised, reintroduce players to the group, the manager to coach ideas, and to get going again.
“Thelonger it’sleftthelonger you needyour pre-season again, it’s impossible to get backdoing what you were before with a day ortwo’s notice, that wouldn’t makesense.
“Collectively, youneed to train together, the manager needstimeto assess the fitness levels of each individualand obviouslyyouneed to train as a squad and get used tothe touch of a ball again.
“You’ll need a goodpre-season.there are a numberof clubs during January in Leagueoneandtwo who havesigned loanplayers and theywon’t reallyhave had achance to actually trainwith their team-mates, so all these differentthings meanyouneed a pre-season.
“I don’t know whenwe wouldbe due to restart or anything, but during the summer it tendsto bea goodbreakfor the players, sixweeks.
“On this occasion it’s already acouple ofweeksand it might goto fouror five; in pre-seasonyounormallyneed acouple ofweeksand thenfriendlymatches before youget going again.
“Youwouldneed thesame requirements to get you up and running again.”
Ongiving clubs more timeto bring players in, Millar said:“i tend tothink there will bea bitof common sensethere and they’llextend the transfer window forthelevelthat we’re at,because it’s due to finish in a fewdays’time for certainly thetopdivisions.
“They always allowed an extra month so you could takea playeron loanfroma leagueabove you, likethe Championship orthe Premiership, buti have no doubtsthatthe powers that be would extend that to accommodate the lower leagueclubs,with theeffect it has had.”