The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Uefa leave decisions to SPFL
Dundee United’s title fate lies with the SPFL after Uefa appeared to wash its hands of decisions about the domestic game, writes Marc Deanie.
Vice-president Michele Uva – a former CEO of Parma, Lazio and the Italian Football Federation – yesterday passed the buck to Hampden chiefs and associations across Europe facing similar dilemmas.
It presents the SPFL with the nightmare scenario they have been trying to avoid since the game was suspended earlier this month following the coronavirus outbreak.
Uva, 55, said: “It is not a matter of our competence – it will be each league to decide.
“The only question concerns those players who are due to expire on their contracts or loans as of June 30, but it does not concern Uefa which will only ask for a list of teams that will participate in the next European cups by a certain date.”
Uefa announced two weeks ago that Euro 2020 was being put back a year, with Scotland’s playoffs to get into the rescheduled tournament optimistically pencilled in for June.
But, as clubs waited for European football’s governing body to rule on domestic affairs, a working group with league and club representation to “examine calendar solutions” was set up instead.
The SPFL could opt for an ‘as-it-stands’ solution to the campaign which would see the Tangerines, Celtic, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers crowned champions.
Hearts have signalled their intention to take legal action should they be relegated from the Premiership as a result.
Voiding the 2019-20 season remains an option, as does restarting it behind closed doors when the suspension is lifted, and there have also been calls for league reconstruction.
On Friday, conference calls between all 42 SPFL clubs and league bosses took place but no decisions on how to conclude the campaign were made, with football not expected to return until August at the earliest.
Last week Jim Goodwin, the manager of top-flight side St Mirren, said he would have no complaints if United and Celtic were handed titles in their respective divisions.