Decision on this season’s League Cup is deferred until January

The NI Football League confirmed the decision yesterday with the new season set to begin next weekend.

With limited midweek availability for games due to the delayed start to the season NIFL said it will prioritise the league in the hope of completing a full 38 game season by 22 May.

A final decision on the running of the competition though will be made in the new year.

“We’ve had conversations at board level and also with the competition sponsor and we have collectively decided to defer a decision on this season’s competition until January,” said Managing Director Andrew Johnston.

“That will let us see where we are in terms of the fixture schedule.

“If we are to play the League Cup we want it played to its fullest potential. We don’t want a competition that we’re trying to shoehorn into various dates.

“I think it is a responsible decision by the board, and also the sponsor.

“We will let the league season get up and running and we will defer the decision on the other competitions.

“The majority of the Premiership clubs wanted to play 38 games.

“October 17 represented the last date where it would be possible to fit in those 38 games.

“Clubs have acknowledged it is going to be a busy season and that is one of the reasons why we have said to look at the League Cup.

“We know it’s a challenge, but it is doable.

“There are a number of free midweek dates that we have not used, we are up against Champions League fixtures but we coule request permission in order to keep things flowing.

“If we have the scenario of a circuit breaker or even bad weather we do have enough room to reschedule games.

“There isn’t an awful lot of wriggle room, we will just have to be very efficient in getting the games played and not let any available dates pass.

“We will be looking to schedule those games at the first available date, where possible.

“At Championship level there could be a reduction in games as not every team has floodlights and also the less games clubs have the less costs they will incur.

“We are hoping to be in a position to crack on with a decision on that next week, that’s why the decision was made to delay the start until October 24.”

Mr Johnston also confirmed that NIFL is working on further protocols regarding the curtailment of a season, and what happens games if a number of players from on team test positive for Covid-19.

“We are looking at a policy around the curtailment of the season,” he explained.

“Trying to learn from the scenario we have had in the last six months the board is looking to put a policy in place that everyone is aware of in advance of the season commencing in the event of the season being suspended.

“UEFA have designed a protocol aimed at getting games played and we in many ways are looking to adopt that protocol.

“As long as a club has 13 available players, one being a goalkeeper, we would look to have the game played.

“That is being replicated across Europe and how the Irish FA are going to manage their respective cup competitions."

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