Aberdeen star Niall McGinn has been left wondering whether now is the time for league reconstruction – but hopes the Scottish Cup semi-final between the Dons and Celtic can get played.
Many ideas are being floated in the midst of Scottish football’s shutdown, which could last until as long as September. One idea mentioned is whether now is the time to change how the top flight is made up.
Niall McGinn has spoken out. (Photo by Scott Baxter/Getty Images)
Turning it into a 14 team league with no relegation and putting Dundee United and Inverness up from the Championship has been mooted. For Aberdeen’s McGinn, he wants clarity before providing definitive statements on such matters, although the Scottish Cup should be brought to a conclusion regardless of when we start again.
“You can run all day or train all day but none of that is ever the same as doing all the work together as a team and actually playing football,” he told the club’s website. “There are different options.
“I know league reconstruction is one option being spoken about. I don’t know how realistic that is, but is it an opportunity to sit down and see how we can improve Scottish football? I can maybe speak more about that in the weeks ahead as things develop.
“The Scottish Cup is separate from the league, so regardless what decisions the SPFL make, the cup competition should get finished, even if that means the semi-final against Celtic is our first game back.
A game against Celtic must go ahead says McGinn. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
“That has to be the hope anyway. Who knows, we will just have to wait and see what happens. But there are far more important things than football at the moment.”
Cruel to can things
League reconstruction would certainly be an interesting and drastic measure if it came to that. Whether it’s for the best is an argument of its own, but it would certainly change the face of Scottish football.
Aberdeen are in a Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic and sit fourth in the Premiership currently, well in the race for European football. For their endeavours to be canned at this stage would be cruel.
But everyone is in the same boat, so the SPFL have to find a happy-medium for everyone, where possible.