Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton believes that the “conversation needs to be had” regarding a move to summer football, if Irish League clubs are serious about making a real impact on the European front.
Speaking at the league’s official launch at Windsor Park, Magilton was responding to questions on how the league can be more competitive in Europea.
After a poor European campaign from all the local sides, he believes that the subject should be back on everyone’s agenda.
“We (the clubs involved) failed miserably in Europe, in my opinion,” he said.
“We couldn’t compete with clubs that played or are in the middle of their domestic season.”
Asked if he though a change of active seasons would have the potential to change the fortune of local sides the Reds manager was clear.
“Yeah, it would.
“I’ve seen it both sides. I had the opportunity to work with Michael (O’Neill) at Shamrock Rovers when they were bang in the middle of the season.
“They were fit, they were a quality group of players, but fitness did play an awful lot in qualification, and I’m a firm believer that if our lads were at better fitness levels and better prepared, we would certainly give these sides a game,” he added.
“If you want to be competitive in Europe, and the goal for us is to finish high enough in the league or win a trophy to qualify, and then you compete in Europe, it’s very, very difficult, I don’t care who you are.
“Larne struggled too, but there has to be serious thought around that. We put on a show in the Irish Cup final last season, and it cost us more to police it than we brought in after winning the trophy.
“I think if we get an opportunity to look at it and look at the money that can be brought in through European competition, as a financial decision, then I endorse it 100 per cent.”
Without the budgetary clout of the full-time sides in the league, Cliftonville have also had to deal with the loss of two prolific scorers in the close season, with Ronan Hale and Ben Wilson both departing for Scotland.
However, Magilton says that although difficult to replace, he would not stand in the way of players progressing their careers in a full-time environment.
“It is hard to replace them, but we don’t stand in anybody’s way,” the former Northern Ireland International said.
“Of course, the clubs will stand their ground when it comes to what they get, and that’s a credit to them.
“But, to stop a player, any player, young or old, no we won’t do that, as long as they meet the valuation of the club.
“And good luck to them, they were both great players at the club. Now, we have to do our very best at the club, and we will.”
The Reds kick off their league campaign this Sunday against newly-promoted Portadown at Solitude, in the hope of improving on their third-placed finish last season.