Early start could help SPL clubs' Euro chances

NEIL Doncaster believes that an early start to the domestic season would help the chances of Scottish teams in Europe - but reminded the clubs that it is up to them to vote for it.

The issue has raised its head again following Celtic's 3-0 defeat by Braga in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifier in Portugal last week.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon claimed an earlier start to the Clydesdale Bank Premier League campaign - which this year is scheduled to begin on 14 August - would have been beneficial. The Parkhead side won the return game 2-1 on Wednesday night but lost 4-2 on aggregate and now drop into the Europa League play-off round.

Scottish Premier League chief executive Doncaster yesterday pointed to the Swiss league which started on 17 July, as proof that an earlier start to the season could help Scottish clubs in Europe.

Switzerland are ranked 15th in the coefficient list, just two places behind Scotland.

Doncaster said: "I've heard Neil Lennon's comments about the season start date and I think it is certainly relevant to how teams do perform in Europe.

"If you talk to the Swiss, who enjoy a European co-efficient probably higher than a lot of people would expect them to have, they put their high coefficient purely down to the fact they start early.

"So I think we need to look at those lessons and have a proper discussion with clubs and have an open mind as to when we start.

"But the league can't make many decisions of its own accord. We can lead the debate and I think that's the right role for a league.

"Ultimately it's for the clubs to decide what they want to do."

Doncaster, speaking at Hampden Park where the SPL launched a new three-year partnership with Coca-Cola, was less enthusiastic about the idea of playing right through the summer.

"People talk about summer football but we've got to remember that only three out of the top 25 leagues actually play through the summer," he said. "With the World Cup and European Championship, that's a very difficult prospect. To have a league that stops and starts according to the vagaries of the international calendar is difficult. But a potentially early start date is worth examining. It's possible to look at the season start date without playing through June.

"We are starting on 14 August, I think we need to be open-minded about whether there is an earlier start date that might help us in Europe. The season start date for next year is not set and when the clubs sit down in early autumn to discuss it I'm sure they will be thinking about their experiences this summer."

On another on-going issue in Scottish football, league structures, Doncaster was more reticent.

"It's a work in progress," he said. "We involve the clubs in every stage of the progress.

"I'm not going to put any defined timescale on it."