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Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley. Aleksandar Djorovic/INPHO

Shamrock Rovers boss urges FAI to consider extending Premier Division season

Stephen Bradley feels it would be beneficial in the future to reduce length of the off-season and says fellow managers are in agreement.

STEPHEN BRADLEY SAYS the majority of League of Ireland Premier Division managers would be in favour of extending the domestic season to avoid fixture congestion.

The Shamrock Rovers boss will take his side into the newly established league phase of the Uefa Conference League later this year, provided the Hoops donโ€™t pull off a famous comeback against PAOK in the Europa League play-off tomorrow.

Rovers are 4-0 down from the first leg in Greece which means it is the third-tier competition that will be their most likely destination.

The league system has replaced the traditional group phase and guarantees Rovers six games โ€“ three home and three away โ€“ against six different opponents. St Patrickโ€™s Athletic can join them if they beat Istanbul BaลŸakลŸehir later today (kick-off 5pm Irish time).

The initial stage of the Conference League runs from 3 October to 19 December, with Rovers playing 10 more Premier Division fixtures before their final game against Waterford on 1 November.

Regardless of their European exploits and the need to schedule friendlies to keep his players ticking over into the winter, Bradley feels altering the domestic calendar should be looked at in the future.

โ€œI actually donโ€™t mind the extending of the season as it obviously means your off season is shorter, which is not a bad thing. Our off season is too long. What we have to do when the [Uefa Conference League] draw is made on Friday is looking at friendlies and who we can get and play in between them games,โ€ he said.

โ€œWeโ€™ll look towards Scandinavia if we can, similar sort of seasons. Thatโ€™s what weโ€™ll start planning after Friday, once we see the draw. But yeah, in terms of extending the season itโ€™s not a problem considering how long we have off.

โ€œItโ€™s too long. I get itโ€™s a complicated one, extending the season at both ends and other clubs will give out about it financially to pay players extra, but I think thatโ€™s what we need to be looking to get to.โ€

The FAI made the decision to postpone Dundalkโ€™s league game with St Patโ€™s last Sunday in order to give the Dublin club more time to prepare for this eveningโ€™s tie while the derby between Rovers and Bohemians this Sunday will kick off at 11.30am to ensure a police presence, rather than rescheduling the game for a more traditional time slot.

โ€œItโ€™s definitely too long,โ€ Bradley said of the off-season. โ€œI think weโ€™d all agree on that. It would make the schedule a lot easier. It seems like every year we have a conversation, debate or someone is giving out about scheduling. I think it would make all of that a lot easier.

โ€œWe want it and speaking to a lot of other managers in the Premier Division, they want it as well. I donโ€™t think there is any doubt about that. The majority are full-time. I understand the resistance has come from the teams in the First Division, more so.

โ€œBut if we want to keep improving the league and moving it forward, thatโ€™s definitely something we need to look at. As a whole, it needs to be really considered. We have no reason to have three and a half months off. I know itโ€™s every now and then but weโ€™re snowed in for a month or so. We have no reason to have that time off.โ€

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    Mute Ollie Fitzpatrick
    Favourite Ollie Fitzpatrick
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    Aug 28th 2024, 3:26 PM

    Bradley is only covering for his own and Rovers inadequate performances this season. He forgets there are seven other clubโ€™s in the League. What will they do?? Twiddle their thumbs?
    Whoโ€™s gonna pay the wages for the players and staff on the down days? Not all clubs are as wealthy as Rovers, St Patโ€™s etc.!!!

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