St Johnstone boss says a decision on league revamp must be made soon

Jul 19 2011 by Greg Christison, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

SAINTS boss Derek McInnes has demanded football authorities make a decision on the future of the top-flight sooner rather than later.

The comments followed the Scottish Premier League’s annual general meeting at Hampden yesterday, where representatives of all 12 clubs met to discuss changes to the league including play-offs and promotion.

Speaking to PA Sport, McInnes said: “For me it feels like they’ve exhausted it.

“You can only band something about for so long.

“There are too many different opinions and if they can’t agree to change, they have to keep it at 12 teams and make it better.”

Despite refusing to get involved in the long-running saga, which also includes discussions over the possibility of an SPL TV channel and a potential merger with the SFL, McInnes admitted the idea of a play-off was appealing.

He added: “I sometimes think it is foolish for managers to get involved in it because we aren’t qualified to understand the financial side of it.

“Personally, I don’t think there is too much wrong with a 12 team league.

“If they can tinker it and make it a bit more imaginative in one or two areas then I think we can get to a solution. But you can’t keep everybody happy.

“The idea of a play-off for me is pretty appealing, like it is for any supporter. I can see the excitement and merit in that.

“I just know for us, the frustrations as a First Division club where we finished runners-up on a couple of occasions and it meant nothing.

“We need to give more encouragement to teams in the SFL to get into the Premier League.

“We’ve seen it from both sides and are also well aware that if they do bring in a play-off, the percentages of being relegated increase.

“But you still have 30-odd games to get yourselves away from that.”

Although the proposals were discussed at yesterday’s meeting, it appears an agreement on league reconstruction is no closer.