Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins insists that adopting a summer football schedule is essential for the Irish Premiership to remain competitive. His comments followed his team’s 8-0 aggregate exit from the Uefa Conference League at the hands of HJK Helsinki. Higgins argued that the current format puts local clubs at a disadvantage against better-prepared European opponents.
Higgins pointed to the success of the League of Ireland, which operates on a summer model, as proof of concept. He noted that the southern league has improved significantly over the past two decades, surpassing the Irish League in quality and European performance. He suggested that resistance to change is holding the sport back and that adopting a similar calendar is necessary to stop lopsided defeats in continental competition.
Regarding the recent match at Inver Park, Higgins felt the 3-0 loss was misleading, noting that his team showed spirit despite a difficult period of injuries. Coleraine faces a depleted squad with captain Mark Coyle out with an ACL injury and goalkeeper Ryan Schofield scheduled for surgery following a training collision. Higgins emphasized that addressing these personnel issues is a priority as the club prepares for the upcoming domestic season.
