The FAI have told League of Ireland clubs to calculate how much money they would lose from closed-doors football before dismissing the idea completely.

Abbotstown officials and the National League Executive Committee want clubs to analyse the financial impact of a variety of scenarios that would save the 2020 season if they satisfied government guidelines.

The prospect of a June 19 return has not been definitively ruled out, but it is effectively accepted that the only way football will return before the autumn is behind closed doors.

There is no guarantee this will receive the green light as it would be dependent on where HSE guidelines stand at that juncture; with massive doubts lingering over contact sports being permitted.

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It's understood provisional plans would involve players being tested every three or four days, while a full analysis of every stadium and training ground would be mandatory before people are allowed back into them.

Before that process is instigated, clubs would have to agree to the concept of a closed-doors resumption. There is considerable opposition because of the Irish reliance on match-day income and playing budgets would have been calculated on that basis.

The FAI want officials to report back next Monday with the facts and figures and they will then set about exploring how much revenue could be generated by behind-closed-doors games through TV deals and associated streaming and sponsorship.

One idea raised in talks has been to centralise the income from any streaming arrangement so it doesn't disproportionately favour clubs with larger support bases.

The idea of RTÉ showing one game a week as others are streamed has been mentioned but the feasibility of this solution needs to be worked out.

St Patrick’s Athletic have temporarily laid off their players and staff for three months after reasoning that statements from Government ministers and public health officials made it clear that “sporting events involving large crowds, and therefore League of Ireland football as we know it, are most unlikely to recommence until autumn at the earliest”.

The Saints are struggling after seven weeks without income, and are reliant on the backing of owner Garrett Kelleher. They would have the biggest budget of the clubs that haven’t qualified for Europe.

Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians and Derry City, the four teams that have qualified for UEFA action, have been informed to plan for the possibility that their lucrative qualifying matches would take place at the end of July.

Therefore, those clubs would be keener than most to return to the pitch given the value of those fixtures.

A meeting of the FAI and the National League Executive Committee laid out the main scenarios. The main options are:

- A June 19 return behind closed doors and a December finish with the possibility of stadiums opening to spectactors at some stage provided they comply with HSE guidelines

- A July or August resumption again dependent on government and HSE advice.

- A deferral of all activity until September with a shortened season culminating at the end of December

- A deferral of all activity until September with a full fixture programme extended to run until February 2021.

The FAI are gearing towards a recommendation ahead of the next major Government announcement on May 5.

Cork Hibs and Home Farm legend Bacuzzi dies

The death has occurred of David Bacuzzi, an English-born League of Ireland legend due to his exploits with Cork Hibs and Home Farm.

He passed away due to Covid-19 related issues in Dublin earlier this week. Bacuzzi joined Cork Hibs in 1970 following spells with Arsenal, Manchester City and Reading.

As a player-manager, he led the Hibs to a league title win (1971) and two FAI Cups (1972 and 1973) before his controversial sacking that resulted in a relocation to Dublin and a lengthy stay in the dugout at Home Farm. Bacuzzi later served on the staff of Shamrock Rovers. He was 79.

Irish Independent