Speaking to The Scotsman, former SPL chief Roger Mitchell is currently on lockdown in Italy where he lives with his family.
Mitchell has been outspoken on social media in recent years when it comes to matters relating to Scottish football and he’s always forthcoming.
The big question gripping our game at the moment is who the league should finish.
Will we simply wait until we can restart football?
Do wee declare it null and void?
Or Do we call it as it stands?
Being in Italy who is way down the line compared to Scotland when it comes to Covid-19 – there’s one thing Mitchell is sure of – there will be no more football this season.
Who wins what we now call the Scottish Premiership? Who gets relegated?
“That’s a very big question and just about every day you asked it I would have a different answer,” says Mitchell. “So here’s where I think we are today: Uefa want the domestic leagues restarted by the end of April but I know a lot of football people around Europe and that’s total fantasy. The thing is, the leagues know this, so we are in this phase where everyone is pretending there will be a finish.
“What my friends are saying to me is that at some point Uefa or the national governments will instruct the football bodies to call an end to 2019-20. This will be done. The season will not be null and void. Promotion and relegation will be decided. There’s a formula for ascertaining likely points totals but I don’t think in Scotland this will change anything: Celtic will be champions and Hearts will be down.”
So if his Scottish scenario comes to pass then surely Rangers will go crazy and Hearts will sue? “I don’t think Hearts will. I think Hearts have accepted the situation, which is why they’re making these cutbacks. And I think Rangers have accepted it too, although they won’t actually say this. My understanding is that Scottish football has pulled together and realised this is a black swan moment, a total crisis, and that it’s time decisions were made with clear heads and not passionate hearts.”
That’s a big statement to make but not an unlikely scenario.
The Ibrox club would likely make noise which would appease their fan base who will try to discredit runaway winners Celtic, but the noise from the club itself would dissipate quite quickly.
Hearts, on the other hand, would surely try everything in their power to keep themselves in the Premiership.
It really all depends on UEFA and how they ultimately deal with the season. While Celtic are runaway leaders, the Jambos are only four points adrift with eight games to go – many of these games after the split when they’ll play those around them.
