'Self-interest must be put to one side' - Larne owner Kenny Bruce calls for united approach to NI football's return

Larne owner Kenny Bruce says "self-interest" must be put to one side before football in Northern Ireland can return from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Northern Ireland Football League has said it will ask the Irish FA for an extension to the 2019-2020 season.

"We want to make sure we exit this crisis with a united Premiership, Championship and a united front with NIFL and the IFA," said Bruce.

"That is going to require strong leadership and ongoing dialogue."

Speaking in an interview with BBC Sport Northern Ireland, Bruce admitted a consensus is yet to be reached across the 12 top-flight teams with regards to nominations for European competitions and funding from European games.

"You can't have a scenario where two or three teams are looked after and the other nine feel they have been dealt a poor deal.

"We have a wonderful product in Northern Ireland and I don't think this crisis should stop the progression we've made so far."

• NIFL to seek extension of 2019-20 season

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Uefa, European football's governing body, has given Northern Ireland's football authorities until 25 May to submit plans for finishing the 2019-20 season.

Football in Northern Ireland is currently suspended until 31 May, but it may not return for several months following the publication of NI Executive's five-stage Covid-19 recovery plan, which said physical contact sports should not return until the fifth and final stage.

Bruce, who bought Larne in 2017, believes that football will not return before September and that supporters will not be allowed back into grounds until possibly 2021.

"I think we clearly know that we're not going to be playing football until September or October at the earliest," added the Larne FC owner.

"We may not be playing in front of supporters until December or January.

"From our point of view, the players are absolutely essential. We all agree that we can't engage in sport, even behind closed doors, until it's safe to do so for staff and players.

"When we have the principles agreed for the nominations, how we finish the season and how we commence next season, it's time to start the dialogue with the players because going back to football at this stage is not on the horizon.

"It's the players and their families that could be affected even if we play behind closed doors."

While admitting that the coronavirus pandemic is the "biggest crisis football has seen since the Second World War", Bruce believes it also represents an opportunity for innovation.

"I see these types of things as opportunities.

"I think there are lots of things we could be doing from an innovation point of view, and I think football has an opportunity to come out of this crisis stronger than it went into it.

"That has a lot to do with innovation and positivity, trying different things and I'm open-minded with having a dialogue with whoever wants to be involved as to how we come out of the crisis stronger in order to evolve our game to be more successful in the future.

"There are lots of things. I am absolutely in favour of some form of cross-border competition because I think it can benefit the football clubs."