Irish Premiership: Some clubs made decision tough for NIFL says Linfield's Mulgrew

Linfield skipper Jamie Mulgrew believes some people behaved "unprofessionally" during the negotiations that led to the end of the Irish Premiership season.

The Blues were crowned champions via a mathematical formula, having held a four-point lead over Coleraine when the season was suspended in March.

Mulgrew said Linfield had wanted to win the title on the pitch.

He accused "certain individuals" of making life difficult for the Northern Ireland Football League.

The recent decision making process was a protracted affair with the league's 12 top flight clubs unable to reach a consensus.

"There has been a lot of criticism of NIFL who obviously have done a lot of fantastic work over the years to promote our league and make it a better product," said Mulgrew

"I genuinely think that they have done that and I wouldn't have liked to be in their shoes.

"I don't think that individuals made life easy for them by plastering everything on social media and in my eyes being unprofessional."

NIFL presented clubs with two options for concluding the season, one that would see each side play two more games and the other for the campaign to be ended via a mathematical formula.

The proposals were rejected with Linfield one of the few clubs in favour of the two-game option.

"We as a club have always said, and continue to say, throughout the whole process that we would have liked to have played out the season and win it in the correct manner," said the 34-year-old Linfield skipper.

"Unfortunately those games weren't possible, clubs didn't want to do that and this is the next best way."

Friday's decision confirmed Linfield's third title in four seasons, with the Windsor Park side holding off a strong challenge from Coleraine.

An impressive run through the Europa League qualifiers took Linfield to within one round of reaching the competition's group stage.

Their European journey left them playing catch-up in the league for much of the season in terms of games played.

"I felt that we were starting to perform at the right time," said Mulgrew.

"Like ourselves Coleraine would have thought they had a good chance if the season was played out, and rightly so.

"If we are all being honest the league was a two-horse race anyway.

"I certainly have sympathy for Coleraine, they put in a fantastic effort and had a fantastic season."

Linfield can now look forward to another crack at the Champions League qualifiers, and hope to draw on some of their positive results in last season's European run.

Having been knocked out of the Champions League picture, the Blues impressed in Europa League outings, beating Qarabag 3-2 in their home leg.

"We had a fantastic run last year in the competition, something that we never thought as a club," Mulgrew said.

"We made it possible. We sort of dreamed the further we went on of getting to the group stages.

"Playing a top-class team like Qarabag and taking them so far was a fantastic journey for all of us, the ride was incredible.

"We got a hunger for that and would hope that we can replicate that, if not get one step further."