Higgins 'big believer in Irish League summer football'

Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins has called for the Irish Premiership to adopt summer football following his side's 8-0 aggregate loss to HJK Helsinki in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. The Northern Irish club lost the first leg 5-0 in Helsinki and the second leg 3-0 at Inver Park, with goals from Toivo Mero, Alfie Cicale and Mouhamed Gueye.

Higgins described himself as a "big believer in summer football" and argued that the current season structure, running from August to May, puts Northern Irish teams at a disadvantage in Europe. "To stop these kinds of results, to help our teams in Europe and we are potentially going to lose a European place, we have to change that," he told BBC Sport NI. "We need every advantage that we can get."

Coleraine are the third Irish Premiership side to exit the competition after Linfield and Glentoran, leaving Larne as the only Northern Irish team still with a chance of reaching the group stage. Despite the heavy defeat, Higgins felt the scoreline was harsh, noting that HJK themselves agreed it was closer than indicated.

The manager also revealed injury problems: club captain Mark Coyle has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, Aidan Wilson picked up an injury in Helsinki, and goalkeeper Ryan Schofield requires surgery after a training ground collision. Higgins acknowledged the squad needs reinforcements, particularly in defence, before the new season begins.