Declan Bonner is among the many intercounty managers hoping to hear confirmation on Tuesday that the Government has given the go-ahead for training to begin after Easter.
His Donegal team have the additional motivation of wanting to put 2020 in their rearview mirror as soon as possible. Having shaped up as likely three-in-a-row Ulster champions for the first time and then a major obstacle for Dublin, they then crashed in the provincial final against an inspired Cavan side, winning a first title in 23 years.
“Yeah, 100 per cent,” he says. “It was such a difficult defeat to take. The only way to get that out of the system is to get back out there as quickly as possible. That was never going to be the case and we knew that quite early. Having thought that we’d get back in January we realised quickly that wasn’t going to happen.
“You’re talking about November 22nd so that’s December, January, February and March. They’re the four months and all we want to do as a group is get back training collectively and get back playing matches. It hasn’t been easy. I’ll not lie about it.”
With four children mixed between third-level study, Leaving Cert year and a daughter working as a hospital doctor, Bonner sees the broader problems of the year-long disruption to everyday life.
“Looking at it from the point of view of society as a whole, there’s a lot of doom and gloom out there. You think about the mental side of what’s going to follow.
“One of the things I felt strongly about from day one was the closure of all the pitches. Guys and young lads couldn’t get out there in the outdoors and weren’t able to let out a bit of frustration. It’s a full year that’s been taken away from them.”
Fingers crossed, he believes that the orderly progress of last year’s intercounty season plus the relatively low risk of outdoor activity should add up to a green light for 2021 in which case he would like the league to act as a preliminary to the championship.
“I think that would be important. It’s very difficult to go straight into championship with no time to find your feet and look at the personnel and where they’re at. It’s going to be a highly competitive league this year the way it’s structured. We’re in with Tyrone, Monaghan and Armagh.
“There’s always hope in the background that you’re getting back out there and that’s kept us all going. It’s getting close to being able to get back out on the pitch. I know it’s not the same without supporters there but getting back and playing some really good, competitive matches is something I’m really looking forward too.”
The GAA has been taking nothing for granted in relation to the permission to proceed and is waiting for the official announcement before signing off on structures for the season.
Last year, the return came in autumn and was followed by a winter championship, run on the basis of pure knock-out – a format last seen 20 years previously.
Bonner agrees when asked does he feel that this penalised Ulster teams because of the competitiveness in the province. Having beaten Tyrone and Armagh, both Division One counties this year, Donegal lost the final
“There’s no doubt about that. That’s been the case down through the years. Even if you go back to the heady days of the early ’90s when it was all knock-out championship, you had teams who were winning All-Irelands playing the first round of the championships and one of them would be gone for the summer.
“Look at this year’s league group. You’ve Donegal, Armagh, Monaghan and Tyrone playing in Division One and none of them even won the Ulster title last year. Cavan won, so it’s very competitive.”
With no draw as yet made for the provincial championships and no crowds likely to be allowed, he’d like to see an open-draw championship, nationally.
“If it’s going to be knock-out again this year and with no spectators, this would be the ideal time to go with an open draw for 32 counties. Even if you went with a home and away format for the first round, it would guarantee everyone two games and still be run off over six or seven weeks.
“Particularly if there’s no time to run the league, this would be an ideal opportunity. There’s no revenue coming in anyway so why not try it. Even if there was a qualifier system built in, it’s still worth trying. No seeding – just open draw and Donegal could get Dublin or Dublin get Tyrone or whatever in that first round. So be it.
“There’s be a fair degree of interest around it and it wouldn’t take a lot of time.”
