Kilmarnock consider call-off request to aid Euro bid
Kilmarnock win 1-0 in Tromso last week to reach the Conference League play-off round
- Published
Kilmarnock are considering asking for their Scottish Premiership match against Aberdeen next Sunday to be postponed to help their bid to qualify for the UEFA Conference League.
Derek McInnes' side travel to face FC Copenhagen in Denmark on Thursday night in the play-off round before the return leg at Rugby Park a week later.
A trip to Pittodrie comes in between but with millions of pounds and valuable European coefficient points at stake, Kilmarnock believe there is a case for their league game to be rescheduled.
Scottish clubs and managers have asked for games to be moved to improve their chances in European football over the years, but such requests to the SPFL are usually declined amid a busy calendar.
For example, earlier this month Rangers manager Phillipe Clement urged the Scottish authorities to follow the example of the Ukrainian league in postponing a league game before the clubs' Champions League third qualifying round tie.
BBC Sport Scotland has approached the SPFL for comment.
'We’ve got a shot at it'
Kilmarnock lost out to Cercle Bruges in Europa League qualifying before dropping into the Conference League and causing an upset against seeded side Tromso.
"It’s exciting for us to be going to Copenhagen as a club," said McInnes. "For us to dig out a result that we did in Norway and then do the same in Denmark, it’s a big ask for a club like Kilmarnock with the resources we've got.
"But we are determined to make the best fist of it as possible. It’s an opportunity to get around £5m for the club. That’s way more prize money than we can ever get from winning a cup in Scotland or anything else.
"We’ve got a shot at it. We’ve earned the right and we look forward to the challenge. Hopefully we can go to Copenhagen and deliver a performance I know we are capable of."
