Be careful what you wish for is an oft-used saying coming across as more and more relevant in the contest of the WOSFL's attempts to restart their league season after the current Covid-19 lockdown ends on 14th February.

The wording comes to mind in the wake of Interim Management Group officials holding a Zoom meeting with the SFA and other lower league associations last Wednesday which saw the powers-that-be on Hampden Park’s sixth floor manage to make Boris Johnston and his Government look competent.

Harsh? Well how else can one describe reports coming out of the meeting of Rod Petrie & Co reputedly cowing to arguments that testing for coronavirus would be prohibitive in terms of cost and not possible at lower league level just over a fortnight down the line from the aforementioned SFA chairman declaring with no little conviction that a three-week suspension of matches and training was an absolute necessity because:

”The risk of mass transportation of untested, largely part-time players is something that cannot be sustained as the cases continue to rise and available hospital beds become increasingly scarce.”

Without testing at lower league level, this risk is not in any way mitigated so while Boris and his Government have carried out more U-turns during the pandemic than a learner driver, it’s hard not to conclude this abrupt 'change of tack' by the Scottish game’s governing authorities really does take the biscuit and might well be construed in the fullness of time as akin to throwing players under the bus.

Hard to think otherwise seeing as a green light for a resumption will put the onus on strip-wearers to gamble on their wellbeing and regularly come together (three times per week) in groupings of 20-25 (as well as the same number of households) despite current guidelines to the contrary.

A further planned review on Wednesday 10th February is set to ultimately decide on a definite restart date but encouragement and positive vibes have been taken from WOSFL Match Secretary Kennie Young announcing a provisional fixtures list over the weekend and clubs are already gearing themselves up for a mid-February return to training with a view to playing competitive matches again as soon as early-March.

The IMG have enough on their plate however if restart preparations get the go-ahead then they are likely to be also inundated with requests to allow member clubs to resume the playing of friendly matches for match fitness reasons which might prove to be a thorny issue as a ban on such contests has been in place ever since Boxing Day as a means of the WOSFL helping the Scottish Government to increase coronavirus restrictions.

Maintaining a sense of perspective amid all the clamour surrounding the prospect of the leagues getting underway again is Kilwinning Rangers manager Chris Strain.

He insisted: “Clubs need to start back sooner rather than later if we are to stand any chance of playing the season to a finish.

“For that very reason I would like to see agreement reached on a mini pre-season of no more than a week’s duration to carry out fitness preparations as well as a total veto on all friendly matches.

“As I see it, no club will gain any advantage as we are all in the same boat after being idle since before Christmas so why prolong the break longer than is absolutely necessary when time is already against us.

“Other managers I’ve spoken to are united in wanting the full fixture list completed and that remains our aim even though the WOSFL have said they will revert to a PPG basis as long as 50% of games have been played.

“It’s a far from ideal for us here at Kilwinning Rangers given we have little margin for error after dropping six points up to now however these WOSFL parameters  were known before a ball was kicked in anger so we just have to go along with it.”

Ready and willing to accept anyone of a number of scenarios that might yet unfold is Michael Kennedy, manager of ambitious Darvel.

He said: “It’s getting up on almost a couple of months since our players began working to individual training plans and we simply cannot continue going down this road.

“A call has to be made one way or another and I’m resigned to the fact we might not get the go-ahead for March but I’m equally comfortable if a halt is called and Darvel stay where we are and look to next season.

“Our preference is to play out the season to a conclusion and have the title awarded to the team finishing top of the pile but that is looking more and more unlikely in the current climate.”