Yet another delay raises major questions around EFL process as Sunderland and League One clubs face more uncertainty

The EFL this morning announced that after considering feedback from clubs, they will still plan to pursue their proposed framework for settling the current season in the event of a curtailment.

However, they have also said that clubs will not vote on this until Monday 8th June at the very earliest.

It means yet another week of uncertainty for clubs on both sides of the debate, and also raises significant questions about the process itself.

The EFL has again stated its view that the fixture list be fulfilled when safe to do so.

But in announcing yet another delay, they have significantly reduced the chances of this being possible.

Consider that Rick Parry has already told clubs that 56 days would be required to complete the campaign. He has also said that due to the widespread expiration of contracts across the pyramid, the season cannot continue past July 31st.

Even if clubs voted to resume on June 8th (and this is not guaranteed), then there would realistically need to be a short period for players to be taken off the furlough scheme and for clubs to adequately prepare their training grounds in line with the excellent and extensive protocols that have been proposed by the EFL to ensure player and staff safety.

There would then need to be at least three weeks of training before competitive fixtures could resume. Many managers insist that it would have to be four.

Under the current timescale laid out by the EFL, the prospect of concluding before August therefore seems fanciful at best and outright impossible at worst.

The EFL had previously proposed some sensible measures to work around the potential contract crisis, such as pushing back the date at wich rivals could approach potential free agents, and also allowing short-term extensions to be offered.

The reality is that each delay pushed the likely result of a vote towards curtailment, in contrast to the governing body's own stated aim.

The EFL have, in fairness, been in a very difficult position from day one.

It is right and proper that given the enormity of the issues at stake, clubs are given ample time and a proper platform to share their views.

The current impasse, though, benefits no club, no matter what side of the divide they stand on.

Those who want to resume see the chances of that reduced with each passing day.

Those that want to be able to make decisive decisions on squads and such like ahead of a potential new campaign, remain largely unable to do so while there is no clarity on what will happen to the current season (though Lincoln revealing their retained list on Thursday night was both a sign of the direction of travel, and probably an indication as to how unlikely a vote to resume now is).

All the while, key issues such as what kind of rebate may be demanded by broadcasters, and when a new season might begin and what that means for clubs, remain unanswered.

It's an unenviable position for any governing body to be in, but the time for decisiveness is surely now.