Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass has called for the Premiership winter break to be brought forward.
The top-flight is set to shut down on January 4 for close to three weeks.
Glass wants that break to begin earlier to avoid playing to near empty stadiums.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed outdoor events, including football, will be limited to 500 people from Boxing Day.
The restrictions will be enforced for three weeks in a bid to control surging Omicron infections across the country.
Aberdeen confirmed the club will suffer a £500,000 financial hit due to the restrictions.
Pittodrie was set to be packed for games against Dundee on Boxing Day and Rangers on December 29.
Glass wants those games played at a later date in front of unlimited supporters.
The Dons boss believes Aberdeen provides a ‘safe environment’ for games to be played in front of a crowd at Pittodrie.
He also slated Holyrood’s decision as ‘crazy’ to let Aberdeen’s game at Hibs go ahead with unlimited crowds on Wednesday whilst slashing numbers just days later.
Glass said: “I don’t know how they can say it’s safe on Wednesday night – but it isn’t safe in three or four days.
“It’s kind of crazy, if you ask me.
“If you know it’s not safe, it’s not safe.
“But I don’t make the rules.
“I would rather bring the winter break forward, if that’s going to be the case.”
Large crowds expected for Pittodrie
It is understood informal talks have been held between Scottish Premiership clubs about bringing the winter break forward a week.
Aberdeen had anticipated bumper crowds for the Pittodrie double header over the festive period.
Those games traditionally bring higher attendances.
The Red Shed, Main Stand and Richard Donald Stand lower tier were all sold out for the Dundee and Rangers games.
On Boxing Day 2019, the last festive period before the pandemic, the Reds had a crowd of 14,518 for a 2-1 defeat of Livingston at Pittodrie.
The previous year the Reds had a 20,027 crowd for a 4-3 loss to Celtic on Boxing Day.
Glass said: “I would rather play in front of crowds.
“We have Dundee and Rangers at home and have sold a lot of tickets.
“There are a lot of people home for Christmas, these are huge games.
“I think everyone would rather have those games played in front of a crowd, in the safe environment that the club have provided, in the open air.”
The threat of Omicron to clubs
The SFA and SPFL Joint Response Group (JRG) is in discussions with Scottish Government on behalf of clubs to ensure any loss of income will be compensated via the Covid-19 support fund announced by the First Minister.
The JRG are holding ongoing consultations about the impact of the new restrictions.
Premiership clubs St Mirren and Dundee United have both suffered covid outbreaks in the last week.
The JRG recently made it a requirement of all 42 clubs across the SPFL’s four divisions to conduct daily covid tests.
So far Aberdeen have succeeded in avoiding an Omicron outbreak but Glass fears such is the high transmissibility of the variant it is ‘a matter of time’ before every club is affected.
He said: “We have at the moment (avoided Omicron) but looking at society I think it’s a matter of time before every club gets affected.”
Vast majority of Dons vaccinated
Glass confirmed the vast majority of the Aberdeen squad has been vaccinated.
The 45-year-old has himself been double-vaxxed and has also received the booster.
He insists players are not forced into being vaccinated.
On the percentage of players vaccinated he said: “I know it’s very high. We might be almost at maximum.
“It (vaccination) is not something you can push because there’s a health issue that if you tell people you have to get this and something happens to them you’re liable.
“I think there are recommendations from the medical team but nobody is told you have to do anything.
“I chose to get the vaccine then the booster because I’m old enough.”
The mental health benefit of football
Glass insists Aberdeen are well aware of the health threat of the current Omicron wave.
However he insists there is a mental health aspect regarding the bond and release football can provide.
Many families will be reunited for Christmas and will have planned to attend games.
That experience has now been denied to them.
He said: “People grow up following their team.
“At this time of the year, when things can be pretty tough, there is something they can cling on to. It’s a local pride and the same for teams throughout Scotland.
“A lot of people come home for Christmas, they haven’t seen their family for a couple of years in some cases.
“And they want to go to the game with them.
“They’ve probably planned it.
“There is a health aspect to it which I’m not ignorant of, of course I’m not.
“In an open-air venue, where things are checked, there have been things put in place to keep everyone safe.
“But I don’t make the rules. We’ll abide by them, whatever they are.”
Nothing deviates from preparation
Aberdeen played to empty crowds at Pittodrie for the entire 2020-21 season apart from one pilot game against Kilmarnock in September 2020.
Only 300 fans were allowed in for that game – then the shutters came down again.
Glass will tonight lead his side out against Hibs at Easter Road in front of an unrestricted crowd.
Then just four days later it will be all change with a maximum of 500 permitted inside the 20,000 plus capacity Pittodrie.
He says it will not affect his preparations for the festive games- if the four matches go ahead as currently scheduled.
Aberdeen face Hibs, Dundee, Rangers and then Ross County away on January 2.
Glass said: “Where I stand is we prepare our team to play football matches. Nothing deviates from that.
‘The hope is that there are people in the stadium when you play.
“Nothing alters your preparation, you just know you want to play in front of crowds.
“I think there is an appetite from the public to be there, as well, they’ve shown that this year.
“But it’s not something I can decide.”
