Aberdeen legend John McMaster believes cash strapped clubs will have to turn to youth development when football emerges from the Covid-19 crisis.
The shutdown since mid March due to the coronavirus pandemic has battered clubs financially.
Reduced income will continue for the foreseeable future with games set to be played behind closed doors when football finally resumes.
Gothenburg Great McMaster, 65, believes clubs will have to slash future budgets and turn to youth.
Among the most recent youngsters to emerge through the Pittodrie youth ranks are Dean Campbell, Connor McLennan and Bruce Anderson, and McMaster feels the situation could open more opportunities.
He said: “The coronavirus pandemic will change football going forward.
“What could come out of this shutdown is that clubs will look to promote more youths into the first team.
“It will also give supporters the opportunity to see the talent coming through youth academies.
“Chairmen and directors who run bigger clubs may look at the situation after the virus and realise just how much money they were spending.
“This can offer an opportunity to look at the situation with fresh eyes and put ceilings on certain things.
“Especially for those involved in the top money leagues.
“They will realise if they hadn’t paid such high wages it would have been easier to survive.
“Clubs from the very top to the bottom should reassess their salary structure after the pandemic.”
The SPFL board called time on the Scottish Premiership campaign last week with eight rounds of fixtures remaining.
Celtic were confirmed as champions with Hearts relegated, although the Tynecastle club have not ruled out legal action in their fight against the drop.
McMaster, who helped Aberdeen conquer Europe in the eighties, insists ending the top flight was the right call.
He said: “It was a no brainer to declare the Premiership.
“It would take about a month to get the boys fit for a return.
“Even that was not going to be easy because it is not like players can suddenly turn up and train together as normal.
“There needs to be a lot of preparation for that.
“A decision had already been made on the three lower leagues to end.
“Everyone needed a decision to be made and now the focus can move towards next season.”
Aberdeen legend Alex McLeish was the guest on this week’s Northern Goal football podcast, listen here:
Aberdeen will hold discussions with their 11 fellow Premiership clubs on Monday in the first in a series of divisional meetings over league reconstruction.
Hearts owner Ann Budge is desperate to force through a reshuffle of the leagues in order for the Jambos to avoid relegation to the Championship, and circulated a proposal to switch to a 14-14-14 setup, which would also see Caley Thistle promoted.
Clubs will now be given the chance to discuss the proposal, which is expected to lead to a vote on whether to pass Budge’s motion through.