Michael O'Neill believes the performances in Europe from Irish League clubs this year adds weight to the argument for summer football in Northern Ireland.
Crusaders, Cliftonville and Ballymena United all progressed through a round of the Europa League while Linfield just missed out on the group stages.
The debate on how football in Northern Ireland can improve has gained plenty of traction in recent weeks.
All-island competition and summer football are two proposals that continue to divide opinion, but Northern Ireland boss O'Neill believes such conversations are needed to help improve football here.
"I can't change things. I can only give an opinion on it," he said.
"If anything, what the clubs did in Europe showed this summer is that if they played summer football, they would do even better.
"It doesn't show we are doing things right.
"At the end of the day the champions go into the Champions League game but we didn't get past the first hurdle, whilst the other clubs got through their first Europa League round.
"I definitely think if we were further prepared, they would have a better chance. And it is the most lucrative income stream clubs have here.
"Look at Linfield, they played at their best the further they went in the European qualifiers.
"They didn't wipe the floor with the team from the Faroe Islands, yet they went on to play Qarabag in the final round four or five weeks later.
"So it shows you the improvement they made as the rounds went on."
O'Neill believes changing the domestic season to incorporate the summer months wouldn't be the seismic shift many critics have claimed.
"I don't even call it summer football. If you look at it, there are probably eight or 10 weeks a year where clubs aren't playing football. So you are only moving 8 or 10 weeks of the season," he said.
"So 75 per cent of the season will be the same, roughly.
"So it is about being strategic to give your clubs the best access to the most lucrative stream of income that they can get.
"I think the clubs are trying extremely hard, but there are still not enough young players playing in the league.
"The data and the minutes prove that. We need the league to produce more Gavin Whytes, Stuart Dallas', and hopefully the clubs can continue doing that."
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