TNS manager Ken McKenna has never won a European tie

TNS were knocked out of the Champions League at the first hurdle on Wednesday for the second successive season.

And McKenna said: "Maybe we could have a three-week break after the New Year when the pitches are bad, and then extend the season by three weeks.

"Teams in Europe would have a better chance of sustaining their fitness."

Only three Welsh Premier clubs - Barry Town, Carmarthen Town and Rhyl - have progressed through a round in Europe in 14 seasons of trying.

Had the first leg been 10 games into our season, we would have scored two or three goals TNS manager Ken McKenna

Frustrated managers have always blamed a lack of match practice and fitness for their failings because the games are always played in July - more than a month before the start of the Welsh Premier season.

Their opponents, usually from Scandinavia or Eastern Europe, are often mid-way through their season, giving them a distinct advantage.

Despite being one of only two full-time clubs in the Welsh Premier, TNS looked short of fitness against MyPa on Wednesday

The Saints gave themselves a great opportunity to progress past the first qualifying round after losing by just 1-0 goal in the first leg in Finland.

But they produced a strangely subdued performance in the home leg, and never looked like recovering after going a goal behind after six minutes.

"Had the first leg been 10 games into our season, we would have scored two or three goals," McKenna argued.

"We created enough opportunities, but couldn't get enough people in the box to finish them off.

This idea has just come into my mind, but I haven't got the answer and I don't expect anyone to listen to me TNS manager Ken McKenna

"We suffered a lapse in the home leg, and because of the time of the season we weren't at our best.

"But that performance is not a true reflection of football in the Welsh Premier.

"It's so frustrating and I don't think it's fair when people outside the league criticise the clubs who play in Europe.

"Anyone with have an understanding of football knows that it's heavily stacked against us."

The concept of summer football has always received a frosty response from the majority of Welsh Premier clubs, and McKenna is pessimistic about the chances of his suggestion being accepted.

"It's easy for me as manager of TNS to say we should do this or we should do that because we're a full-time team," he told BBC Wales Sport.

"There's a lot of part-time teams in the league and their feelings have to be considered.