Respect to the league for covering the actual important aspect of the league shutting rather than just the footballing ones, like giving money to support the NHS and reviewing player wages to make sure the normal staff are still getting paid. Much as I miss football being on, it's not the important issue.
Could they void the PL due to the Coronavirus? | No | Resuming June 17th
- Thread starter Tarrou
- Start date
There is no way it can finish as normal now. There are 10 games left and training grounds are all closed, players will need at least a week of conditioning to get back to match readiness. That's 6 weeks at a minimum and if the league isn't restarted by early May it doesn't leave time for a summer break and pre-season - both of which are absolutely necessary.
Would it? Have even a top 7 side ever had a run as bad as that in the space of 9 games? I'm not saying we should just hand it to them but if/when the league is resumed there isn't a snowball in hells chance of them blowing it.
They will need more than a week. If they start in Mid-May, they would need a three week lead in which would mean training by the end of April. This is the thing that I think will cause the most issues to finishing the league. At this point (with no start by start of May) the potential start date is not the most pressing issue, it is when they can get the players fit.
I agree that there isn't a chance of them losing it. It's super super crazy odds of that happening. Maybe my wording was wrong but I'm of the same opinion that it's virtually impossible for them to throw the title away if it were to be resume. Virtually.
It made me laugh that McNulty was put forward as a neutral too
That's two statements in 3 days where they've basically said the same thing.
"We'll try and finish it innit"
Mixed with loads of whacko solutions in the press and scouse mafia soundbites.
Another 2-3 months of this ahead.
Pretty sure they said something similar 3 days ago?
Seems to me they're just trying to stay relevant, at the beginning of this I was wondering what they'd come up with, but now it's just mundane crap being spoken.
The premier league/clubs are not coming out of this looking good at all.
It smacks of a charm offensive to fans and the money men to leave everyone in no uncertain terms about how they've given every chance to play out the season.
Ridiculous comment!
Exactly!It made me laugh that McNulty was put forward as a neutral too
One thing all the "quick restart" people are forgetting is that even if we got a miraculous all clear by the end of April, each training ground and stadium will need a deep clean and in many cases will need a full safety inspection.
Given this will involve local government officials and Fire officers this will take a long time to sort out and football clubs will be well down the pecking order of priorities for such officials.
A delayed start to the next season or a start behind closed doors is the most optimistic remaining option. This season is lost.
Given this will involve local government officials and Fire officers this will take a long time to sort out and football clubs will be well down the pecking order of priorities for such officials.
A delayed start to the next season or a start behind closed doors is the most optimistic remaining option. This season is lost.
I also hate the "play in China" or "play BCD" angle I keep hearing about, it's like they don't even recognise that fans are a huge part of the sport, even if gate receipts are not as important as they once were.
Fans are basically being marginalised and if they keep this up I'm guessing a fair few fans will start to have their eyes opened and begin to revolt.
There's been a COVID break and if the previous season finishes in late July/early August, why the need for a pre-season?
Ignoring the fact that it would be great to deny the Scousers the title, I'm sure most fans would rather have football on TV than no football at all?
If you're totally ruling out behind closed doors you'll be waiting a long long time for any football. No way next season could go ahead without those conditions for a few months.
Definitely, but I'm guessing that isnt what's being discussed in these meetings, it just comes across as them wanting to do anything to get the season finished for financial reasons, the fans just seem irrelevant.
Whatever they decide for this season probably needs to be considered as part of a longer term solution. i.e. there's the specific case of this season and the circumstances we find ourselves in but the solution should work for future seasons with unknown situations too . Given there's a reasonable likelyhood of next season being disrupted, what do we want the advance plans to be? I don't think there's a scenario where the leagues say that unless a season is completed with all matches played then it's void and so I think they'll write something into the rules. We have no knowing whether this thing will bounce back every year for the next number of years. This is also how they can get around a lot of the self interest challenges. If all future seasons are going to be voided if they aren't complete, then teams can't just look at their current position and make a decision. There will still be a few teams that prefer, because it allows them to stay on the gravy train rather than risk relegation, but a lot of teams are not going to want to be on the outside for x years.
They could still do something different this year, but I suspect that they will want to come up with something that works next year too. It's why I don't think they will void the season, even if they don't play any more matches. Some teams will be mad, but that's going to be true regardless.
They could still do something different this year, but I suspect that they will want to come up with something that works next year too. It's why I don't think they will void the season, even if they don't play any more matches. Some teams will be mad, but that's going to be true regardless.
I’d rather watch classic matches than crappy BCD soulless crap matches. I don’t care if United get UCL this season, I don’t care who gets relegated but I don’t want to see Liverpool pick up their sympathy title for the sake of it just because they’re crying about it. Especially after their reckless and selfish decision to invite Atletico fans over when the virus had begun kicking off in Madrid.
Do all goals scored in the Carabao cup count towards a player's career total? But not FA Cup and league games? How do you accredit the goals to the player? Under heading 2019/2020 season? But that season was completely voided and all records nulled. Maybe an asterisk in the column, ah now you're talking. So where else could we apply an asterisk in the 2019/2020 season I wonder? :MillhouseEyebrows:
Liverpool FC would take any opportunities to suck their own dick.
Saturday 3pm blackout lifted for rest of season
Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter
Friday April 03 2020, 7.00pm, The Times
The Saturday 3pm blackout has been lifted for the rest of the season to allow any matches played at that time to be screened live on television, it can be revealed.
The move is a strong indication that the footballing authorities are preparing plans to play matches behind closed doors if necessary in order to get the season completed after the postponements of games due to the coronavirus crisis.
The lifting of the blackout has been confirmed by Uefa after requests from the English and Scottish FAs.
Premier League matches kicking off at 3pm on Saturdays would now be able to be shown by broadcasters Sky and BT Sport, as well as FA Cup games by rights holders the BBC and BT Sport.
All matches involving the 72 EFL clubs could also be made available via the ifollow service which is usually blocked on Saturdays.
The blackout has been in force since the 1950s to protect attendances at matches and encourage amateur players to take part in games on Saturday afternoons.
The rule is covered by article 8 of Uefa’s regulations but only applies to those countries which request it — and now only England, Scotland and Montenegro do so.
The Uefa regulation was updated on Friday and says: “Taking into account the current exceptional circumstances, Uefa has lifted the ‘blocked hours’ protection granted to the England and Scotland for the remainder of the 2019-20 season football season, following requests from the relevant national associations as a result of measures taken in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/saturday-3pm-blackout-lifted-for-rest-of-season-0c3t7z7hk
Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter
Friday April 03 2020, 7.00pm, The Times
The Saturday 3pm blackout has been lifted for the rest of the season to allow any matches played at that time to be screened live on television, it can be revealed.
The move is a strong indication that the footballing authorities are preparing plans to play matches behind closed doors if necessary in order to get the season completed after the postponements of games due to the coronavirus crisis.
The lifting of the blackout has been confirmed by Uefa after requests from the English and Scottish FAs.
Premier League matches kicking off at 3pm on Saturdays would now be able to be shown by broadcasters Sky and BT Sport, as well as FA Cup games by rights holders the BBC and BT Sport.
All matches involving the 72 EFL clubs could also be made available via the ifollow service which is usually blocked on Saturdays.
The blackout has been in force since the 1950s to protect attendances at matches and encourage amateur players to take part in games on Saturday afternoons.
The rule is covered by article 8 of Uefa’s regulations but only applies to those countries which request it — and now only England, Scotland and Montenegro do so.
The Uefa regulation was updated on Friday and says: “Taking into account the current exceptional circumstances, Uefa has lifted the ‘blocked hours’ protection granted to the England and Scotland for the remainder of the 2019-20 season football season, following requests from the relevant national associations as a result of measures taken in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/saturday-3pm-blackout-lifted-for-rest-of-season-0c3t7z7hk
They will want a holiday, for starters.
Transfer windows and new season preparations.
They need a rest before a new season.
They need a pre season after the rest.
So many reasons, and the last two are big reasons because it makes them more likely to get injured.
Martin Samuel is a marmite journalist. Calling out the lack of pay cuts in football atm. He also offered some interesting views on playing behind closed doors today which were interesting (not saying he's right). Thought I'd list some for people to consider:
"Really? Police? Without a crowd there are thousands of football played across the country each weekend that do not require police presence. Trust both teams and benchs to behave."
"The media. Serie A plan is host broadcaster and one agency photographer. No need to open the press box, we can watch it. The S*N is banned from Liverpool and Everton but match reports still appear in the newspaper all the same. It is not ideal but nor is a globan pandemic."
"Chefs and bus drivers? Not for the home club. Yes, under normal circumstances, a home team might travel in but it's not essential. There's no traffic and you've got a car park to yourself. Surely not beyond wit of players tp ,ale scrambled eggs on brown toast and car pool. Only an away team needs a coach and not always. Wimbledon once turned up for an FA cup semi final at White Hart Lane in fleet of private cars and mini van driven by Bobby Gould. They won."
"Finally coaches and medical staff. Are they all necessary? We know they like to think so and the two rows of tracksuits plus six in the stands on computers are vital to the efficent running of a team who are 17th in the league () but could clubs not agree on a limit of say, four? One to do the warm up, one to agree with the manager and one to argue with the fourth official.....And the smaller the operation, the fewer matchday staff required too."
"Of course issues remain about health and safety. As it stands, any ambulance or medical staff present seem unnecessarily diverted. An equal problem surrounds injuries. If a player suffered a broken leg, would his employers be happy sending said player to a hospital dealing with covid 19? There are questions nobody can satisfactorily answer just yet and football may delay its return as before. Yet some forward planning is common sense, and little else."
"Really? Police? Without a crowd there are thousands of football played across the country each weekend that do not require police presence. Trust both teams and benchs to behave."
"The media. Serie A plan is host broadcaster and one agency photographer. No need to open the press box, we can watch it. The S*N is banned from Liverpool and Everton but match reports still appear in the newspaper all the same. It is not ideal but nor is a globan pandemic."
"Chefs and bus drivers? Not for the home club. Yes, under normal circumstances, a home team might travel in but it's not essential. There's no traffic and you've got a car park to yourself. Surely not beyond wit of players tp ,ale scrambled eggs on brown toast and car pool. Only an away team needs a coach and not always. Wimbledon once turned up for an FA cup semi final at White Hart Lane in fleet of private cars and mini van driven by Bobby Gould. They won."
"Finally coaches and medical staff. Are they all necessary? We know they like to think so and the two rows of tracksuits plus six in the stands on computers are vital to the efficent running of a team who are 17th in the league (
) but could clubs not agree on a limit of say, four? One to do the warm up, one to agree with the manager and one to argue with the fourth official.....And the smaller the operation, the fewer matchday staff required too.""Of course issues remain about health and safety. As it stands, any ambulance or medical staff present seem unnecessarily diverted. An equal problem surrounds injuries. If a player suffered a broken leg, would his employers be happy sending said player to a hospital dealing with covid 19? There are questions nobody can satisfactorily answer just yet and football may delay its return as before. Yet some forward planning is common sense, and little else."
The season isn't finishing. It's obvious.
The idea of playing games in China is so insane it's actually hilarious.
Would they not wait until its safe to play and finish this season and cancel the following season?
Could be feb next year before see football.
Could be feb next year before see football.
Out of interest, did betting companies pay out on Liverpool winning the league already? What happens with all that stuff?
Is by far the most sensible option. The idea of trying to start a potentially 60 game plus season in the current climate is ridiculous. If a second wave of Covid 19 flares up you would have wasted time starting a new season to again have to abandon it. Anybody advocating for starting a new season in 2020 hasn't grasped the realistic length of time it will take for things to be completely back to normal.
Government will block it, guaranteed, stop doing this to yourself, it's over, deal with it.
But you think playing the rest of this season any time soon is plausible ?
if the league is null and void then all bets will be void so you would just get your stake money back. If you've already been paid out in cash then you're pretty safe, but if it's online the betting company could put your account on a minus figure and take the money off you.
Not any time soon, no. Not if you want full crowds and everything to be back as it should be, bearing in mind that the Euros has been rescheduled for next summer. This notion that the 20/21 season will be able to be played in full is fanciful.
I agree i had been hoping football would be able to return relatively soon but i just don't see it happening. Plans for all current and future seasons should be scrapped peoples health is more important and football should basically be mothballed for however long it takes for us to get a handle on the virus. Whenever the next august is that we have things under control then just restart football with a new season. Whether that is in August 2021, 2022 or even 2023.
Don't mean to downplay the seriousness of this virus, so many lives lost already.
But the remaining games are a much smaller subset that could (I'm not saying should) be done in a controlled manner/environment which a full season may not. Plus it could probably be before any second wave comes but past the peak of the first wave.If he actually wrote/said that then he's an imbecil, does he think a situation like Paris v Dortmund wont arise if/when Liverpool win the league?
Or if Sheffield United actually get top four?
Or if a team survives relegation on the final day?
Football journalism has never been great, but to completely dismiss the fact police presence will always be needed during football games is just plain idiotic.
Him comparing professional football with Sunday league down at the local field is pretty hilarious and puzzling
This 158-page thread smacks of mind-boggling lather, rinse, repeat with completely out-of-sync discussion.
The moderators need to close, preserve and pin this thread to remind us all many years later how Liverpool supporters spewed countless cockamamie ideas of winning the league and tried to justify everything in their loudest voices even in the midst of the biggest humanitarian crisis of our lifetimes.
The moderators need to close, preserve and pin this thread to remind us all many years later how Liverpool supporters spewed countless cockamamie ideas of winning the league and tried to justify everything in their loudest voices even in the midst of the biggest humanitarian crisis of our lifetimes.