Could they void the PL due to the Coronavirus? | No | Resuming June 17th

[Redcy]

There's also know one that truly knows how long the virus will be around for yet it doesn't stop people quoting them and putting "footballs done" alongside it.

You are right noone does know anything, however I think most people being pragmatic cannot see this being done before July in a way that means games/training in any format can restart. Whilst its true that we could see it play out in shorter timescales its not obvious how that happens the three known solutions are:
1) A vaccine
2) A current drug that works
3) Isolation

The other thing that could work is all staff and players being tested prior to behind closed doors games. However the tests would need to be so regular, and they would need to be more accurate than the current ones, that I cant see players being willing to risk it.

 

[Ian Reus]

I see some posts from the furthest right you can go, (so the andromeda galaxy) on platebook saying northern Ireland should close the border with the south because of the growth of cases there.

Does the virus stop for customs?

 

[Pep's Suit]

Really? It's becoming clear from talking to people and looking at social media/forums the complete opposite is happening.

If I got a pound for every time I heard/read something along the lines of "I'm never going to moan about a Burnley Vs Norwich super Sunday again" I'll have enough money to make an attempt at finding a vaccine for this virus myself.

I've even read a few posts of people vowing to watch the J League if that returns as planned in early May.

This period will only strengthen the average persons love for the game, not weaken it.

Yeah, a lot of people are pushing some narrative how everyone will suddenly change and all that but I definitely don't see why.

 

[Dumbstar]

You are right noone does know anything, however I think most people being pragmatic cannot see this being done before July in a way that means games/training in any format can restart. Whilst its true that we could see it play out in shorter timescales its not obvious how that happens the three known solutions are:
1) A vaccine
2) A current drug that works
3) Isolation

The other thing that could work is all staff and players being tested prior to behind closed doors games. However the tests would need to be so regular, and they would need to be more accurate than the current ones, that I cant see players being willing to risk it.

There must be some mitigating factors these bodies are thinking of. Such as the three you mentioned above. I think furthermore they're probably aiming/hoping all fit and healthy footballers and staff have already been hit and have built up the IgL (?) antibodies where they are no longer a danger to anyone including themselves. This would require these anti body test kits to be readily available in the millions by June or July. Maybe football clubs being so rich will get the first lot (after national medical staff obviously).

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Exclusive: FA and Premier League planning to complete season behind closed doors in July restart
Exclusive: The Premier League and FA are planning on finishing the season behind closed doors starting in July, with clubs facing legal headaches over player contracts

By Joe Doyle
15:01, 28 MAR 2020 UPDATED 15:35, 28 MAR 2020

The FA, Premier League and English Football League are currently planning to finish the 2019/20 season behind closed doors over a period of four to six weeks starting in July, football.london understands.

All emphasis currently is on finishing the season and therefore avoiding the potential ramifications of an unfinished competition, including hundreds of millions of pounds in lost revenue for clubs.

With the current lockdown period set to end on April 13, clubs will be hoping that the conditions can be relaxed with players able to return to training.

Fixtures are postponed until at least April 30 at the moment, but the expectation is that there will be further postponements, with issues over insurance and player safety likely to stop any matches taking place until the crisis is over.

Those within some of London's Premier League clubs have told football.london they are yet to hear a firm proposal from the governing bodies on what will happen next, but are well aware that nobody knows as of yet when football in the country will be able to restart. All clubs are hoping the game returns sooner rather than later but it must be when the fears over players, staff members and their families' health are gone.

football.london understands that in a conference call between the three governing bodies and the government on Saturday, the plan was reached to complete the season in July, with games to take place behind closed doors over a period of four to six weeks unless the situation worsens in the UK.

This will then take the teams more or less straight into the new season, but there will be some allowances made to try and help players and clubs cope with what would essentially be an extended 2020/21 season.

Those potential measures could include cancelling cup replays, or even potentially scrapping the League Cup and EFL Trophy.

This would also bring up potential problems with players' contracts and incoming transfers, with the likes of Hakim Ziyech already agreeing to join Chelsea on July 1, while Willian and Pedro are set to be out of contract on that date.

However, those concerns are currently of a secondary nature, and would involve input from FIFA, including on when the transfer window is likely to open.

Whether players would be allowed to register for new clubs with a season ongoing remains to be seen, offering the prospect of a potential legal nightmare for a number of players and clubs.

The next Premier League meeting is scheduled to take place on Friday, where clubs could be told about a potential starting date.

https://www.football.london/premier-league/premier-league-coronavirus-closed-doors-18000224

What a pile of crap.

Who are we going to quote next? "Man from the (closed) pub"?

Clubs aren't going to be told diddly until we're miles down the road with this virus. That's weeks/months away.

 

[izzydiggler]

Really? It's becoming clear from talking to people and looking at social media/forums the complete opposite is happening.

If I got a pound for every time I heard/read something along the lines of "I'm never going to moan about a Burnley Vs Norwich super Sunday again" I'll have enough money to make an attempt at finding a vaccine for this virus myself.

I've even read a few posts of people vowing to watch the J League if that returns as planned in early May.

This period will only strengthen the average persons love for the game, not weaken it.

I can only speak for myself but for quite a long time I’ve struggled to balance my love of the club/the game with the greed of the people involved in it.

Reading the quotes/statements around what’s happening is not strengthening my love of the game at all. The fact we’re still talking about finishing the season, whilst the ‘world is burning’ because of the economic impacts etc just seems really crass and if they insist on finishing this season (apparently at any cost) and there’s no football next season because of it, I won’t be watching the remainder of the season.

Football has so much power...It’s a terrible time obviously but it could unite the country, pour millions into helping people etc but I’m not seeing it at all...the whole “it’s more than a game” just seems completely hollow. I think how they deal with this is so important to the future of the league.

 

[dumbo]

Playing out the season on FIFA and streaming it is the closest thing I can see to a safe and reasonable resumption to the season. Games can be played and broadcasted by sky/BT, Liverpool can get their digital title and the fans get to watch something.

All the other suggestions involving lots of real humans meeting up for a bunch of competitive contact games look utterly ridiculous, oblivious and greedy in comparison.

 

[JSArsenal]

I think it's naive to think life will return back to what it was pre covid19, in UK and every other country. Football as a sport will see many behaviour changes.

1. How comfortable will fans be to be crammed inside a stadium, even when it's declared safe? Think Spain and Italy too.
2. Will you be prepared to pay £70-£100 a ticket, when you've just experienced the financial hardships of not working and self isolation, knowing that could be re-introduced without warning and at any time?
3. During self isolation, people realise there is a lot more to life than football, and that this sport has been destroyed by capitalism. elite players earning ridiculous sums of money will have to stop, and clubs will also have caps for transfer fees and wages (also reduced income).

Many more that I cant think of yet!

I don't believe 3 is true at all or 2 for that matter. The two world wars, where millions of people died and the infrastructure of many European cities were destroyed completed.

That didn't stop football from growing, albeit not as fast today. Hell ten years after World War 2 started, the highest transfer fee more than doubled. This was fresh after a time of serious rationing, air raids, and economic uncertainty.

People will be craving to go back to a state of normalcy again and going to the game or down the pub is representative of that.

 

[Ronaldo's Mum Eh?]

Exclusive: FA and Premier League planning to complete season behind closed doors in July restart
Exclusive: The Premier League and FA are planning on finishing the season behind closed doors starting in July, with clubs facing legal headaches over player contracts

By Joe Doyle
15:01, 28 MAR 2020 UPDATED 15:35, 28 MAR 2020

The FA, Premier League and English Football League are currently planning to finish the 2019/20 season behind closed doors over a period of four to six weeks starting in July, football.london understands.

All emphasis currently is on finishing the season and therefore avoiding the potential ramifications of an unfinished competition, including hundreds of millions of pounds in lost revenue for clubs.

With the current lockdown period set to end on April 13, clubs will be hoping that the conditions can be relaxed with players able to return to training.

Fixtures are postponed until at least April 30 at the moment, but the expectation is that there will be further postponements, with issues over insurance and player safety likely to stop any matches taking place until the crisis is over.

Those within some of London's Premier League clubs have told football.london they are yet to hear a firm proposal from the governing bodies on what will happen next, but are well aware that nobody knows as of yet when football in the country will be able to restart. All clubs are hoping the game returns sooner rather than later but it must be when the fears over players, staff members and their families' health are gone.

football.london understands that in a conference call between the three governing bodies and the government on Saturday, the plan was reached to complete the season in July, with games to take place behind closed doors over a period of four to six weeks unless the situation worsens in the UK.

This will then take the teams more or less straight into the new season, but there will be some allowances made to try and help players and clubs cope with what would essentially be an extended 2020/21 season.

Those potential measures could include cancelling cup replays, or even potentially scrapping the League Cup and EFL Trophy.

This would also bring up potential problems with players' contracts and incoming transfers, with the likes of Hakim Ziyech already agreeing to join Chelsea on July 1, while Willian and Pedro are set to be out of contract on that date.

However, those concerns are currently of a secondary nature, and would involve input from FIFA, including on when the transfer window is likely to open.

Whether players would be allowed to register for new clubs with a season ongoing remains to be seen, offering the prospect of a potential legal nightmare for a number of players and clubs.

The next Premier League meeting is scheduled to take place on Friday, where clubs could be told about a potential starting date.

https://www.football.london/premier-league/premier-league-coronavirus-closed-doors-18000224

So another person that sees the logic of it starting back up in July. It's entirely possible - like I have been suggesting all the time during this thread.

Football will be back.

 

[stevoc]

So another person that sees the logic of it starting back up in July. It's entirely possible - like I have been suggesting all the time during this thread.

Football will be back.

Of course it will but probably not in July.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Listen, we are heading into April and realistically have until July to find a way for this season to start again. April to July is 3 months.. 3 months!!! That's an eternity. You guys are all assuming the US is not going to come up with a breakthrough in the science and research to figure this virus out.

There is also 750 million pounds on the table and so do you honestly think these clubs are willing to lose that? The only way this doesn't happen is if the players themselves (PFA) decides it's not safe enough.

Listen I'm like you guys I want this season null and void for the sake of humanity and not ruining the following season, however with the reasons stated above - we have lots of time left.

Also note that the epidimeologist went from predicting 500k deaths to now 20k deaths.

The numbers are coming down. Social distancing is working and the UK is not as bad the rest of europe.

You're holding out on the US finding a vaccine, mass producing it and (when they've sorted out their own country), selling it to the UK.... within 3 months? Good luck with that.

And.... "The numbers are coming down. Social distancing is working and the UK is not as bad the rest of europe" .... is almost Trump-like.

Not happening.

 

[dumbo]

Numbers declining, football soon, back to work, I didn't see it

 

[Klopper76]

Let’s say this keeps going on and it reaches October or even Christmas before things are back to normal and football restarts. Where does it restart from?

You can’t play out this season and have a huge gap until the next season can start as normal in August 2021. You can’t start a season that late and get it finished by June due to the number of games that have to be played.

What’s the solution in that scenario?

 

[Dancfc]

Let’s say this keeps going on and it reaches October or even Christmas before things are back to normal and football restarts. Where does it restart from?

You can’t play out this season and have a huge gap until the next season can start as normal in August 2021. You can’t start a season that late and get it finished by June due to the number of games that have to be played.

What’s the solution in that scenario?

Can see the season being played out before Christmas then the following two season's being calender season's upto Qatar 2022.

Then after that work on getting the calender back to normal, whether that's a one off big money tournament before re kick off in August 2023, or slowly work it back to normal in a few year timeframe.

Will bring issues with contract situations but aside from that seems the most sensible route to go down.

 

[awop]

Let’s say this keeps going on and it reaches October or even Christmas before things are back to normal and football restarts. Where does it restart from?

You can’t play out this season and have a huge gap until the next season can start as normal in August 2021. You can’t start a season that late and get it finished by June due to the number of games that have to be played.

What’s the solution in that scenario?

A year with league-only games. Calculate a fair package to give to the lower league clubs (PL clubs excluded from this) who rely on these competitions. Scrap the Nations League and have the bare minimum international breaks to prepare for the Euros. Then, gently send a "fck you letter" to Qatar.

 

[TheLord]

So another person that sees the logic of it starting back up in July. It's entirely possible - like I have been suggesting all the time during this thread.

Football will be back.

Wow. You're one adamant person, quite aloof from everything happening around you.

 

[Ian Reus]

Wow. You're one adamant person, quite affluent from everything happening around you.

 

[Spiersey]

UEFA president saying the season could be lost is probably the clearest sign of the league being voided yet I think. UEFA were adament that they would finish the CL but it seems they've accepted it'll be near impossible given Italy and Spain are decimated currently (with France and England to be the same soon). Once the CL is voided, it clears a huge headache for the leagues given the CL is invitation only. UEFA will decide who qualifies, most likely the same teams as this season and that will solve 50% of problems for leagues with voiding.

 

[Dante]

Prof Neil Ferguson, who's involved with the UK C19 strategy, said:

We’re going to have to keep these measures (the full lockdown) in place, in my view, for a significant period of time – probably until the end of May, maybe even early June.

We'll need to keep social distancing measures in place for a few months after that (so no contact sports like football or basketball, but F1 might be okay).

I guess at that point you could conceivably play matches behind closed doors with XIs made up of players who've recently tested negative. But that would mean that asymptomatic carriers wouldn't be allowed to play against anyone who's remained uninfected. If there's one of each on either team, which of the two would be allowed to take the field? There are too many logistical problems to solve for this to be feasible.

So Football would likely have to wait until all restrictions are dropped. Then there'll probably need to be a 3 week or so 'pre-season' for the players to get their match fitness.

I reckon it'll be the November or December at the earliest before football can realistically be played.

 

[SirAnderson]

Premier league.

The one division that should not increase prices...?

 

[SirAnderson]

UEFA president saying the season could be lost is probably the clearest sign of the league being curtailed yet I think. UEFA were adament that they would finish the CL but it seems they've accepted it'll be near impossible given Italy and Spain are decimated currently (with France and England to be the same soon). Once the CL is curtailed, it clears a huge headache for the leagues given the CL is invitation only. UEFA will decide who qualifies, most likely the same teams as this season and that will solve 50% of problems for leagues with curtailing.

I fixed that for you. Used the political correct word for the word that can't be spoken.

 

[SirAnderson]

Playing out the season on FIFA and streaming it is the closest thing I can see to a safe and reasonable resumption to the season. Games can be played and broadcasted by sky/BT, Liverpool can get their digital title and the fans get to watch something.

All the other suggestions involving lots of real humans meeting up for a bunch of competitive contact games look utterly ridiculous, oblivious and greedy in comparison.

Just love the seriousness in which you present the option of fifaing it out! Brilliant.
Guess it's better than nothing.

 

[Pexbo]

Something people continually miss when discussing how fit footballers or footballers with antibodies could be given the go ahead to play BCD to get this season finished is completely missing the idea that a single serious injury like concussion or a broken leg would mean a pointless trip to hospital and a resource completely needlessly used up because people are too arrogant to realise that football is really not as important as they think it is.

 

[SirAnderson]

So another person that sees the logic of it starting back up in July. It's entirely possible - like I have been suggesting all the time during this thread.

Football will be back.

Yeah because a random person/article says so, it must be true. Great stuff.
Ignore all the actual logic that suggests otherwise.

Yes football will be back, but not with the logic you using

 

[Tarrou]

Something people continually miss when discussing how fit footballers or footballers with antibodies could be given the go ahead to play BCD to get this season finished is completely missing the idea that a single serious injury like concussion or a broken leg would mean a pointless trip to hospital and a resource completely needlessly used up because people are too arrogant to realise that football is really not as important as they think it is.

i think an ambulance and a doctor is required to attend each game as well

 

[BootsyCollins]

i think an ambulance and a doctor is required to attend each game as well

This is another reason why it wont start anytime soon.
Imagine the NHS already beeing short of staff, and then even more because football.

 

[FootyGirl88]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Member 101269]

This is another reason why it wont start anytime soon.
Imagine the NHS already beeing short of staff, and then even more because football.

Imagine that; the luxury of football being granted essential staff while people are on ventilators. The easy at which this spreads, the lack of routine testing, knowledge of who has and has not got/had the virus makes even playing behind closed doors improbable.

Wuhan was on full lockdown for 47 days, we don't even have that yet.

MEDIA

Thanks Sammsky1 for posting the video

 

[philipos]

I have already said this is the most sensible solution.

Can see the season being played out before Christmas then the following two season's being calender season's upto Qatar 2022.

Then after that work on getting the calender back to normal, whether that's a one off big money tournament before re kick off in August 2023, or slowly work it back to normal in a few year timeframe.

Will bring issues with contract situations but aside from that seems the most sensible route to go down.

 

[Judas]

I have already said this is the most sensible solution.

How is a outlandish, very disruptive, completely taking apart the calendar and basically rewriting it the most sensible solution it's absolute fan fiction.

 

[arnie_ni]

So another person that sees the logic of it starting back up in July. It's entirely possible - like I have been suggesting all the time during this thread.

Football will be back.

Not in July

 

[Dancfc]

How is a outlandish, very disruptive, completely taking apart the calendar and basically rewriting it the most sensible solution it's absolute fan fiction.

Absolute rubbish, why are people so insistent that the August-May calendar has to be religiously stuck too at all costs?

 

[arnie_ni]

Absolute rubbish, why are people so insistent that the August-May calendar has to be religiously stuck too at all costs?

Contracts for one. They all end June. Cant have players leaving mid season when they shouldnt be

 

[Dancfc]

Contracts for one. They all end June. Cant have players leaving mid season when they shouldnt be

Yeah contracts is the one issue but that's just it, one, out of all the solutions to sort it this way has the less problems. I'm sure they'll find some way round the issue, I'm fairly confident most out of contract players would sign short term extensions in the circumstances but if not, it's about about adapting, upto early 00s we had the transfer window open for most of the season so if we have to revert to that again in the short term so be it, I'm sure the PL and FA would rather that over law suits that will come with almost every other idea of fixing this situation.

The reality is this on the whole is an unusual situation, the virus plus the world cup in 2022 has left the prospect of the standard August-May season's in short term jeopardy and we need to adapt accordingly. Football will resume and I think it will happen a lot sooner than a lot of people think but football as we traditionally know it is gone for a few years.

 

[Gio]

UEFA president saying the season could be lost is probably the clearest sign of the league being voided yet I think. UEFA were adament that they would finish the CL but it seems they've accepted it'll be near impossible given Italy and Spain are decimated currently (with France and England to be the same soon). Once the CL is voided, it clears a huge headache for the leagues given the CL is invitation only. UEFA will decide who qualifies, most likely the same teams as this season and that will solve 50% of problems for leagues with voiding.

I'm not really sure what difference it makes if it's voided rather than completed. The CL starts at the end of June. The problem isn't about who should qualify, it's how to change the format for next season to adapt to a reduced timescale to fit the competition in.

Contracts for one they all end June. Cant have players leaving mid season when they shouldnt be

Many contracts will be rolled forward, which is happening in most industries where there are timebound contracts in place and project delivery has been interrupted.

 

[Sandikan]

I have already said this is the most sensible solution.

I think you're mixing up "most sensible" with most utterly ludicrous.

 

[Sandikan]

Absolute rubbish, why are people so insistent that the August-May calendar has to be religiously stuck too at all costs?

There's tweaking details a bit and there's utterly Annihilating things

 

[arnie_ni]

I'm not really sure what difference it makes if it's voided rather than completed. The CL starts at the end of June. The problem isn't about who should qualify, it's how to change the format for next season to adapt to a reduced timescale to fit the competition in.


Many contracts will be rolled forward, which is happening in most industries where there are timebound contracts in place and project delivery has been interrupted.

You think someone like raoila will let a players contract foll forward without a fight? No chance

 

[Dancfc]

There's tweaking details a bit and there's utterly Annihilating things

Damage is already done on that score.

 

[Terminator]

Can see the season being played out before Christmas then the following two season's being calender season's upto Qatar 2022.

Then after that work on getting the calender back to normal, whether that's a one off big money tournament before re kick off in August 2023, or slowly work it back to normal in a few year timeframe.

Will bring issues with contract situations but aside from that seems the most sensible route to go down.

One of the most important aspects especially for lower league clubs who have a high % of loan/short term contract players. Will bring a lot of legal problems, this isn't as easy as it sounds.