Potentially the last match-day before another lockdown?

[TheNewEra]

The UK Government looking at a new tier 5 as 'serious concerns' over record highs: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55475240

Continuation of Club football 'not-wise' deemed club doctor: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55475640

Premier League announced 18 new covid cases (record-high): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55476257

With potentially new regionalised lock-downs, surging infection rates, how long until football is cancelled again?

 

[Offside]

They should just take 3 weeks off and vaccinate all the players. Class them as key workers.

 

[RUCK4444]

It certainly looks to be on the cards.

I hope not though, it’s the last thing we need.

Cant they just up the amount of testing and impose stronger restrictions on PL employees including players as a condition to continue it.

Maybe one of those ‘fire breaks’ for 2-3 weeks or something.

 

[RedDevil@84]

I would think there will be lot of pressure from FA and PL, given that fans are not allowed in majority of the games anyways. And it is just the staff and players who are working.

 

[FootballHQ]

Perhaps two week break and postpone FA cup 3rd round until end of January. I presume with no replays you could play another round midweek if possible.

All very tight though. No chance you're finishing season if it's a months break though.

Would make sense to give players the vaccine before they go off on next international break which is end of March.

 

[Crustanoid]

Wondering how Neymars 5 day New Year super spreader party is going

 

[calodo2003]

Potentially looks like it.

 

[Port Vale Devil]

I for one think football has done an amazing job in carrying on through this pandemic after the 1st lockdown and also gives a lot of pleasure to people who are stuck at home in the winter suffering loneliness etc etc.

Hopefully they can continue but seems to be so many people on here clamouring for it to be stopped.

 

[acnumber9]

I don’t think the opinion of Rochdale’s club doctor will carry much weight on the Premier League being postponed. I’m sure they’ll do all they can to keep it going.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

wtf is tier 5? Is there a financial reason why they really don’t want to call it “lockdown” or something? It’s weird.

 

[acnumber9]

I for one think football has done an amazing job in carrying on through this pandemic after the 1st lockdown and also gives a lot of pleasure to people who are stuck at home in the winter suffering loneliness etc etc.

Hopefully they can continue but seems to be so many people on here clamouring for it to be stopped.

Probably the same people that thought it would be years before football was played again.

 

[Cloud7]

Perhaps two week break and postpone FA cup 3rd round until end of January. I presume with no replays you could play another round midweek if possible.

All very tight though. No chance you're finishing season if it's a months break though.

Would make sense to give players the vaccine before they go off on next international break which is end of March.

Of all the iterations that should potentially be stopped, I would say international football is top of that list. Players coming in and congregating from all over the world is much more high risk than club football.

 

[cyberman]

Most of those cases are 1 club though

 

[Port Vale Devil]

Probably the same people that thought it would be years before football was played again.

Yeah just because there has been 18 positive tests people are jumping on board to stop something that gives untold pleasure to a good % of the population. Idiots like Kyle Walker have obviously not been following guidelines so make their clubs play the kids or whoever and I am sure the clubs would get their players in line once the Title/Qualification is at stake.

 

[90 + 5min]

This break some talk about will not come to any good unless players are at home every second with gps and gigantic wage penalties if they breach it. 1/2 of yearly wage to be given to local stores and people in need.

 

[FootballHQ]

Of all the iterations that should potentially be stopped, I would say international football is top of that list. Players coming in and congregating from all over the world is much more high risk than club football.

I'd consider it certainly.

You miss I think first 3 world cup qualifiers but given that's still two years away just play a couple more games in 2022 when things have hopefully calmed down as have the space with it starting late November. Could wrap things up in August or September of that year if needs be.

Could fit 3-4 league games and possibly european fixtures with the two week gap at end of March.

 

[Kag]

I for one think football has done an amazing job in carrying on through this pandemic after the 1st lockdown and also gives a lot of pleasure to people who are stuck at home in the winter suffering loneliness etc etc.

Hopefully they can continue but seems to be so many people on here clamouring for it to be stopped.

I agree with you. In the event of wider national measures I expect that clubs will essentially ban their players from going anywhere other than the training ground or a game-day to keep it going (if they haven’t already). If too many club bubbles are compromised then it’s a bogey, however.

 

[Offside]

I for one think football has done an amazing job in carrying on through this pandemic after the 1st lockdown and also gives a lot of pleasure to people who are stuck at home in the winter suffering loneliness etc etc.

Hopefully they can continue but seems to be so many people on here clamouring for it to be stopped.

This is where I’ve seen the argument come from, that footballers are key workers. That’s why they could be vaccinated very soon.

 

[Ronaldo's Mum Eh?]

Won't happen. Sports will continue. We can't keep locking everything down just because of cases.

People will die of financial crisis rather than a 98% survival rate of a virus (this is an accurate stat, google it)

 

[Dancfc]

I for one think football has done an amazing job in carrying on through this pandemic after the 1st lockdown and also gives a lot of pleasure to people who are stuck at home in the winter suffering loneliness etc etc.

Hopefully they can continue but seems to be so many people on here clamouring for it to be stopped.

You surprised? You seen the "should the PL be voided" thread?

 

[Bratt]

I need football in these depressing times, I mean I really, really need it.
I’m not based in England so my opinion doesn’t matter, but I would like every PL footballer to be vaccinated so that the PL would continue for sure.
Combine this with cancelling all european cups, and this summers planned euro.
It seems kind of selfish writing this, but I know plenty of people who sees watching PL every weekend as the most therapeutic thing, and one of the few positives these days, and so do I.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

I need football in these depressing times, I mean I really, really need it.
I’m not based in England so my opinion doesn’t matter, but I would like every PL footballer to be vaccinated so that the PL would continue for sure.
Combine this with cancelling all european cups, and this summers planned euro.
It seems kind of selfish writing this, but I know plenty of people who sees watching PL every weekend as the most therapeutic thing, and one of the few positives these days, and so do I.

Watch La Liga. Bundesliga & Serie A start again next week.

 

[Guy Incognito]

This is where I’ve seen the argument come from, that footballers are key workers. That’s why they could be vaccinated very soon.

What would happen if a player refuses a vaccination though? Would said club keep it in house?

Don't see football stopping but then again I never thought there would be a lockdown last March.

 

[Port Vale Devil]

You surprised? You seen the "should the PL be voided" thread?

Takes a look at the table

 

[Kag]

This is where I’ve seen the argument come from, that footballers are key workers. That’s why they could be vaccinated very soon.

Prioritising Premier League footballers will go down like a lead balloon and rightly so. The only potential positive I can see is that it might (and even this is tenuous) convince any sceptics that it’s safe.

 

[Bratt]

Watch La Liga. Bundesliga & Serie A start again next week.

I don’t care about those leagues

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

I don’t care about those leagues

Think of it as watching players that you want to see to join United.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

They should just take 3 weeks off and vaccinate all the players. Class them as key workers.

vaccinate fit, millionaire footballers before 65 year old Doris who is recovering from cancer?

personally I’m really not onboard with that.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Think of it as watching players that you want to see to join United.

not in Italy.

could watch the United graveyard team, Inter.

 

[Pagh Wraith]

vaccinate fit, millionaire footballers before 65 year old Doris who is recovering from cancer?

personally I’m really not onboard with that.

The weakest and most vulnerable should absolutely be vaccinated first. So let's start with Arsenal.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

The weakest and most vulnerable should absolutely be vaccinated first. So let's start with Arsenal.

Brilliant.

Liverpool will print t-shirts saying it’s unfair they didn’t get the jab first.

 

[SalfordRed18]

I don't see them stopping football again.

 

[Berbaclass]

I don't see them stopping football again.

Looks increasingly likely.

 

[Offside]

Looks increasingly likely.

Does it? How many teams have had an outbreak? And all I’ve seen is talk of a 2 week “cooling down” period in January when infection rates will probably peak.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Wondering how Neymars 5 day New Year super spreader party is going

Its Brazil, he probably already got the vaccine along with his best mates and their shag partners.

 

[Red00012]

They should just take 3 weeks off and vaccinate all the players. Class them as key workers.

Ya feck healthcare workers and the elderly

 

[Champ]

Just said on Amazon that a two week break is looking likely, being discussed by the premier League

 

[Ludens the Red]

It certainly looks to be on the cards.

I hope not though, it’s the last thing we need.

Cant they just up the amount of testing and impose stronger restrictions on PL employees including players as a condition to continue it.

Maybe one of those ‘fire breaks’ for 2-3 weeks or something.

Would fail, the players over here just don’t listen. We’ve seen it over and over again. Walker, Abraham, Foden, Grealish, Greenwood, Arteta etc etc. They just can’t help themselves. With this more spreadable strain and how Pl players conduct themselves I’m expecting there to be cases left, right and centre over the coming weeks.

 

[Offside]

Ya feck healthcare workers and the elderly

Who said that? They’re proposing to vaccinate a million people a week in the new year. There’s 4000 professional footballers in England and about 500 in the Premier League. I agree they still won’t do it but that’s a ridiculous reply.

 

[Amir]

Who said that? They’re proposing to vaccinate a million people a week in the new year. There’s 4000 professional footballers in England and about 500 in the Premier League. I agree they still won’t do it but that’s a ridiculous reply.

Thing is, even vaccinating footballers ahead of the average citizen - who isn't old or under any special health risk - would rightly be a problem.

Many people are suffering financially. They don't sit on contracts worth millions, and they really need to get our of the house and work in order to support themselves and their families. Why should footballers be ahead of them in line?