[Albion] Paul Barber on 5live

[el punal]

Personally I disagree.

It's a very winnable game, but we find ourselves without Dunk, Webster and Duffy - guaranteed. Who knows about the other injured players, such as Veltman, Trossard, Wellbeck, Lallana, never mind as many as 4 Covid absentees.

Postpone until the new year and we'd certainly have a much stronger squad to pick from.

I wonder if Wolves are having the same problems as us with player absences? If they have a full squad to choose from, with no one missing because of Covid, then they’ll be relishing this fixture.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

The point from Barber was that by postponing games you cause a fixture pile up further down the line which in itself can cause health / issues - multiple games played in a short period of time.
I felt he seemed pretty bullish on wanting to keep stadiums full , and avoiding a suspension in the season and that this could be done using the new covid protocols for players and for fans.
But of course things change...

Yeh, I really can't see how this game going ahead benefits us.

Of course there will be a fixture pile up down the line, but it will be worse for some others. We'll almost certainly be throwing the cup 3rd round fixture so that will free up a good few weekends. Also we'll have a chance to beef up the squad in January with some returning loan players.

Also from a fans point of view. It's going to feel very odd tonight.

I think he's looking at it from a fixed costs spent point of view, all the stewards and catering arranged

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Perhaps that would depend on the number of positive cases today - to add to those that the club already know about.

IF for example a FURTHER half dozen are positive, I can't see how the game can go ahead.

On the other hand, if matters are unchanged from Monday when Potter said recently we had 3-4 cases I guess it does go ahead.

What's the latest a game can be postponed? I mean for weather related postponements, games are often pulled right at the last minute....

That's the ref calling it off. The PL board have to agree it for this. If we've not requested it be called off, it's surely going ahead now.

 

[Springal]

Also the cost to call it off now would not be insignificant to the club. I know Spurs covered the cost of catering etc for the 'game' last weekend but at this point we're committed I say - bar any further outbreak in testing today

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Quick interview with the head honcho on 5Live's breakfast show this morning talking all things Covid...

- Testing of players today was going on as he spoke.
- Challenging week with Covid, other seasonal viruses and injuries but club are working through it.
- Most of our players are vaccinated. He wouldn't commit to a number.
- Contnual education exercise with remaining players, much like the rest of society, on the benefits of vaccination.
- Aim is to spot check 20% of attending fans for Covid passes and ID.
- Something about random tickets being blocked at the turnstyle for some people to prove their Covid status (sounded a bit like self-scan at the supermarket where you get randomly selected for a rescan by a supermarket employee)
- Fixture postponements are inevitable, but clubs doing all they can to minimise infections and get games on.
- Premier League will continue to re-schedule games as soon as is practical when they are postponed.


Listen from 2:23:10 >>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0012gp5

Is that consistent with the actual rules ?

‘The rules apply to nightclubs, indoor unseated venues with a capacity of more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues that hold more than 4,000 people, and any venue with more than 10,000 people.‘

 

[Napper]

sounds better than feared

up to 20% should keep the queues moving

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I wonder if Wolves are having the same problems as us with player absences? If they have a full squad to choose from, with no one missing because of Covid, then they’ll be relishing this fixture.

Well, apart from having to take a squad of healthy players to a place with a known Covid outbreak. Under the circumstances you describe this is very unfair on Wolves.

 

[LamieRobertson]

On TS shortly according to Jimbo …that’ll be an hour then

 

[el punal]

Well, apart from having to take a squad of healthy players to a place with a known Covid outbreak. Under the circumstances you describe this is very unfair on Wolves.

Of course, but then that applies to all clubs up and down the country. From a footballing point of view (and a selfish one at that) Wolves will be playing a side afflicted by injuries, suspensions, and Covid withdrawals - therefore a very much weakened team. This should be very much to Wolves’ advantage.

As you say, under the circumstances, having to play this fixture may very well result in Wolves players contracting the virus. What a worrying and uncertain world we live in.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I know we all enjoy a good old half-arsed moan about #barberout now and again, but the man really is a class act. His stock will have risen immeasurably during his time here, and rightly so

 

[Bozza]

Is that consistent with the actual rules ?

‘The rules apply to nightclubs, indoor unseated venues with a capacity of more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues that hold more than 4,000 people, and any venue with more than 10,000 people.‘

You can listen back to what he said yourself via the link I posted, but your question reminds me of something I didn't type in my summary (I was driving whilst listeningt to it) - PB spoke about their processes being agreed with the "local authority" (or a similar description), so it certainly sounded like a pragmatic/workable approach had been found.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

You can listen back to what he said yourself via the link I posted, but your question reminds me of something I didn't type in my summary (I was driving whilst listeningt to it) - PB spoke about their processes being agreed with the "local authority" (or a similar description), so it certainly sounded like a pragmatic/workable approach had been found.

Oh, I wasn’t questioning your recall of the interview. I was just wondering about this idea of only carrying out checks on 20 % of fans. The club e Mail also mentions ‘spot checks’ only. That is no change on the pre Plan B situation apart from putting a number on it. The actual rules state that all fans need a Covid passport or LFT and I don’t see anything about 20 %.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Oh, I wasn’t questioning your recall of the interview. I was just wondering about this idea of only carrying out checks on 20 % of fans. The club e Mail also mentions ‘spot checks’ only. That is no change on the pre Plan B situation apart from putting a number on it. The actual rules state that all fans need a Covid passport or LFT and I don’t see anything about 20 %.

All fans need a Covid passport or LFT in case they are spot checked, in which case they will be refused admission if they don't have proof. Regardless of whether 20% is quoted or not, the number of spot checks will be a variable anyway rather than a strict calculation. As my old boss used to say, JFDI. The object is to protect everyone by only having 'clean' fans and protect lives, not to play Russian Roulette with the system and hope you aren't stopped.

 

[Icy Gull]

Good to see the club have a “The show must go on” attitude, I’d expect no less

I feel a bit of a hypocrite crying off going tonight though

 

[chaileyjem]

Oh, I wasn’t questioning your recall of the interview. I was just wondering about this idea of only carrying out checks on 20 % of fans. The club e Mail also mentions ‘spot checks’ only. That is no change on the pre Plan B situation apart from putting a number on it. The actual rules state that all fans need a Covid passport or LFT and I don’t see anything about 20 %.

here's the guidance for doing spot checks in the gov. uk guidance. Sounds like PB has - in line with the guidance agreed with the local authority to perform a percentage of spot checks so as to ensure that don't delay kick off, the cost of hiring checkers is not too prohibitive or impractical and thats traded off the principle of trying to ensure that everyone turns up with the pass/proof of iD/test versus the daunting task of checking everyone and ensuring that you get to see the match you've paid to see.

Spot checks may be used in the following limited circumstances if it’s not reasonably possible to check proof of COVID-19 status for all attendees at these events:

1. The event is:

an indoor event with 500 or more attendees expected to stand or move around
an outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees expected to stand or move around
any event with more than 10,000 attendees
2. The majority of attendees are expected to arrive for a fixed start time, where entrants are likely to all arrive in a short space of time.

3. It is not possible to set up checkpoints away from the entry points, and carrying out a check on every person would lead to a crowd gathering outside the venue or event.

4. That crowd would either present a risk to the safety of the persons in the crowd, or to any other person, or provide a potential target for terrorist action – read more information on hospitality security considerations

In these circumstances, if it is not practical to check the NHS COVID Pass of all attendees, you must carry out an assessment of risk and determine the percentage of checks that can safely be carried out. The responsible person must submit this assessment of risk to apply to the relevant local authority at least 10 working days in advance of the event.

via https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carryin...our-venue-or-event#what-records-you-must-keep

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

here's the guidance for doing spot checks in the gov. uk guidance. Sounds like PB has - in line with the guidance agreed with the local authority to perform a percentage of spot checks so as to ensure that don't delay kick off, the cost of hiring checkers is not too prohibitive or impractical and thats traded off the principle of trying to ensure that everyone turns up with the pass/proof of iD/test versus the daunting task of checking everyone and ensuring that you get to see the match you've paid to see.


via https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carryin...our-venue-or-event#what-records-you-must-keep

Ah, I see. Didn’t realize that. It’s basically the Government giving a get out to its own rules. TBF it didn’t seem plausible that the club would be going it’s own way on this, hence my question.

 

[Bozza]

Ah, I see. Didn’t realize that. It’s basically the Government giving a get out to its own rules. TBF it didn’t seem plausible that the club would be going it’s own way on this, hence my question.

(sorry catching up)

...which is why I mentioned that PB had referenced an agreement with a local authority, to confirm the club seemingly weren't just making it up themselves.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Strange how this is playing out surely having COVID in the squad is a binary yes/no situation, when do the numbers start becoming important 3,4, 5, 10 . Is there a rule covering it so that say 5 players with COVID means it can be cancelled , 4 it goes on ...

the reality is that may it not so binary e.g. is training done in bubbles but at some point for simplistic purposes there should be a definition.

 

[Bozza]

Strange how this is playing out surely having COVID in the squad is a binary yes/no situation, when do the numbers start becoming important 3,4, 5, 10 . Is there a rule covering it so that say 5 players with COVID means it can be cancelled , 4 it goes on ...

the reality is that may it not so binary e.g. is training done in bubbles but at some point for simplistic purposes there should be a definition.

This is probably the most surprising thing - there simply doesn't seem to be.

Thomas Franks spoke about this before the Man Utd game was cancelled...

“I’m a bit in doubt about when it’s enough cases - I guess the Tottenham situation is the precedent we’re going for going forward,” he added.

“It’s a very tricky situation and it’s important the Premier League and all of us follow normal society rules and restrictions, and then I think we should make it very clear what the rules are to cancel a game.”​

...and Dean Smith spoke about it after their game last night...

But Smith, who has lost players to both Covid and injuries in recent week, has wondered what the 'magic number' is for a game to get postponed.

"Our sporting director (Stuart Webber) spoke to the Premier League on guidance when we have symptomatic players around us," Smith explained after the defeat to Aston Villa.

"We played Tottenham, they had an outbreak. We played Manchester United, they had an outbreak. We wanted guidance over, would it be fair on Villa if we had symptomatic players around us?

Smith admitted he had 'no idea' how many Covid cases his side would need for a match to be postponed, and it is understood that there is no official threshold for the number of positive cases that would cause a Premier League game to be called off.​

 

[Springal]

Paul Barber talked about it on TalkSport - basically said there is no certain rule. It is assessed based on a number of things which from memory:

- % Increase against previous cases
- How fast it is spreading
- Who it impacts
- What rules are in place
- Have they had to close parts of the training ground etc
- Who are the players involved
- Were those players in close contact

etc etc.

But like I keep saying - The PL CEOs & Secretaries could have tabled something at the start of the season to put something in place, but haven't. So they only have themselves to blame. They have managed to table motions around sponsorship deals and the like fairly quickly so ...