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[Football] Premier League / Football League attempts to finish the season







Milano

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2012
3,923
Sussex but not by the sea
The powers that be will find a way to finish this season, the industry is worth billions and they will protect it at all costs, even if some players end up out of contract and don’t play, they will suspend the transfer window, those players will end up being seen as the bad guys. July/August behind closed doors would be my guess. I can see the 20/21 season starting late and starting behind closed doors too.
 


drew

Drew
NSC Patron
Oct 3, 2006
23,608
Burgess Hill
The powers that be will find a way to finish this season, the industry is worth billions and they will protect it at all costs, even if some players end up out of contract and don’t play, they will suspend the transfer window, those players will end up being seen as the bad guys. July/August behind closed doors would be my guess. I can see the 20/21 season starting late and starting behind closed doors too.

But the business doesn't end just because this season does. The multi billion pound starts again when the new season starts.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,264
Withdean area
But the business doesn't end just because this season does. The multi billion pound starts again when the new season starts.

But the PL clubs including TB, want and need the full whack of BT and Sky money for this season, £100m’s that will save clubs such as Burnley, as well as the full whack for 2020/21.
 


Poojah

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2010
1,881
Leeds
I’ve always said that football is the most important thing in my life that doesn’t actually matter. I guess this episode just really hammers that home. Things that matter? Your health, your family, your friends, your job. All things, potentially, seriously affected by this pandemic.

The thing is though, I’ve always found football to be a panacea of sorts whenever I’ve faced dark times, or even minor stuff. A shit week at work, tough times with the missus, money worries. Whatever. Football can be incredibly cathartic - it’s a form of escapism. You go to watch football not purely for the sporting spectacle but for the laugh, the catch-up with friends. To vent, let off some steam.

And now, at a time when most of us would like nothing more than to escape from our current reality, it’s not there. And rightly so, too. However, I think you can also rightly prioritise the importance of your health, family and so on without completely devaluing the game we’ve all taken for granted for so long.

It has a huge role to play in society, in our communities. If it can return in some form, even an inferior form initially, then it has the potential to lift the spirits of many who by now are really in need of some lifting. The question is, can it return safely?

The idea of maintaining social distancing when, for instance Liverpool win the title, is an unknown quantity. And you can’t just assume that the issue could be contained to the city of Liverpool. Let’s not pretend that all Liverpool fans live within the city boundaries, sport a perm, bad moustache and polyester tracksuit whilst constantly requesting that people kindly “calm down, calm down”. They’re everywhere. And I’m not just talking in the UK.

It’s a serious, complex issue. I want to see football return as soon as safely possible, and we shouldn’t dismiss it as being without value. But it also has to know it’s place, and until it can commence without posing an unreasonable risk to human life (even if indirect), it will have to continue to suffocate like 80% of global enterprise right now.

And furthermore, if the big wigs haven’t yet come to terms with the fact that capitalism isn’t in actual fact the most powerful force on the planet, then more fool them.
 




um bongo molongo

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2004
3,054
Battersea
I’ve always said that football is the most important thing in my life that doesn’t actually matter. I guess this episode just really hammers that home. Things that matter? Your health, your family, your friends, your job. All things, potentially, seriously affected by this pandemic.

The thing is though, I’ve always found football to be a panacea of sorts whenever I’ve faced dark times, or even minor stuff. A shit week at work, tough times with the missus, money worries. Whatever. Football can be incredibly cathartic - it’s a form of escapism. You go to watch football not purely for the sporting spectacle but for the laugh, the catch-up with friends. To vent, let off some steam.

And now, at a time when most of us would like nothing more than to escape from our current reality, it’s not there. And rightly so, too. However, I think you can also rightly prioritise the importance of your health, family and so on without completely devaluing the game we’ve all taken for granted for so long.

It has a huge role to play in society, in our communities. If it can return in some form, even an inferior form initially, then it has the potential to lift the spirits of many who by now are really in need of some lifting. The question is, can it return safely?

The idea of maintaining social distancing when, for instance Liverpool win the title, is an unknown quantity. And you can’t just assume that the issue could be contained to the city of Liverpool. Let’s not pretend that all Liverpool fans live within the city boundaries, sport a perm, bad moustache and polyester tracksuit whilst constantly requesting that people kindly “calm down, calm down”. They’re everywhere. And I’m not just talking in the UK.

It’s a serious, complex issue. I want to see football return as soon as safely possible, and we shouldn’t dismiss it as being without value. But it also has to know it’s place, and until it can commence without posing an unreasonable risk to human life (even if indirect), it will have to continue to suffocate like 80% of global enterprise right now.

And furthermore, if the big wigs haven’t yet come to terms with the fact that capitalism isn’t in actual fact the most powerful force on the planet, then more fool them.

All very true except you know that 90 mins after it’s all restarted we’ll be moaning about why we can’t shoot and it won’t have lifted our spirits at all!
 










Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,097
Faversham
The powers that be will find a way to finish this season, the industry is worth billions and they will protect it at all costs, even if some players end up out of contract and don’t play, they will suspend the transfer window, those players will end up being seen as the bad guys. July/August behind closed doors would be my guess. I can see the 20/21 season starting late and starting behind closed doors too.

As I noted previously, my employer (a university) will announce in a couple of weeks that our plans for October, to welcome students back for another year of study, will be changed to online teaching. That decision has to be made soon for logistics reasons. Leave it too late and we won't be able to deliver a programme at all.

Football will have to make a similar decision. My expectation is that the 20-21 season will be set to start at the end of January 2021, and that season 19/20 may be completed behind closed doors (or not) in October/November 2020. And for any decision on this, the whole of European football (at very least) will need to do the same or all the WC and CL fixtures will be out of synch and untimetableable.

University degrees are not set up like jumpers for goal posts, and football isn't just about up cramming a load of bums on seats and expecting magic to manifest, safely. Could be the other way round. Who cares? ???:drool:
 
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Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,264
Withdean area
As I noted previously, my employer (a university) will announce in a couple of weeks that our plans for October, to welcome students back for another year of study, will be changed to online teaching. That decision has to be made soon for logistics reasons. Leave it too late and we won't be able to deliver a programme at all.

Football will have to make a similar decision. My expectation is that the 20-21 season will be set to start at the end of January 2020, and that season 19/20 may be completed behind closed doors (or not) in October/November 2020. And for any decision on this, the whole of European football (at very least) will need to do the same or all the WC and CL fixtures will be out of synch and untimetableable.

University degrees are not set up like jumpers for goal posts, and football isn't just about up cramming a load of bums on seats and expecting magic to manifest, safely. Could be the other way round. Who cares? ???:drool:

Jan 21, not Jan 20.
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,097
Faversham


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,403
Location Location
This completing the season behind closed doors idea is complete bunkum, because it will rely on every single squad member, backroom staff, officials, stadium personnel, hotel workers and god knows who else on being tested (regularly) for Covid to get the show back on the road in this notional biological Covid-free "bubble". And correct me if I'm wrong, but this government has failed MISERABLY on testing.

At the moment we're not even managing to achieve that for NHS workers, care workers and other staff who are working on the front line with this thing. So the idea that football can somehow jump the queue on these vital tests just so we can play the remainder of the season out is borderline offensive. Its ONLY football. I'd be mightily pissed off if my missus is still working in a care home in 4-8 weeks time with NO tests being carried out (as she has so far), and my daughter is still giving end-of-life treatment in the RSCH (still untested) whilst in the meantime Salah, Kane, Pogba and the boys are all having their weekly tests so we can get some empty stadium games on the go to find out if anyone gives a f*ck about this season any more.

Priorities.
 


jimhigham

Je Suis Rhino
Apr 25, 2009
8,035
Woking
This completing the season behind closed doors idea is complete bunkum, because it will rely on every single squad member, backroom staff, officials, stadium personnel, hotel workers and god knows who else on being tested (regularly) for Covid to get the show back on the road in this notional biological Covid-free "bubble". And correct me if I'm wrong, but this government has failed MISERABLY on testing.

At the moment we're not even managing to achieve that for NHS workers, care workers and other staff who are working on the front line with this thing. So the idea that football can somehow jump the queue on these vital tests just so we can play the remainder of the season out is borderline offensive. Its ONLY football. I'd be mightily pissed off if my missus is still working in a care home in 4-8 weeks time with NO tests being carried out (as she has so far), and my daughter is still giving end-of-life treatment in the RSCH (still untested) whilst in the meantime Salah, Kane, Pogba and the boys are all having their weekly tests so we can get some empty stadium games on the go to find out if anyone gives a f*ck about this season any more.

Priorities.

This is the thisiest this I've seen on here for quite some time.
 




Peter Grummit

Well-known member
Oct 13, 2004
6,772
Lewes
This completing the season behind closed doors idea is complete bunkum, because it will rely on every single squad member, backroom staff, officials, stadium personnel, hotel workers and god knows who else on being tested (regularly) for Covid to get the show back on the road in this notional biological Covid-free "bubble". And correct me if I'm wrong, but this government has failed MISERABLY on testing.

At the moment we're not even managing to achieve that for NHS workers, care workers and other staff who are working on the front line with this thing. So the idea that football can somehow jump the queue on these vital tests just so we can play the remainder of the season out is borderline offensive. Its ONLY football. I'd be mightily pissed off if my missus is still working in a care home in 4-8 weeks time with NO tests being carried out (as she has so far), and my daughter is still giving end-of-life treatment in the RSCH (still untested) whilst in the meantime Salah, Kane, Pogba and the boys are all having their weekly tests so we can get some empty stadium games on the go to find out if anyone gives a f*ck about this season any more.

Priorities.
This is bang on, well said.

None of us may like it, but it's completely unanswerable.

In terms of when we may all be back at the Amex? The consensus is now that will only be when we have a fully tested and implemented vaccine and/or when the vast majority have had the virus. Which is likely to be 18 months away, so we not only write off this season, but next as well as a spectator sport.

It's hard now to believe the Government was saying recently that mass events would make little difference, when clusters have been traced to just such gatherings. No doubt the experts will be blamed.

Sent from my SM-A105G using Tapatalk
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,014
This completing the season behind closed doors idea is complete bunkum, because it will rely on every single squad member, backroom staff, officials, stadium personnel, hotel workers and god knows who else on being tested (regularly) for Covid to get the show back on the road in this notional biological Covid-free "bubble". And correct me if I'm wrong, but this government has failed MISERABLY on testing.

At the moment we're not even managing to achieve that for NHS workers, care workers and other staff who are working on the front line with this thing. So the idea that football can somehow jump the queue on these vital tests just so we can play the remainder of the season out is borderline offensive. Its ONLY football. I'd be mightily pissed off if my missus is still working in a care home in 4-8 weeks time with NO tests being carried out (as she has so far), and my daughter is still giving end-of-life treatment in the RSCH (still untested) whilst in the meantime Salah, Kane, Pogba and the boys are all having their weekly tests so we can get some empty stadium games on the go to find out if anyone gives a f*ck about this season any more.

Priorities.

what if, for sake of argument, footbal authorities sourced their testing outside the NHS, even another country as some nations have done? would that make it ok for football to procede?
 


Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
But the PL clubs including TB, want and need the full whack of BT and Sky money for this season, £100m’s that will save clubs such as Burnley, as well as the full whack for 2020/21.
It has already been reported that Sky will do a deal so this season's money doesn't have to be paid back. Either extra games next year or 4 years for the price of 3 in the next contract.

(See post #432)
 
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Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
37,339
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Meanwhile, Germany is preparing to go back to training.

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/fo...all-is-preparing-to-start-again-a4414441.html

And, yes, [MENTION=70]Easy 10[/MENTION] it does mean testing every player, which means it shouldn't happen here until all frontline staff are covered as you so eloquently said. However, it's just another example of how Germany has handled this a million times better than most of the rest of Europe.
 




atomised

Well-known member
Mar 21, 2013
5,170
what if, for sake of argument, footbal authorities sourced their testing outside the NHS, even another country as some nations have done? would that make it ok for football to procede?

You mean like the sort of testing Paul Barber has previously stated we have sourced a small amount of from.outside the NHS
 


GT49er

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 1, 2009
49,181
Gloucester
what if, for sake of argument, footbal authorities sourced their testing outside the NHS, even another country as some nations have done? would that make it ok for football to procede?
Sort of like rich people buying their way to the front of the queue? Hmmmm .................. great idea.


No.
 


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