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

[LamieRobertson]

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.

Nicely put

 

[LamieRobertson]

Sort of like rich people buying their way to the front of the queue? Hmmmm .................. great idea.


No.

If they are buying kit that the government hasn’t and doesn’t want to...wouldnt the question rather be why the government hasn’t (or for the matter any other government) ..just because a club can doesnt automatically make them wrong ...

 

[blue-shifted]

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.

Of course yes, but you can imagine (and hope for) a scenario where the government has got it's act together and secured all the testing it needs for healthcare workers fairly soon and certainly by mid summer. Then you can start the argument about who are the next level of people who need it.

 

[Bozza]

As we don't seem to be too badly affected in Sussex to date (so I've read on here anyway), perhaps the remainder of the entire season should be undertaken at the Amex, in the same way MLB seem to be trying to get their season up and running by using Arizona as some sort of self-contained baseball bubble - https://eu.azcentral.com/story/spor...r-league-baseball-2020-mlb-season/2989403001/

 

[schmunk]

As we don't seem to be too badly affected in Sussex to date (so I've read on here anyway), perhaps the remainder of the entire season should be undertaken at the Amex, in the same way MLB seem to be trying to get their season up and running by using Arizona as some sort of self-contained baseball bubble - https://eu.azcentral.com/story/spor...r-league-baseball-2020-mlb-season/2989403001/

By game 3...

 

[Is it PotG?]

Well said Sir,

Richard Bevan [chief executive of the League Managers' Association] says that for games to go ahead, players would have to be tested for coronavirus first. But as Bevan rightly pointed out, the priority for testing has to go to NHS workers and patients first.

Also, if Premier League games do go ahead without fans, which seems to be an idea that has snowballed and is going to happen, then there will still have to be doctors at games, and ambulances.

In two months' time, the deaths from coronavirus are not going to have stopped. They might have reduced, but how can the Premier League justify coming back and using health workers who are would otherwise be on the beat?

Even if the situation does settle down by then, those workers will still need a break if that is at all possible, mentally and physically. Yet because of the money in football, there is a clamour for it to return.

I think the right thing is to wait and see. With all industries and businesses, the urge is to get the economy back on track and going again, and of course I understand why it is the same with the Premier League - but you cannot put that ahead of people's lives, and you cannot give football special treatment either.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well said Sir,

Richard Bevan [chief executive of the League Managers' Association] says that for games to go ahead, players would have to be tested for coronavirus first. But as Bevan rightly pointed out, the priority for testing has to go to NHS workers and patients first.

Also, if Premier League games do go ahead without fans, which seems to be an idea that has snowballed and is going to happen, then there will still have to be doctors at games, and ambulances.

In two months' time, the deaths from coronavirus are not going to have stopped. They might have reduced, but how can the Premier League justify coming back and using health workers who are would otherwise be on the beat?

Even if the situation does settle down by then, those workers will still need a break if that is at all possible, mentally and physically. Yet because of the money in football, there is a clamour for it to return.

I think the right thing is to wait and see. With all industries and businesses, the urge is to get the economy back on track and going again, and of course I understand why it is the same with the Premier League - but you cannot put that ahead of people's lives, and you cannot give football special treatment either.

Doesn’t that depend on at what level those deaths are occurring etc etc ....you don’t know how much capacity the HS will have at that time....maybe those doctors will be those who don’t work for the NHS etc ...who knows what two months will bring

 

[Is it PotG?]

Doesn’t that depend on at what level those deaths are occurring etc etc ....you don’t know how much capacity the HS will have at that time....maybe those doctors will be those who don’t work for the NHS etc ...who knows what two months will bring

I guess it really depends on how important one sees football to be.

Aside from the finances, it is just 22 blokes kicking a ball around. Football is a spectator sport, and to play behind closed doors is solely for the purposes of ££££££.

As with other sport, imho this game should take a back seat until it is able to return to something like normal, whenever that may be.

There are far more reaching issues right now, and will be similarly for many, many months to come.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I guess it really depends on how important one sees football to be.

Aside from the finances, it is just 22 blokes kicking a ball around. Football is a spectator sport, and to play behind closed doors is solely for the purposes of ££££££.

As with other sport, imho this game should take a back seat until it is able to return to something like normal, whenever that may be.

There are far more reaching issues right now, and will be similarly for many, many months to come.

It isn’t quite a game involving 22 players or fifty for that matter it’s a much bigger industry employing many thousands of people integrated within several other industries....and I think it’s wrong to just ignore the role sport plays in a lot of people lives...and no I’m not putting it above life itself ..I just wouldn’t dismiss it out of hand either ....or start to judge two months ahead when two weeks seems like a lifetime

 

[Is it PotG?]

It isn’t quite a game involving 22 players or fifty for that matter it’s a much bigger industry employing many thousands of people integrated within several other industries....and I think it’s wrong to just ignore the role sport plays in a lot of people lives...and no I’m not putting it above life itself ..I just wouldn’t dismiss it out of hand either ....or start to judge two months ahead when two weeks seems like a lifetime

Sports is a factor in a lot of lives, however the likes of Wimbledon, The Open golluf and many other major events have seen fit to put it all on the back burner, for the time being.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Sports is a factor in a lot of lives, however the likes of Wimbledon, The Open golluf and many other major events have seen fit to put it all on the back burner, for the time being.

Yes that’s true and as I recall football was one of the first if not the first......Iets wait and see....one if it happens and two had it’s organised

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

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.

100% THIS. If this goes on beyond the end of April with no true end in sight, null and void the season, money surely should come second over peoples health and wellbeing, but as we know, the PL is just obsessed with the notes. Football is entertainment and a sport, not life or death.

I hope your wife and daughter are tested ASAP. It's scandalous that they haven't already.

 

[Mellotron]

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.

I think they could potentially have bigger issues down the road. As they have quashed it so quickly, they will have far more people susceptible and therefore a likely much higher 2nd wave. No?

 

[jamie the seagull]

Sports is a factor in a lot of lives, however the likes of Wimbledon, The Open golluf and many other major events have seen fit to put it all on the back burner, for the time being.

Those Events did not want to go ahead without spectators.
Also, they took into consideration the number of International players and spectators that would need to travel into the country which is not ideal with self isolation of 14 days each.
For football, the majority are based in the UK and with games behind closed doors no fans will be travelling over.

Sport is a major influence in this country and will play a huge part in lifting spirits and as a part of getting the country on some path from lock down.
People will continue to suffer with Covid for some time and no country can wait until that goes to Nil.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Personally I am in favour of completing all 2019/20 competitions by playing the remaining games, whenever that can be done. However, interesting to note in this article that were the 'average points' idea to be employed to end the season, which I think they are looking at in Scotland, Brighton would stay up.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52282288

 

[essbee1]

There's one rather sinister aspect to the crazy idea that the PL have of finishing the league.
What's stopping every fruit cake supporter deliberately trying to sabotage closed doors games
when relegation/CL positions are resting on it? Closed doors might mean that people can't get in
(that in itself is a huge security operation), but I reckon there are many, many other ways to screw up
a match/get a match abandoned, even though it's illegal.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Sports is a factor in a lot of lives, however the likes of Wimbledon, The Open golluf and many other major events have seen fit to put it all on the back burner, for the time being.

Those sports fund the participants with prize money and appearance money. No event, no outlay. Football funds them via monthly contracts which tick over regardless ( sure, they save some appearance and goal money, but not enough ).

 

[blue-shifted]

There's one rather sinister aspect to the crazy idea that the PL have of finishing the league.
What's stopping every fruit cake supporter deliberately trying to sabotage closed doors games
when relegation/CL positions are resting on it? Closed doors might mean that people can't get in
(that in itself is a huge security operation), but I reckon there are many, many other ways to screw up
a match/get a match abandoned, even though it's illegal.

Well, one supporter could get a game abandoned in normal times if they were prepared to go far enough.

 

[LamieRobertson]

There's one rather sinister aspect to the crazy idea that the PL have of finishing the league.
What's stopping every fruit cake supporter deliberately trying to sabotage closed doors games
when relegation/CL positions are resting on it? Closed doors might mean that people can't get in
(that in itself is a huge security operation), but I reckon there are many, many other ways to screw up
a match/get a match abandoned, even though it's illegal.

Are to elaborate on your many many ways

 

[Is it PotG?]

There's one rather sinister aspect to the crazy idea that the PL have of finishing the league.
What's stopping every fruit cake supporter deliberately trying to sabotage closed doors games
when relegation/CL positions are resting on it? Closed doors might mean that people can't get in
(that in itself is a huge security operation), but I reckon there are many, many other ways to screw up
a match/get a match abandoned, even though it's illegal.

On a lesser note, often thought a similar line when up at the Dogs many years ago.

Do your brains on say Trap 6, halfway around when said hound is languishing 20 lengths behind looking at the scenery, what's to stop you running on the track and voiding the race?