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

[Insel affe]

Return to football in Germany going smoothly then

The prime example of why this just won’t work, who are they kidding about restarting, just void the thing.

 

[atomised]

I cant think of this as anything other than a box ticking exercise now to satisfy broadcasters that all options have been investigated and ruled out. I dont think the clubs have the desire to get this show back on the road and if as clubs they do then senior players have serious and valid reservations

 

[Jim in the West]

I cant think of this as anything other than a box ticking exercise now to satisfy broadcasters that all options have been investigated and ruled out. I dont think the clubs have the desire to get this show back on the road and if as clubs they do then senior players have serious and valid reservations

It’s almost as if the players are being set up to be the bad guys. I wouldn’t normally have sympathy with multi millionaires, but this is just a complete farce.

 

[Hampster Gull]

The EPL are dullards

 

[southstandandy]

Return to football in Germany going smoothly then

It's almost inevitable this will happen to at least one squad here across the 4 divisions - we could have a Groundhog situation where this season never ends...

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

It's almost inevitable this will happen to at least one squad here across the 4 divisions - we could have a Groundhog situation where this season never ends...

Yes, because if all 4 divisions are supposedly trying to finish with the relevant promotions and relegations, it only needs one club affected to perhaps bring the whole thing down.

 

[Easy 10]

The prime example of why this just won’t work, who are they kidding about restarting, just void the thing.

Exactly. And this in a country that has a far lower infection rate than ours.

Its over. It was never going to work.

 

[Berty23]

Possibly the most flawed logic I have seen is that they have to finish this season or next season will be in danger. Wtf? If it won’t be safe next season then how on earth can it be safe now? Bizarre.

 

[crodonilson]

For those of you writing off this season, given this isn't going away for a long time, when do you feasibly think next season will start? How can we overcome all of the issues currently being put up as reasons we can't finish the current season, and how financially will/can clubs bridge the financial gap that a loss of TV and gate revenue presents, especially given footballers are trying their damnedest not to take any sort of pay cut?

 

[neilbard]

For those of you writing off this season, given this isn't going away for a long time, when do you feasibly think next season will start? How can we overcome all of the issues currently being put up as reasons we can't finish the current season, and how financially will/can clubs bridge the financial gap that a loss of TV and gate revenue presents, especially given footballers are trying their damnedest not to take any sort of pay cut?

In my opinion this season will be abandoned, and next season will not start for months if at all.

 

[dazzer6666]

For those of you writing off this season, given this isn't going away for a long time, when do you feasibly think next season will start? How can we overcome all of the issues currently being put up as reasons we can't finish the current season, and how financially will/can clubs bridge the financial gap that a loss of TV and gate revenue presents, especially given footballers are trying their damnedest not to take any sort of pay cut?

Who knows....but as time passes better detection, contact tracing etc will be developed, a vaccine may be found, easing of lockdown and analysis of what is working etc will potentially allow things to recommence in an incremental manner. Possibly behind closed doors, or with significantly reduced attendances to start with....but it will be clearer than it is now. The finances of the game in general will HAVE to be renegotiated. Sky/BT aren’t going to decimate the industry (sue clubs, fail to pay up) because they need it as much as it needs them - a compromise deal will be done. The players will eventually wake up and smell the coffee as well - again, new deals will be negotiated.

At the moment, it’s fooked. One infected player and the whole program is screwed. This season won’t be completed - if it is, it will be like an U12s tournament at neutral venues and a total farce.

 

[drew]

I wonder how much of the problem is down to the contract between the EPL and the broadcasters in that if they declare the season over then they have to pay back the money for that proportion of the season whereas if the they are forced by the Government to declare it over, as in France, then they have a get out clause? A game of who blinks first?

 

[Weststander]

For those of you writing off this season, given this isn't going away for a long time, when do you feasibly think next season will start? How can we overcome all of the issues currently being put up as reasons we can't finish the current season, and how financially will/can clubs bridge the financial gap that a loss of TV and gate revenue presents, especially given footballers are trying their damnedest not to take any sort of pay cut?

This. If in June - players must wear face masks, socially distance, with the huge issues of 500 people still being required at behind closed doors games, the problem of unwanted fans gathering outside grounds drawing in vital police resources, and in aggregate football personnel be tested multi-10,000’s times; then those very same “insurmountable” problems will exist in August, September and October.

A fully tested and widely available vaccine, or 85% herd immunity, are both a long away off.

What’s football to do about season 2020/21?

 

[drew]

I wonder how much of the problem is down to the contract between the EPL and the broadcasters in that if they declare the season over then they have to pay back the money for that proportion of the season whereas if the they are forced by the Government to declare it over, as in France, then they have a get out clause? A game of who blinks first?

Talking of blinking first, could this replace watching football in an empty sterile stadium?

 

[Gwylan]

For those of you writing off this season, given this isn't going away for a long time, when do you feasibly think next season will start?

I don't know. No-one knows It may start in August; may start in Sept; may start later. I worked out earlier in this thread that, to complete a season three weeks before the Euros start.; next season would have to begin in early November (and that's assuming no FA or FL Cup and two matches a week (but breaks for international games)

How can we overcome all of the issues currently being put up as reasons we can't finish the current season

Nothing is insurmountable - other countries are managing.

how financially will/can clubs bridge the financial gap that a loss of TV and gate revenue presents, especially given footballers are trying their damnedest not to take any sort of pay cut?

They'll have to: I can see some price increases next year and some attempts to cut wage bills. This is also why I think it's a bonkers idea to increase the number of teams, both from a time perspective, but, most of all, because I really, really can't see clubs agreeing to 10% pay cut - and this after several months of no football (and revenue)

 

[Weststander]

.... and next season will not start for months if at all.

I think you could be right.

Unbiased insiders such as Aguero say they’re scared of dying and leaving their families.

They won’t suddenly be unscared on 8th August 2020. Any one of the vital 500 in a behind closed doors football operation could infect him or others.

 

[Insel affe]

I think you could be right.

Unbiased insiders such as Aguero say they’re scared of dying and leaving their families.

They won’t suddenly be unscared on 8th August 2020. Any one of the vital 500 in a behind closed doors football operation could infect him or others.

Not to mention these elite players on the very end of the pay scale already have enough money to retire, no one can make a resolute player play, if they wish to stand their ground. I can see the PFA getting dragged into this, they might be over paid for what they do, but they are not performing monkeys.

 

[Weststander]

Not to mention these elite players on the very end of the pay scale already have enough money to retire, no one can make a resolute player play, if they wish to stand their ground. I can see the PFA getting dragged into this, they might be over paid for what they do, but they are not performing monkeys.

“Dragged”, it’s right up Gordon Taylor’s street.

 

[Easy 10]

The governments stance that they want football back asap "to lift the nations spirits" was truly an unbelievably TRITE statement to come out with. It was almost Trump-esque in its idiocy.

Nobodies spirits are going to be lifted by seeing a load of games behind closed doors in sterile, silent, empty neutral venues, especially when we've got 600-700+ dying from this thing every day. And those 'spirits' will only plummet even further when some players inevitably test positive, and the whole ridiculous circus has to be binned off again for the foreseeable.

The sooner this season is voided the better IMO. At least then we can make a clean break, move on and start planning for when football can restart properly within a more realistic timeframe, instead of trying to invent some kind of hybrid mess of a competition to sort out the fag-end of this one.

 

[METALMICKY]

I wonder how much of the problem is down to the contract between the EPL and the broadcasters in that if they declare the season over then they have to pay back the money for that proportion of the season whereas if the they are forced by the Government to declare it over, as in France, then they have a get out clause? A game of who blinks first?

The longer this farce plays out the more convinced I am that this theory is spot on!