[Football] The Times: Paul Barber didn't see the point of merely suspending Premier League matches

[symyjym]

First of all, we have had a winter break, unless of course you are proposing that football becomes a summer sport.

Secondly, as Bozza indicates, there can't be anyway that football will resume in June. All football is on a shutdown, the government are talking about 3 months isolation for the over 70s so that is an indication of probably when things will start up again. However, footballers will effectively need a pre season training to get match fit so that's probably about another 4 weeks at least. On this basis, this season is effectively over. Any attempt to play it to a conclusion will have knock on effects for future seasons one of which is badly affected by the stupid world cup in qatar.

People seem to be trying to suggest things that are effectively accommodating Liverpool winning the league and Leeds and WBA getting promoted. If you accommodate them you have to do the same for every team down the league. Those fighting for european places, play offs etc

Where have I proposed that football becomes a summer sport? Are you suggesting this season should be scrapped? That would be absurd.

All I have suggested is managing this, the next and the 2022/23 season to fall in line with the WC and without making the 29 games this season void, which seems to be what you are suggesting.

 

[Weststander]

First of all, we have had a winter break, unless of course you are proposing that football becomes a summer sport.

Secondly, as Bozza indicates, there can't be anyway that football will resume in June. All football is on a shutdown, the government are talking about 3 months isolation for the over 70s so that is an indication of probably when things will start up again. However, footballers will effectively need a pre season training to get match fit so that's probably about another 4 weeks at least. On this basis, this season is effectively over. Any attempt to play it to a conclusion will have knock on effects for future seasons one of which is badly affected by the stupid world cup in qatar.

People seem to be trying to suggest things that are effectively accommodating Liverpool winning the league and Leeds and WBA getting promoted. If you accommodate them you have to do the same for every team down the league. Those fighting for european places, play offs etc

Nothing has been decided, the football authorities and clubs are calmly and correctly putting off any final decisions, as real lives being at stake takes precedence.

Where’s this nonsense coming from that WBA, Liverpool and Leeds are determining the course all football will take in England and Wales? They aren’t. It’s just a few punters getting creating and getting het up about fake news.

It doesn’t really matter which season starts next at this stage, because we’re not going to see PL football for a very long time. The name of the season is irrelevant just now.

 

[Weststander]

Where have I proposed that football becomes a summer sport? Are you suggesting this season should be scrapped? That would be absurd.

All I have suggested is managing this, the next and the 2022/23 season to fall in line with the WC and without making the 29 games this season void, which seems to be what you are suggesting.

It appears that that WBA and Leeds are not alone .... the Championship unanimously backing not scrapping this season.

 

[amexer]

What is fair or unfair in football whatever decision is made is irrelevant to wider public. If there was a war, league would stop now full stop. No discussions would take place about restarting when war over. Should be same now. Forget this season and start next season when virus free. This is bigger then football. Not interested who is lucky or unlucky. 100s of thousand will lose job. That is what I call unlucky

 

[Super Steve Earle]

What is fair or unfair in football whatever decision is made is irrelevant to wider public. If there was a war, league would stop now full stop. No discussions would take place about restarting when war over. Should be same now. Forget this season and start next season when virus free. This is bigger then football. Not interested who is lucky or unlucky. 100s of thousand will lose job. That is what I call unlucky

A job or their life. Could not agree with you more.

 

[drew]

Nothing has been decided, the football authorities and clubs are calmly and correctly putting off any final decisions, as real lives being at stake takes precedence.

Where’s this nonsense coming from that WBA, Liverpool and Leeds are determining the course all football will take in England and Wales? They aren’t. It’s just a few punters getting creating and getting het up about fake news.

It doesn’t really matter which season starts next at this stage, because we’re not going to see PL football for a very long time. The name of the season is irrelevant just now.

Firstly, I agree entirely that nothing has been decided but I would respectfully suggest that they are aware football won't resume on the 4th April and they are using this time to have contingency plans in place. They will be speaking to each other so that when the time is right, they will have a plan.

As for WBA etc, I never said they were driving the ideas but there are others, punters as you call them, that are trying to do that, Dalglish being one of them!!

 

[jabba]

How about we take the result of remaining fixtures from the corresponding one earlier in the season?
We'd get 8 points (wins v Arsenal, Norwich, draw Newcastle, Burnley)

 

[Hampster Gull]

This season won’t complete. And nor should it. It’s part of the community which is going into lock down, it’s not above it.

 

[drew]

Where have I proposed that football becomes a summer sport? Are you suggesting this season should be scrapped? That would be absurd.

All I have suggested is managing this, the next and the 2022/23 season to fall in line with the WC and without making the 29 games this season void, which seems to be what you are suggesting.

You mentioned a season Jan to Nov which would include the summer and probably decimate cricket attendances. Also, after that is the World Cup and when that finishes on 18th Dec, when are you proposing the next season to start? Revert to August then that's one hell of a long break when clubs won't be receiving any income!!!

As others have suggested, if we were at war, the season would be over, voided. In 1939 Blackpool were leading the first division when war broke out. There is no record of them having won the league that season!!! Admittedly only 3 games had been played but after the war there was a brand new season from 46 to 47.

 

[drew]

What is fair or unfair in football whatever decision is made is irrelevant to wider public. If there was a war, league would stop now full stop. No discussions would take place about restarting when war over. Should be same now. Forget this season and start next season when virus free. This is bigger then football. Not interested who is lucky or unlucky. 100s of thousand will lose job. That is what I call unlucky

Have to agree. Whilst I miss football, I'll miss breathing more! Football will be planning for the future when they get the green light, just as loads of other industries will be. Some clubs won't make it through and some companies won't but that's still not as bad as some people not making it through.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

As others have said, it becomes null and void the moment contracts start expiring and clubs start changing their squads.

It’s already losing its sense of being a season, the nuances of momentum, form, luck through injuries etc. have completely gone. It’d just feel wrong to start up again 4/5 months down the line with those feelings only exacerbated.

 

[rippleman]

What is fair or unfair in football whatever decision is made is irrelevant to wider public. If there was a war, league would stop now full stop. No discussions would take place about restarting when war over. Should be same now. Forget this season and start next season when virus free. This is bigger then football. Not interested who is lucky or unlucky. 100s of thousand will lose job. That is what I call unlucky

I concur. There is really no option other than to scrap the season and treat it as if the season 2019/20 never happened.

Peoples lives and livelihoods are far more important than sport.

Of course it will hurt the small clubs who rely heavily on gate receipts for survival but many businesses are not going to survive, sadly football clubs are no different.

 

[sparkie]

I can see the games going on behind closed doors to fulfill the TV contracts.

However, due to the unfairness of teams losing home crowd advantage in vital relegation battles - having conceded that advantage in the reverse fixture previously - I can also see no relegation from the PL, with 2 up from the CH ( playoffs cancelled ).

 

[Deadly Danson]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-clubs-plan-save-21710921

All games behind closed doors at a neutral venue. HATE this idea which probably means it will happen.

 

[SAC]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-clubs-plan-save-21710921

All games behind closed doors at a neutral venue. HATE this idea which probably means it will happen.

If this is what it takes to end the season, I'm in favour of it. So long as clubs have enough fit players and the emergency services are willing to supply staff. They will need to ensure that pubs don't show games, although I suspect that all pubs will be closed within a week or so.

 

[blockhseagull]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-clubs-plan-save-21710921

All games behind closed doors at a neutral venue. HATE this idea which probably means it will happen.

People want the season to finish so it’s ‘fair’ on everyone

This idea isn’t !!

Giving up home advantage is massive and this damages the ‘integrity’ of the league as much as any other option put forward.

 

[Swansman]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-clubs-plan-save-21710921

All games behind closed doors at a neutral venue. HATE this idea which probably means it will happen.

Very naive.

 

[Deadly Danson]

People want the season to finish so it’s ‘fair’ on everyone

This idea isn’t !!

Giving up home advantage is massive and this damages the ‘integrity’ of the league as much as any other option put forward.

Completely this - having played Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool and Man Utd away, if we lose home advantage for those games (however unlikely we are to get points) it's a significant disadvantage. It's an awful idea - hopefully it's just tabloid nonsense, can't see PB supporting this.

 

[sparkie]

People want the season to finish so it’s ‘fair’ on everyone

This idea isn’t !!

Giving up home advantage is massive and this damages the ‘integrity’ of the league as much as any other option put forward.

The integrity of the league would be gone if they do this.

But they could recognise this fact and not have any relegation.

 

[atomised]

So. Today is the day the premier league meet again to decide on a way forward. Not really sure what to expect other than confirmation of a further delay probably til the end of april