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

[dazzer6666]

Because he's an excellent football administrator and we're lucky to have him. And he bores you because football administration is boring compared to watching the game. Without it though, you wouldn't have a game to watch

Amazing how many can’t see this........and slag him off for virtually everything the club does. Incredible.

 

[Springal]

It's likely to be a legal minefield if this season is null and void but wearing my seagulls blue hat, I'd take your null and void now.

It really wouldn’t be a legal minefield. No one had mathematically secured anything and when UEFA suspend all football no one will be able to do anything

 

[essbee1]

Whatever happens though, we can't get relegated.

I'd be a lot more worried had the season carried on today, for example, and we found ourselves in
the relegation zone at 5pm and then matches were suspended. That could easily have happened.

But anyway, people's health is the top priority, so ultimately football isn't that important.

 

[Perry Milkins]

Congratulations, comment of the week

Why don't you hover over your own board mate?

 

[rogersix]

Congratulations, comment of the week

it wasn't that good, but it amused me enough to give him a

 

[raymondo]

They should take bets on kids playing games on FIFA and stream them.

My lad is always up for a bribe

 

[father_and_son]

My lad is always up for a bribe

Shouldn't be playing FIFA, he should be running it then!

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Amazing how many can’t see this........and slag him off for virtually everything the club does. Incredible.

I think sometimes people struggle to see past the mustard sweater.

 

[The Andy Naylor Fan Club]

Have a 4 - 6 week break to make sure each team's players are ok/recovered and play all remaining games behind closed doors, finish the season. Start the new season a later and bin the FA Cup and league Cup next season to avoid fixture congestion.

 

[giveusfalmerplease]

My plan.. assume football won't resume until autumn. Complete THIS season then finishing by end of November. Take winter break . In January start new HALF season. Teams play eachother once with draw to determine home or away. Finish 20/21 season as normal and start afresh autumn 2021

 

[sparkie]

Cannot stand Leeds or Liverpool but both losing out would be a travesty.

Regardless, whatever is decided , if we don't finish season we will be PL next season. As never been in bottom 3 and still not in it.
Alexis Macc must me happy. 800k fee for 10 minutes and then quarantine in a foreign country.

Liverpool would be a travesty.

Leeds are not far enough ahead, given that they still have to play Fulham.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Don’t believe any of it will be workable

You can’t give players a very short break between seasons and then expect them to be playing twice a week.

Something has to give .. and it will be the 19/20 season

And the clubs that change divisions will need time to adjust their squads for next season. Promoted teams will need more than a couple of weeks to strengthen. Plus relegated teams will also have to lighten their wage bills.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/s...eague-meeting-coronavirus-suspension/?ref=rss

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I'm disappointed in PB. His comment that finishing the season is the priority is that of an administrator. In my opinion, this season is gone already and it's just a matter of when they admit it. The sooner they render it null and void, the better. I have already lost all interest in the Premier League for this season as it has no relevance in the midst of a pandemic - quite a change from last Thursday when it was still one of the most important things in my life. As an aside, the idea of just popping Leeds and West Brom in the Premier League is absurd. Fulham would have something to say about that and I'm not sure how some clubs in the Premier League would regard a wider trapdoor back to the Championship for a season. For my part, I am much more concerned about my family, my finances and the future for everybody than whether a football season can be completed. I love my football, but not only has it taken a back seat, it's in the boot and covered with a tarp.

 

[sparkie]

I'm disappointed in PB. His comment that finishing the season is the priority is that of an administrator. In my opinion, this season is gone already and it's just a matter of when they admit it. The sooner they render it null and void, the better. I have already lost all interest in the Premier League for this season as it has no relevance in the midst of a pandemic - quite a change from last Thursday when it was still one of the most important things in my life. As an aside, the idea of just popping Leeds and West Brom in the Premier League is absurd. Fulham would have something to say about that and I'm not sure how some clubs in the Premier League would regard a wider trapdoor back to the Championship for a season. For my part, I am much more concerned about my family, my finances and the future for everybody than whether a football season can be completed. I love my football, but not only has it taken a back seat, it's in the boot and covered with a tarp.

For future legal challenges he has to say at this point that they intend to finish the season.

It sets up the 'we did everything we could to finish the season' defence.

 

[Weststander]

The feeling on Monday Night Football on 5live last night was that null and voiding the 30 odd games played, will never happen.

The ideas floated were using existing average points as they stand to decides final places, or this season being completed eventually even if behind closed doors. It’s extremely unlikely that the 2020/21 season will start (after pre season training) in August, so next season will be disrupted anyway.

They used the example of Leicester who’ve been far superior to Spurs and deserve their CL place in this scenario, rather than it being awarded to Spurs due to their higher UEFA coefficient.

 

[Weststander]

I'm disappointed in PB. His comment that finishing the season is the priority is that of an administrator. In my opinion, this season is gone already and it's just a matter of when they admit it. The sooner they render it null and void, the better. I have already lost all interest in the Premier League for this season as it has no relevance in the midst of a pandemic - quite a change from last Thursday when it was still one of the most important things in my life. As an aside, the idea of just popping Leeds and West Brom in the Premier League is absurd. Fulham would have something to say about that and I'm not sure how some clubs in the Premier League would regard a wider trapdoor back to the Championship for a season. For my part, I am much more concerned about my family, my finances and the future for everybody than whether a football season can be completed. I love my football, but not only has it taken a back seat, it's in the boot and covered with a tarp.

PB isn’t saying anything selfish about the football world, over lives and livelihoods, imho.

He hasn’t given a timeframe. The country may be on the mend by say August, the football resume in say October. Who knows?

 

[Silverhatch]

Sunday Supplement panel all agreed that whenever football resumes this season has to finish. Rob Harris from Associated Press made a good point that football returning with relegation and promotion is much more exciting than starting afresh.

 

[Beanstalk]

The feeling on Monday Night Football on 5live last night was that null and voiding the 30 odd games played, will never happen.

The ideas floated were using existing average points as they stand to decides final places, or this season being completed eventually even if behind closed doors. It’s extremely unlikely that the 2020/21 season will start (after pre season training) in August, so next season will be disrupted anyway.

They used the example of Leicester who’ve been far superior to Spurs and deserve their CL place in this scenario, rather than it being awarded to Spurs due to their higher UEFA coefficient.

Average points is the logical explanation for calling the league as it is now. It's probably the right and only answer. Only a few changes (I'm WFH and a little bored) as follows:

1. Liverpool [107]
2. Man City [77] (presumably banned from Europe for next season)
3. Leicester [69]
4. Chelsea [63]
5. Man Utd [59]
----
6. Sheffield United [58]
7. Wolves [56]
8. Arsenal [54]
----
9. Spurs [54]
10. Burnley [51]
11. Palace [51]
12. Everton [48]
13. Newcastle [46]
14. Southampton [45]
15. Brighton and Hove Albion [38]
16. West Ham [35]
17. Watford [35]
---
18. Bournemouth [35]
19. Villa [34]
20. Norwich [28]

N.B. There are obviously decimal points separating certain sides and this is taken into account without being shown.

So the only changes are Sheffield United and Wolves switch but both would qualify for Europe as City are crooks.
Arsenal would leapfrog Spurs in probably the most controversial change getting the last Europa league spot.

The other VERY harsh decision is for Watford to stay up and Bournemouth to go down on current GD. However, you could solve this by doing head-to-head in which Watford would stay up anyway, having drawn 0-0 at home and won 3-0 away.

Though obviously, the fairest option is for Covid to disappear and finish the season as it would have been, this is probably the fairest alternative based on real results across a season.

 

[Wozza]

Nice work.

Bonus: The Euroean places won't matter if there are no European tournaments next season!