Finalisation of the EPL season

The EPL are proposing that the remaining fixtures are played behind closed doors at neutral venues.Given the situation this seems to me to be a very fair resolution of the problem.It is fair to the Clubs playing for European competition places plus those trying to avoid relegation.It also resolves the position at the top of the Championship providing that the Football League
complete the season.

However,some Clubs are opposed to the idea and surprise surprise it happens to be those Clubs in danger of relegation.Clearly they are putting money before fairplay.Not surprising perhaps but if Burnley were in that situation I would be very annoyed if they tried to use the current situation re the virus to keep themselves safe in the division.I think that the Clubs involved have severely damaged their reputations and will lose public sympathy.

This is complicated barrie.

Most clubs excepting Liverpool would in all conscience, void the season and move on. Trouble is they all need the lucre so the show must go on.

Wealth before health and all that. I can't wait for the reaction after a few EPL players refuse to play on health and safety issues.

I fail to see how the clubs in lower leagues than the Prem can possibly fund this. If they played behind closed doors then,
A/. The players would want full pay
B/. The clubs would have no revenue.

What happens if a player tested positive? All the squad (and their opponents) would have to self isolate for 14 days (I think?)

But I would love to see footy again - even behind closed doors.

THey should keep the season on hold until the end of the year when they will possibly have a clearer picture of how they have coped wtih the virus. They could then start training and continue this season, starting towards the end of January 2021.
They can play one series of games per week which, along with continuing the FA Cup will take us through to the end of April and the 2019/20 season will have been completed.
The Championship could also do the same and promotion and relegation will take place, in fact there is no reason why they could not do this with all the EFL.

Obviously, this would mean that the 2020/21 season would have to be scrapped in total which, in view of the fact that we could well end up with the virus returning and causing the same problems in another season, would be a good thing, rather than have a similar problem if they cancelled this seaon with a view to starting 2020/21 season in August/September.

THe big thing against my idea would be clubs kicking up about losing money, therefore, that poses the question ---Do they really want to play football?

What worries me if the projected "Second wave" hits the football staff and fatalities occur - just for the sake of keeping Klopp happy.

Everybody is in danger and if we have a second wave there will be more deaths.However,life HAS to go on,we cannot be in lockdown for ever and we are now seeing some differences between the Home nations abut the way they go about loosening some of the measures.

Football is only a sport but it plays it's part in the mental wellbeing of a lot of people.That is one of the reasons I think that they should devise a way of completing the season,the other is financial of course.Behind closed doors in neutral venues with everybody being tested and every possible precaution taken seems reasonable to me.Should some players refuse to play then it is up to each individual Club to deal with it.

Everybody has to take risks,it is a matter of making sure that every reasonable precaution is taken,footballers are no different to anybody else.

For some strange reason All the Black players are more at risk of catching the virus.apparently 8 times more at risk than white players to catch it.. I Wonder why that is? Strange really

Surely they can’t start with that BT.
My lad this week was told your due back at work 26th we expect you to be there he gets £380 a week - let me see that’s about £44700 less than an average wage in premiership - it’s the same for all of us - if you’re told to work you should work imo anyway. ( I bet the safety and procedures are more stringent for the high earners than my lad on a building site .)

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Originally Posted by army88

Surely they can’t start with that BT.
My lad this week was told your due back at work 26th we expect you to be there he gets £380 a week - let me see that’s about £44700 less than an average wage in premiership - it’s the same for all of us - if you’re told to work you should work imo anyway. ( I bet the safety and procedures are more stringent for the high earners than my lad on a building site .)

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A very valid point army88. For me football without fans is not worth a sh-it. A more pertinent question s why workers like your son are deemed expendable?

Those who are lucky enough to be able to work from home are more likely to be better paid, and they can protect themselves. Construction and manufacturing workers like your lad, must now put their lives on the line so that their wealthy “superiors” can protect their profits.

Keir Starmer’s Labour Party must now pressurise our government to ensure that workers are protected and prioritised, and that the Tories cannot put private wealth ahead of public health whilst bringing the UK out of lockdown.

Calling those workers furloughed through no fault of their own “workshy” is plainly ridiculous, inflammatory and serves us a timely reminder just what a nasty party the Conservative and Unionist Party really is. Is football really this important?

If a professional footballer thinks he is in danger of contacting the virus by being holed up in a hotel and not social distancing (how do you social distance on a football field?) then how can the show go on and should it? What happens if our number one sh-ithouse gobs at the City goalie? It all seems rather futile to me.

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An interesting read in this morning's Daily Telegraph by Oliver Brown.