Coronavirus and football.

[Ram59]

I see the non league clubs are "spitting feathers" over the decision to declare those leagus null and void, apparently without much consultation with the clubs!

Can you imagine the uproar if that happens higher up the chain?

Yes, I saw this report also. Apparently 66 clubs have written to the league about it, which seems to be quite a number. But the report also states that 91 leagues are affected, so this averages at less than one club per league, if the complaints are widely spread.

Over 91 leagues I would imagine that there are quite a few teams who are confident of promotion and will feel aggrieved.

Interesting to note that premier league can't cancel their season without the permission of the EFL, obvious really.

[swaledale]

The Belgians have finished their league as it stands. Though the decision has to be ratified.

[Geoff Parkstone]

And they have awarded the title to their equivalent of Liverpool, who were 15 points clear with 1 game to go.

BUT in Belgium they have a playoff involving the top 6 finishers to determine the actual champion.

I would commend this as a way to finalise the PL title if ever our foreshortened season gets underway. Far less games to play. Same could be done to settle promotion and relegation with top and bottom 6 in the top leagues.

Home advantage to higher ranked teams:

1 and 2 get byes, 3v6, 4v5 etc. Reverse at bottom.

Home advantage might be limited by empty stadia, but PA systems could no doubt blare out pre home team chanting

[ramAnag]

And they have awarded the title to their equivalent of Liverpool, who were 15 points clear with 1 game to go.

BUT in Belgium they have a playoff involving the top 6 finishers to determine the actual champion.

I would commend this as a way to finalise the PL title if ever our foreshortened season gets underway. Far less games to play. Same could be done to settle promotion and relegation with top and bottom 6 in the top leagues.

Home advantage to higher ranked teams:

1 and 2 get byes, 3v6, 4v5 etc. Reverse at bottom.

Home advantage might be limited by empty stadia, but PA systems could no doubt blare out pre home team chanting

The Rugby League (and Union I think) model for you then GP. It’s a money spinner so I’d expect it to have your support.
Okay if everyone knows those are the rules beforehand, but when there’s a team that’s 25 points ahead with 30 left to play for it seems unfair to me.
To me a League is precisely that and the winners and losers are determined by the results over a season...it shouldn’t just be a lengthy prelude to a knockout competition imo.

[MadAmster]

And they have awarded the title to their equivalent of Liverpool, who were 15 points clear with 1 game to go.

BUT in Belgium they have a playoff involving the top 6 finishers to determine the actual champion.

I would commend this as a way to finalise the PL title if ever our foreshortened season gets underway. Far less games to play. Same could be done to settle promotion and relegation with top and bottom 6 in the top leagues.

Home advantage to higher ranked teams:

1 and 2 get byes, 3v6, 4v5 etc. Reverse at bottom.

Home advantage might be limited by empty stadia, but PA systems could no doubt blare out pre home team chanting

Belgium. The country with pretty harsh movement restrictions allowing "playoffs"? It is true that they have this 6 team playoff every season but I have not been able to find anywhere stating they are definitely going to hold them this season. If anybody can provide a link to a news story confirming this I would be grateful. My lad lives there. He is allowed out to do 3 things.....

1. shop for food
2. visit the chemist's should he require any medicine
3. to go to work, he is a pilot with a freight company and most of what they are moving at the moment are medical supplies.

[Geoff Parkstone]

In a world of compromise there are no perfect solutions, but this at least resets a competition and if the likes of Liverpool, Leeds, Rotherham etc are scared of it, they are maybe not the teams we all think they are.

A counter argument is that teams who cannot mathematically win the title or avoid relegation could be excluded from the playoffs.

Assuming it's behind closed doors, I'm not sure how it would make massive money other than through pay per view TV revenue. That TV revenue could be fairly distributed to support the lower leagues and grassroot teams that are seriously struggling, as opposed to being sucked up by the big clubs. Or maybe they could be designated "games for the NHS"

[swaledale]

According to the BBC

The summer transfer window will be moved and contracts ending on 30 June will be extended for a short period under proposals agreed by football's major stakeholders.

BBC Sport understands talks initiated by world governing body Fifa and including confederations, federations, clubs, players and leagues have reached agreement over a number of issues arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

All parties now accept that completing the 2019-20 season by 30 June, as initially hoped, will not happen.

So much for Thicky's assertion that this couldn't happen!

[Ram59]

According to the BBC

The summer transfer window will be moved and contracts ending on 30 June will be extended for a short period under proposals agreed by football's major stakeholders.

BBC Sport understands talks initiated by world governing body Fifa and including confederations, federations, clubs, players and leagues have reached agreement over a number of issues arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

All parties now accept that completing the 2019-20 season by 30 June, as initially hoped, will not happen.

So much for Thicky's assertion that this couldn't happen!

It throws up a few problems though. Firstly, it can only be advisory and could be legally challenged by unhappy parties.

Are players on the brink of a big contract going to risk themselves playing for their 'previous' club?

Are sponsors going to continue making payments to a club or start payments to a club. FIFA may control football, but they don't control employment and contract law.

[Geoff Parkstone]

No playoffs in Belgium this year, they have awarded title as per my post

My post refers to fact that, although 15 points clear with 1 game to go, the title was still not guaranteed because they ordinarily have playoffs.

So there is perhaps precedent for giving it to Liverpool

[ramAnag]

No playoffs in Belgium this year, they have awarded title as per my post

My post refers to fact that, although 15 points clear with 1 game to go, the title was still not guaranteed because they ordinarily have playoffs.

So there is perhaps precedent for giving it to Liverpool

On the subject of football rather than Coronavirus...there are by my reckoning only four clubs in the top four divisions for whom things are a ‘foregone’. Liverpool, at one extreme, and Southend, Bolton and Stevenage at the other.

Things look pretty bleak for the likes of Barnsley and Luton too I know, but they’re still in with a shout.

With that in mind, would it work to return to those old fashioned play off systems of the ‘80’s (I think) when the relegation candidates of the league above played the promotion candidates from the league below?

Nothing is perfect and personally I still favour a Duckworth Lewis equivalent based on home and away form throughout the whole season, but it would reduce the number of matches still to be played if - for example - the current bottom three/four of the Premier League were to play the current top three or four of the Championship - probably behind closed doors - either on a knockout or mini league basis.

A decision will have to be made soon and there seems to be nothing but a deafening silence from the authorities.