https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...riefing-reassuring-in-its-lack-of-reassurance John Crace is the voice of reason again.
I haven't had time to read the other 161 posts in this thread so sorry if I am repeating things. My view is that all games should be called off and the league should start again when / if things simmer down. I know there would be implications for other summer tournaments. However, how can you just a) say the league table is as it is now and those are the finishing positions for all b) relegate those in current positions and promote those equally, they'd be lots of legal ramifications etc. c) get some computer to calculate results to the "end" of the season d)behind closed doors only makes players and staff come into contact more with potentially infected people. Can you think of any other alternatives? I don't see any other viable alternative. Public health is paramount and public health includes the staff of every club as well as fans.
Someone elsewhere has put forward an idea that might just work if the season was now cancelled. 1. No relegation from the EPL 2. The top two clubs are promoted from the Championship. 3. The EPL plays with 22 clubs for one season. 4. The Championship plays with 22 clubs for one season 5. At the end of the 20/21 season five clubs are relegated from the EPL
I think everything will be postponed now. Arsenal won’t be able to train for two weeks, let alone play matches. Apparently a senior Man City player is also self-isolating.
Thankfully the UK recently announced the implementation of a scheme to allow foreign workers to come to the UK to work on short term contracts with no right to remain unless applicants meet the requirements
And how do you decide the European places? Or who gets what prize money this season which is partly determined by where you finish in the league? I struggle to see what they can do other than just play the remaining fixtures at a later date. Maybe cancel next year’s league cup so we can play 1.25 league seasons?
The prize money for where you finish in the league is a fairly small part of what clubs earn. Just say that as there is no winner or loser you share it out equally to everyone.
The UK government has announced record investment and a series of measures to attract more doctors and nurses. Short term work permits is just one of the many solutions.
The CEO of Australia's National Rugby League has just announced that this weekend's opening round of the season's fixtures will go ahead as normal, but from Monday on, games will be played behind closed doors for an indefinite period. They'll be helping clubs that find themselves in financial difficulties as a result, with a commitment to 'keep them afloat'. They've yet to decide what to do about one club though - New Zealand Warriors - as international travel presents a bit of a problem. I guess that problem may apply to Wellington in the A-League too, although that season is nearing its end.
The Premier League now appears to be edging closer to an unprecedented suspension. For several days now senior officials have privately believed matches would soon have to be played closed doors with preparations made to do so. Despite mounting criticism for carrying on as normal and being so out of step with other competitions around the world, the Premier League agreed to follow government policy. But with several clubs now directly affected by the outbreak the integrity of the league is clearly in jeopardy.
I've been stocking up ever since the possibility of food shortages due to Brexit was mooted last year. Not panic buying, just a little extra every week. No tequila though - I prefer rum. I've almost got enough to open a food bank and my own off-licence.
As things stand, the Premier League is the only major top-flight league in Europe not to shut down or close its doors because of the coronavirus. The top divisions in Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ireland and the United States have all been suspended amid the outbreak, while the German Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1 are holding matches behind closed doors. Earlier, English football had been told to carry on as normal after the government’s medical experts insisted that their remained a very low probability of someone with Covid-19 infecting a large number of people in a stadium. However, the Arteta news quickly made that advice appear complacent. BBC Sport understands all 20 Premier League clubs want to decide on a unified strategy, and one of the possible options that will be discussed at the meeting is postponing the rest of this weekend's scheduled fixtures.
You would be much better informed if you paid attention to the governments announcements. You only seem capable of taking in negative information regarding the UK.
Nigel Pearson has confirmed the squad were sent home yesterday as the club are awaiting a number of test results for corona. Nothing in writing only what was just reported on talksport. He also advised it would be a poor decision if the game went ahead.
