Good Morning. It's Monday 13th April, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Leeds set the record straight regarding players training at Thorp Arch It was reported last Friday that Leeds had been flouting safety regulations in letting eight senior players attend Thorp Arch for a training session, a clear breach clear of Government rules and football protocol In fact, Leeds players have been careful to stick by these guidelines, ensuring nobody has been training together. Cooper, Dallas, Alioski and Berardi have all been regulars at the training ground in order to use the running track there, but they all arrive at different times. Running near their homes has posed problems with being recognised and approached by fans, so the easiest thing to do would be to attend a deserted Thorp Arch In light of the recent media reports, they have now been told to stay away for the avoidance of doubt. Only Forshaw, Davis and Augustin will be allowed regular visits to Thorp Arch as the trio look to return to action from injury. please log in to view this image Out of contract players can walk out of clubs on 30th June A leading sports lawyer has told Sky Sports that as of 30th June out-of-contract players in England can ignore FIFA proposals and leave their clubs, whether the season recommences or not. Nick De Marco QC, who has represented sports governing bodies, players, clubs and agents since 2002 has told Sky Sports that FIFA's recent proposal that out of contract players stay at their club until the season is finalised cannot be enforced under English employment law! "Nobody can force them to do so; FIFA, the FA, the club or anybody else. If they want to walk away, that's a matter for them but it will really be a matter of whether, financially, that makes sense for them. "What you're most likely to see as a preferred option is probably very short-term extensions of contracts based on existing salary terms. That won't suit everyone, and it can't be forced on anyone in England. "For example, if you're a player coming towards the end of your contract and, perhaps, the end of your career, maybe you only have one more contract left, you may be very reluctant to sign a contract for only a few weeks or an indeterminate period of time. "If you're a lower league club, financially stressed, you won't be wanting to pay players beyond June 30. So, a one-size-fits-all solution isn't going to work. It's going to depend on each case. The key is going to be agreements." "If the players are out of contract then, so far as the law is concerned, they're no longer employees and they're free to walk away," he explains. "The real issue is, 'Do the players walk away or not?'. That will depend on the circumstances of each case. "If the transfer window is closed, they may walk away and not be able to find another club. Now they may have a legal claim in those circumstances, or they may just have to wait two or three months. They might prefer that, to signing a contract that stops them making the next move. What individual players will do will depend on each player and each club." "The bigger issue for all of us is obviously how long this coronavirus goes on for and when we can resume the season," he explains. "That will have the greatest effect on the transfer window and when the season restarts. What would happen if the season couldn't start until August or September, which is quite possible? "If you didn't start the transfer window until after that, it could be very unfair to players, who are going to be out of contract in June, and don't want to sign the new contract. It could be very unfair to clubs who would be desperate, some of them, to release players. The real problem is going to be when the season is practically capable of restarting." "One possible solution that's been suggested is allowing players to sign pre-contracts," "So, if a club wants to keep a player, but the player doesn't really want to sign a two-month contract because they've got an offer of three years somewhere else, they can sign the three years somewhere else, but it starts in two months' time. "The problem with that is you have all sorts of integrity issues. There is no easy solution. I don't think we will really know what the solution is until we're closer to knowing when, and how, the season can resume." "I think the most important thing we will see is the global economic crisis and, in particular, the squeeze on football finances means that it's going to be a very depressed football market," says De Marco. "Not just in terms of transfer fees but, also, you'd expect that to have a knock-on effect on players' wages. That's probably the largest effect you will see. "You will have also some clubs who can afford to go out there and buy and will be able to do so on much more favourable terms, and you will have other clubs who will be, perhaps, forced to sell at under value. What that will most likely do is increase the difference between the wealthiest clubs and the rest, which is generally not a good thing for football. "There are clubs who can afford to pay players' [high] wages, there will still be those clubs. I'm not going to name them, but you know the type of clubs that are out there, both in the UK and in Europe. Those clubs will be competing for the very best players. "It does mean that those very best players will still be able to maintain a high salary and that will have some knock-on effects. Yes, there will be a depressive impact." please log in to view this image Leeds Brewery create Roast Potatoes and Yorkshire pud ale Leeds Brewery Northern Monk, famous for its Faith Pale Ale and Eternal IPA, have teamed up with Aunt Bessie to introduce a Roast Dinner beverage using real ingredients to maximise taste. The outlet in Hunslet (and second site in Holbeck) have teamed up with the frozen food giants who celebrate their 25th anniversary to put this acquired taste to the test. The 5.7 per cent ale isn't the only new creation though, Jam & Custard Pale Ale is also on the menu, should you have a sweeter tooth! Russell Bisset, founder of Northern Monk, said: "It's been an honour working with Aunt Bessie's, a truly iconic Northern brand. "There's nothing quite like a Sunday Roast with all the trimmings, and on a weekend where we'd usually be getting together with our families for a traditional Sunday Dinner, we've teamed up to bring you something a little different. "We've worked together to create something that's never been done before, and we hope that it brings some well-needed positivity to the nation." Sam Dolan, head of marketing at Aunt Bessie's, said: "There's nothing like coming together with loved ones over a roast dinner and a cold beer and so to join forces with a fellow Northern brand to create something which has never been done before is really special. "We're sure Aunt Bessie's fans are going to love the combination of a two-course roast dinner beer and as we celebrate Aunt Bessie's 25th birthday this year, what better way to mark the occasion?" please log in to view this image
Morning all... I read an article and saw some images of Augustin on Friday, this break has done him the world of good, he’s lost a few pounds and looks much better. In regards to out of contract players, I’d be amazed if any of ours left, the finishing line is in sight, I’m sure they’ll want to be part of something special.
Good Morning to Matt and everyone from a dull Bardsey Deeply moved to hear the death of Peter Bonetti he always played well against us infact if we a swapped keepers in 1970 final Leeds would have easily won I see we have put in £200m into a world wide fund to fight the virous .I wonder how much the Chinese who caused it have put in I think that the leagues as we knew thgem will not be the same when we get back to some order instead of 4 leagues I can see only 3 at the most and they will be pruned down #Wages will be much smaller apart from the super stars so Grealish wanting 80k a week can forget it and Bamford is on his last big payday as well
Morning all. The out of contract or loan players is a tricky one. Every case will be totally different.Jack Harrison I believe will be around till season eventually ends and hopefully beyond. Ben White could be different for example.If say Liverpool offered a cash strapped Brighton say 20m for him on June 1st, we could be left without him to finish season. Not a great prospect. Of course, most clubs will be faced with similar problems
Or Brighton could ask Leeds for more money for his loan to extend. Then they could still sell him for the same sum. Seems to me parent clubs will have the upper hand when the season starts.
The days of £20m for ben White are over even Liverpool will need to get their finances right and Brighton maybe in the championship so lets say£5m
At least at that money wed be in the running. Think Liverpool will be one of the few with money to spend. There will be lots more bargains to be had so they may with their attention from White anyway and Brighton may opt to keep him as not costing them anything
I think from the lower half of the PL down through every division, we’ll see teams cashing in on players in an attempt to survive. I can see cash rich clubs stripping the rest (of clubs) of their prized assets. I’d like to see the FL and PL get together and implement some kind of safety net over how many players a team may recruit next season from home shores.
I think the last few months have taught us that doctors and nurses are the real superstars of this world. When you sit back and think that these people are currently risking their lives every day trying to save others while some footballers are refusing to take pay cuts, it does make you think what a mad world this is. Then if you put it into perspective, most PL footballers earn more in 1 week than a nurse earns in a year - absolutely crazy.
What's everyone's views on the closure/reopening of schools ? If the football season can be completed at a later date then why can't the school calendar be adjusted also ? All children (school age) have just had a couple of week off for Easter so my view is let them have a couple of weeks of home schooling (perhaps a month) and then start the summer break early. Everything would have to be flexible depending on the latest scientific/medical advice but it would seem the sensible thing to do both for children and parents alike.
If it’s anything like here, the decision will be heavily influenced by willingness of the teachers unions to be flexible. In the past ours have been quick to put spanners in the works with first mention of changes to school syllabus or timetables
Might be a chance to reevaluate schools along with everything else. I remember a time when you went to school to be educated, now I think you go, to learn how to pass exams.
Can't see how they can open schools until they have a vaccine TBH, would start it all up again surely.
