Coronavirus and sport: LMA chief warns clubs need to back neutral venues. The 2019-20 Premier League season could be cancelled if clubs do not agree to play in neutral venues, says League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52558225
What exactly is the thinking around neutral stadiums? I don’t see what the difference is? If it is to avoid fans gathering then isn’t it only as likely/unlikely than if you’re playing an away fixture? Or is that it, make everyone away thinking no one will travel to ‘be there’? Seems a bit stupid to me, and regardless of location I can’t see why players would be exempt from social distancing advice? EDIT - I know I should have been paying more attention, but the boys at the back of the class were messing about and I couldn’t concentrate.
I think the idea is that if you just have a couple of venues, you can put systems in place, play games back to back, massively reduce TV crews etc and they're talking about holding them at places like Wembley and Twickenham, where they have their own medical facilities on site.
It looks like the EFL clubs will meet a week today to discuss what they'll do, once Boris has made his announcement on Sunday and the Premier League have decided what they're doing. It's looking increasing likely that if there is a resumption of football this season, it will be Premier League only.
Coronavirus: Germany's Bundesliga to resume this month, says Angela Merkel https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52557699
Back to back games makes some sense I suppose, to minimise travel for film crews etc. I don't think the medical facilities will be much use for covid though. Still seems like a sop to me so they can say that they made a big decision which would help reduce risks, when really its about TV revenue etc. Is the idea that players would have been tested or been isolated first so they know they have a 'sterile' group? There would be some sense to that, although then everyone should be able to meet people if neither of them had been out for a week or coughed?
The medical facilities are to deal with injuries, to avoid troubling the NHS, nothing to do with treating COVID. Apparently the players would have to be tested regularly while the games were being played.
This is what I’ve been saying since everyone started screaming void it & start again next season. Next season is highly unlikely to happen so between now & next May that’s an entire year to fit in all the games for all the teams in all the leagues! Next season won’t be happening so why bother not finishing this one over the next year! There’s going to be too much legal **** happening if all the teams don’t get what they want!
Cheers I doubt Premier League players trouble the NHS very much mind you. Can’t see Salah queueing in A&E! Testing makes sense as long as there’s enough lab capacity still for testing key workers or people with symptoms.
But for it to be about TV revenues, it shows that there is a belief that lots of people will want to watch the games. So it's about more than just TV revenues......?
Rest assured whatever the suits decide to do will be a cock up. With loads of clubs kicking off and threatening legal action. There's no alternative but to finish the 2019/20 season. The remaining fixtures could be played Aug to December in front of crowds of say 10% of the capacity to ensure social disdancing. Then the 2021/22 will start on time in August after Euro 2021.
Normal people who keep the country running going to matches in small numbers, because of people needing to keep 2m apart, to watch millionaires who can somehow get tested whenever they need a test wrapping their arms round each other at corners and standing shoulder to shoulder at free kicks, then walking home 2m away from everyone else and going back to keeping the country running again? not for me thanks, you can have my standing space
Good points DBT. It's a tricky one. Who knows what the solution is. I doubt if the politicians and the football association posses the magic bullet.
Fair point. I would introduce a FA cup competetion to run from Feb to May and play friendlies. Possibly an inter -Europe competetion. There would also be a Champions league tournament to coincide with Euro 2021, but of course there are a lot of variables to take into account. And at the end of the day it may be impossible. It's one for the bureaucrats to work out.
It’ll be a shame if the leagues (or just PL) resume. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. Playing at a neutral venue will not stop Liverpool fans (as an example) gathering outside the neutral venue in the game they win the league. Likewise with those fans of clubs facing relegation.
The Mirror running a piece saying Premier back October but behind closed doors, so the end of this month looks a no no https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-drafts-5-step-21986668
