'A Disaster' - West Bromwich Albion Boss Gives Opinion

Fair play to Slaven Bilic

 

I agree it would be better as a FAN for the season to complete - even behind closed doors, but I reiterate my opinion that it will be cancelled.

 

I can’t see what’s to gain by cancelling it, I really can’t. I’ve not listened to SL, so I can’t even see the financial reason for finishing the season behind closed doors , as less revenue from crowds etc, (I accept there must be one if SL is advocating it). I assume it’s to do with having to pay players that would otherwise be out of contract at the planned end of this current season. However clubs are going to have to have enough players on their books to start a new season , whilst not perfect surely it would be better to use those players to conclude this season before starting next. Playing games behind closed doors imo isn’t an answer , it’s too sterile

 

Listening to Raab at the 5pm briefing, fans will be lucky to see football live at AG for at least a year. The only way out to watch live earlier is either a vaccine or a treatment for those infected.
Sorry to say - Don't hold your breath.

 

I got the impression they were pissed off with the constant questions regarding an exit plan.

 

It might be they don't have a clue but suppose we have to give them the benefit of doubt.

Thought the Army bloke was impressive.

 

I think reading between the lines they do know. But it won’t be what the nation wants to hear.
It’s not rocket science to work out the virus ain’t going anywhere this year unless they stumble on a cure. So Whitty virtually said social distancing will be here for the calendar year at least.
Controlling the virus is priority, exit plan should be when it’s safe to do so, we will then find out.
After all Spanish flu done it’s damage when social distancing was removed.

 

It’s a balance between keeping the population PHYSICALLY safe and mentally up together. Add in the fact we are haemorrhaging £2.5billion per DAY at the moment whilst people can’t go to work which is unsustainable.
the lockdown will continue for some time longer but it’s only borrowing time. Sooner or later we have to let people return to work in order to FUND the brilliant NHS and all their good work.
I can’t see any sort of normality returning before July at the earliest - which would be too late to finish the season imho.

 

This is quite long, but very interesting DR Johan Giesecke Swedish perspective..

 

I'm guessing that even if games were played behind largely closed doors, there may still be TV revenue coming in for the clubs from Sky ?
Not my preference btw.

 

Thanks for posting this which as you say is very interesting.
My view all along was that the lockdown was a mistake and we initially had the right policy but Boris panicked in the face of the UCL advice. I suspect his view that it will turn out pretty much the same everywhere, regardless of how you react, is likely to be right. The sooner we focus on protecting the old and vulnerable properly while letting everyone else get back to normal, the better imo.
There is a real risk of more deaths being caused by stopping other nhs business as usual than there will be from C19. So time to start slowly ramping down I would suggest.

 

My take on the whole thing is simply that history will show us who was right or wrong throughout the pandemic and that there will be many things shown to be right and many things wrong, all with the benefit of hindsight!!

I know from my working life that anyone can get an "expert" to expound their theories on anything - doesn't necessarily say that they correct!!

 

The lockdown slows the spread (but doesn’t stop it) and wearing masks MIGHT slow it further (but only effective if EVERYONE wears a mask - and gloves)
The thing is, it’s bought the NHS and the government some time to work on a cure/vaccine without being hopelessly overwhelmed.
We will have to go back to work sooner or later - we can’t sustain losing £2.5bn per day.

 

Whether we like it or not the fact is that this virus will probably hang around for at least the remainder of 2020. Social distancing is a key ingredient to reduce it's transmission and without a doubt mistakes were made by politicians and medical gurus along a path that nobody had foreseen before and that should allow them some slack from the general public. The world order has changed forever because nobody can fully comprehend the fallout from this pandemic until all the dust settles sometime in 2021.

World travel has brought this disaster closer to home especially when you consider the sardine can approach by airlines to cram as many people as possible in to the smallest possible space and in the most unhygenic way. Until all airports, and other entry and exit points, screen all passengers by thermal imaging we stand very little chance of the problem disappearing soon. I was disgusted when I returned to Vancouver airport on March 10th to see absolutely no screening, whereas in Tokyo, Taipei and Singapore the screening was obvious and applauded by travellers.

As some of you may know Ann and I were heading off on a cruise to Italy and looking back on our disappointment I now wonder if travelling on a floating petrie dish is such a good idea and I believe the current cruise industry now has to rethink it's strategy if they want future business to continue.

 

The gov has been very careful in posting the worst case scenario and it comes as a relief when it is not as bad as thought …. aged to be kept isolated … 18 up to age 55 allowed to continue as "normal" ..this means they can spread it and get it but NHS CAN COPE... needs masses to get it … to build immunity we now have 40.000 + nightingale beds !!! but no one in them!

in a way it does, it brings lines to a dead end.. definitely no pun intended … If it was possible for everyone to stay separated for 7 days ...168 hours then it would take a massive nose dive … but there would need to be a serious plan after 7 days in place but what????

 

Well most unlike France a country I lived in for 16 years, today announced PSG as ligue 1 champions and Rennes and Marseille as their champions league entrants and the team I followed whilst living there FC Lorient as champions of ligue 2 and promoted alongside Lens, with Toulouse and Amiens relegated from ligue 1.

At least they made a decision, legal action in France is incredibly expensive and even more long winded, so I don't expect that to happen, maybe just an appeal to the FFF.

Whereas Holland have just abandoned the season.

I think that if the season is not finished, then the prem/EFL need to make decisions and promote and relegate, there can no fudge that allows Liverpool to be champions but no promotion and relegation.

 

I still think it should be left until games can be played safely , then finish this season as quickly as possible , before starting the next season soon after. No option is perfect , but this seems by far the best to me.

 

That is my preferred option as well.