What is the Premier League’s ‘Project Restart’ and what does it mean for Bristol City? The Premier League will outline their plans to resume the season on Friday The Premier League is poised to announce their plans for the resumption of the 2019/20 season following the coronavirus crisis. Across Europe, a number of leagues have come to varying key decisions - with Germany’s Bundesliga pushing ahead with their fans on resuming the season, while France’s Ligue 1 has officially been cancelled. The plan in the Premier League remains orientated around completing the season behind closed doors but there is a number of significant issues that need to be ironed out over the course of the coming weeks. From Bristol City's point of view, the Championship and EFL are eagerly watching what the top-flight does in terms of the logistics and maybe even the ethics of staging football again during a pandemic, or at least after the peak of one. Robins CEO Mark Ashton, who sits on the EFL board, told BBC Radio Bristol last Saturday that the season should be completed "competitively and with integrity" and that desire will be dictated, to an extent, by what the Premier League do. During this period, a lot of talk has orientated around the Premier League’s ‘Project Restart’ but what exactly is it and what does it mean? We have answered the key questions below. What is Project Restart? Put simply, Project Restart is the not-so-inventive name the Premier League has created for their plans to restart the campaign - although the plans are for a resumption, rather than starting from scratch entirely. The plan outlines the key dates for clubs to return to training and for matches to take place, as well as outlining how the players will be kept safe, how many people are required for behind closed doors matches and what measures will be put in place to restrict the movement of players during this period. How will it work? The plan is for a six-week ‘festival of football’ to complete the remaining 92 matches in the 2019/20 Premier League season, which could see matches shown on terrestrial TV as well as one the usual Sky Sports and BT Sport platforms. Matches will be played in ‘approved stadiums’, which could see clubs play in neutral venues and unable to use their own stadiums during this period - although it’s not known how this will affect individual clubs yet. Will it be safe? That is the multi-million dollar question and, in order to be able to complete the season, the Premier League will have to show the government, it’s shareholders and the players that people will not be at risk. This could see players in isolation for six weeks while the matches are completed and subject to mass testing, with the Premier League paying privately for tests - something that will undoubtedly attract criticism. Every venue would have strict restrictions on the number of people in attendance for matches behind closed doors, with it understood that the figure required for each match is around 300. How feasible is the plan? This is also something that remains uncertain and it may only become clear in a few weeks when the plan is underway, with the key concerns being the possibility of fans gathering in mass to celebrate end of season achievements - including title success, European qualification and avoiding relegation. Another concern is how the plans will be viewed by the public, with football already being widely criticised during the crisis for a number of reasons, and the mass testing, along with the use of emergency services, likely to be scrutinised. When will we hear about it? The Premier League is understood to have spoken individually to all 20 Premier League clubs today (Thursday) and an announcement on their plans is expected after the latest shareholders’ meeting on Friday. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/what-premier-leagues-project-restart-4093896
They can say they'll have everyone tested, all the physios, the police and all who need to be there. Question, how do you self isolate from a corner? And don't start Mrs R on all the spitting that goes on.
the clues are in the initial post on how it will work …. using "stadiums" as opposed to every clubs ground … 6 weeks isolation … will be hard on the families … social distancing will be irrelevant on the pitch …. testing will done to ensure no affected people within that "community"... look at it from 2 different angles it is right to do it reference in pandemic ….wrong to do it in pandemic … I have seen a number of people jogging IN MY AREA AND UP THE STEEP STEPS wearing face masks... so taking right to do it first after 15 mins could change face masks [ or near to natural game stoppage ] after 30 mins... or depending on exertions wear long sleeves and gloves. the only really close contact would be free kicks or corners. EACH PLAYER ON PITCH and STAFF needed on or in dugouts shower to start with clean kit … half time extra 5 mins all shower and have clean kit [players and officials ]. each player is tested before the game and following morning. Another way to complete the season would be when a game has 2 teams that can either not gain promotion or relegation or has an affect on third party team gaining or relegation threatened. It is not played???? [ extreme measure ] The majority of the population has been subjected to confinement so even though behind closed doors able to view games on TV would a welcome addition to mental well being … something different .. to talk about and look forward to in 20/21 Is it wrong.... is the answer above? I cannot see anything realistically wrong as it helps the population well being wise … but the major factor, and I stop short on "GUINEA PIGS" it will show how a massive group of people all over the country react to being able to participate in a controlled environment and not spread the disease ….. after all games in 6 weeks a 7 day isolation? or the regular tests would allow back to families and the conditions prevalent. As ROD and others have observed "normal crowds of people defying lock down" will be pre cursors to the virus ramping up again.... I went to a fancy dress party the other week,[ SD practiced ] wearing only a pair of Y-fronts. A woman at the party said to me, "this is a fancy dress party, what are you supposed to be?" "A premature ejaculation," I said. "What do you mean?" replied the woman. "I"ve come in my pants," I said.
I find it remarkable that they would waste time planning a strategy when the government hasn’t even got one! (Not a criticism of the government btw ) Whatever the Premier League decide, they will be subject to UK government rules.
It seems Brighton won’t agree to neutral venues being used, I’m not sure if they would need the agreement of all the clubs. The PL also needs to consider what the general population thinks. At the moment In these unprecedented times to carry on and play behind closed doors would, In my view, be a massive PR blunder.
Spend more time on the things that matter I agree with you for now, but sport is a major part of people’s leisure , are you suggesting football is never started again ? , if you are that is ridiculous , if you are aren’t then why scrap this season? , when we are able to resume it just restart from where we are now . You make no argument for not doing this. I don’t disagree that there are more important issues to deal with right now, but that doesn’t mean this season has to be cancelled, far from it . The resumption can be used as a positive and a way of getting us back to some resemblance of “normal “ life.
Im with inver here, scrap the season now and everyone can prepare for next on an equal basis,extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and if just one life is saved....
On balance I think we should scrap football now. Neutral grounds is not league football, and clubs like Brighton have a distinct disadvantage because they have 5 of there last 9 games due to be played at home. I think the latest idea is for the Prem to decamp to Australia and play there. Seems to me it's more about money than football.
I don't think getting finished is more about money. If the season was just 23/27 games old [ January ] then I would have said "heads down, sacrifice, prepare for the next one" or said OK everyone has played each other once so that's the end of league season … and yes there will be a disadvantage of some playing home and others away … but any "plan to complete may have problems" …. so the promoted are and will need to play off for the right to go up …. finishing now is necessary because so much has been spent … and how do we know if the present positions are likely to be the final? IT IS A CLEAN SLATE FOR EVERYONE. if played on neutral grounds the same for everyone brighton have a problem having played 5 less at home?.. ok then there first home fixture be played at home by the first team they play having to play 1 more away game... then all on neutral ………….. Team ............P ...Pts 1 West Brom 23 ...50 2 Leeds 23 ...47 3 Sheff Wed 23 ...39 4 Fulham 23 ...38 5 Preston 23 ... 38 6 Brentford 23 ...37 7 Swansea 23 ... 37 8 Blackburn 23... 35 9 Bristol City 23 ... 35
According to Steve Parish of Crystal Palace it is about money. He has argued for a restart because of its financial benefits alongside a boost to mental health. Regarding his latter. If large parts of society cannot return to say a gym, or playing football with their mates, being with friends it is highly questionable if there is a wide psychologically benefit to society. It could be an alchemy to sow resentment and fuel negative behaviours.
At the end of the day it will come down to government policy. The league authorities will know how long the minimum time would be needed to play out the remaining fixtures and with the start of the new season approaching that window is getting squeezed. If, by the time the lockdown eases such that a game of football can be played (behind closed doors or not) there isn’t enough time to complete the season (the seasons can’t overlap) then it will be voided. I suppose the new season could technically be delayed to allow the current season to end but I doubt it. also there’s a question of players’ contracts.
Personally I think they will restart this season. Next season is the tricky one because like it or not the virus is still out there. Crowds won’t be allowed to attend until a vaccine (have to be a lot of it to protect everyone) or cure for it. Social distancing is here until 2021, and that unfortunately is the new normal.
the main reason why Brighton want to avoid relegation by "vetoing neutral grounds" …………. " clubs risk losing large amounts of money if relegated are worried their finances could take a further hit if they still have to play matches behind closed doors in next year's Championship." ….
Exactly what is the point of finishing the season off if there is not going to be any relegation? that would be an absolute nonsense.
I want football to return as soon as possible, much as everyone else who loves the sport, but right now there are some things more important - and that is us and our families. Stay safe one and all and let's hope that c'mon City will be heard again soon.
I agree, but apart from protectionism by teams threatened with relegation, exactly what is the point of finishing off the remaining games of this season if they are going to be meaningless, I would love to know what the thought process is behind any decision like that. Holland have abandoned their season, France have deemed the season over and champions, promotion/relegation/champions league places are as of the league places when that decision was made and we are basically talking about a load of practice matches with no meaning whatsoever, apart of course Liverpool will be crowned champions but none of the other clubs who win their leagues will gain nothing tangible for it. Of course I realise that only the premiership matters in the English game.
