Football League Suspended

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, Oldgregg86 said:

This is going to be controversial but I will say it anyway. Players would have more support if they weren’t being pictured partying and not social distancing etc in public. With the exception of jack Grealish the culprits were all in the BAME category . Just an observation. And yes I accept it’s a small few but it doesn’t help. Discuss

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52740861

There is at least one place within the British Isles where you would be banged up PDQ for this sort of behavior. 

[K-Hod]

1 hour ago, Oldgregg86 said:

This is going to be controversial but I will say it anyway. Players would have more support if they weren’t being pictured partying and not social distancing etc in public. With the exception of jack Grealish the culprits were all in the BAME category . Just an observation. And yes I accept it’s a small few but it doesn’t help. Discuss

Hmm, well to be fair there was also Mourinho, Declan Rice, Mason Mount and David Luiz that have been caught from memory.
(These are ones that have been caught as well, you can bet your bottom dollar there will have been others that also haven’t been caught).

[tomphil]

A lot of them are just plain thick not malicious or bad eggs just down right fucking stupid.

Hit them where they'll understand, the pocket and hit them hard. I'm sure a local charity could use a Spuds players weeks wages right about now !

[K-Hod]

Speaks volumes that Aurier has been done for the third time after posting a photo online showing him getting a hair cut. 
How dense can you be?

[arbitro]

It seems like big changes are coming for Leagues 1 and 2 with salary caps being proposed. In my view this makes real sense in light of the current situation many clubs find themselves in. And it seems like they want more of a level playing field with a ceiling of £2.5m for League One and £1.25m for League Two.

Significantly no mention of the Championship.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52738597

[chaddyrovers]

7 hours ago, Stuart said:

So in order to get football back on TV...

 

- L1 and L2 team having no income and potentially going to the wall is ok

- Footballers with health concerns including their families mean they don’t get paid unless they take their chances

Meanwhile....

- Fans cannot attend because it’s not safe

- Small businesses still cannot reopen (because it’s not safe)

- Everyone’s Summer holidays are cancelled or on hold - because it’s not safe

 

Why is Premier League football any different? (And let’s be honest, Championship football is only being discussed in the same breath because of promotion to the PL or it would already have been cancelled).

The only real concern here is large sums of money being paid to a small number of people who operate the PL and some of their clubs. I can’t believe there are ordinary folk who agree with this. Let’s get shops open before we talk about football.

Yet another symptom of how football doesn’t need paying fans - or at least it sees them as somewhat necessary for atmosphere.

That's why the Government want the FA and PL to share more their money with lower league football clubs

Yes the government has said no fans at any sporting events until there is vaccine or treatment in place. 

Yes small businesses can open its a restaurant or café or takeaway like Indian but takeaway only. Sensible until they can sort out the social distances within those shops. 

Yes Summer Holidays are cancelled and rightly so. Would you want to go to Spain for a week holiday right now for example? I have to cancel 2 holidays this summer. 

how can you have atmosphere when fans aren't allow in stadium or sporting event?

3 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Ive been told that there HAS to be promotions and relegations but never any reasons why. There doesnt. Thats before factoring in teams playing additional home or away games in front of fans prior to the postponement, a 4th and 5th sub, potentially no use of VAR etc.

But it is somewhat unfair to say that Leagues 1 and 2 are being allowed to go to the wall because the financial tapestry of clubs in these leagues is totally different. The Premier League is heavily reliant on TV deals which could theoretically still be completed even if games were behind closed doors. The lack of money from paying supporters is a blow but they would still potentially be able to still fully pay their player wages and also any necessary testing costs. That is totally different from the football league especially Leagues 1 and 2 whereby any TV money is minimal and they are heavily reliant on ticket sales. With this obviously not an option, no matter how much effort was put in to get these leagues on behind closed doors, baring in mind currently furloughed players would need to go back to 100%, that player contracts could need extending beyond June 30th to complete the season with a full team and any testing and hygeine costs, its a no goer, its not negligent or prioritising the strong to say that.

Cos The FA Chairman has told the PL and EFL why it has happen. 

Why cant VAR been used. The on field ref can use a TV Monitor at the side of the pitch. 

That's why the Government want the PL and FA to share more of the TV Money down the football league chain and give more 

16 minutes ago, arbitro said:

It seems like big changes are coming for Leagues 1 and 2 with salary caps being proposed. In my view this makes real sense in light of the current situation many clubs find themselves in. And it seems like they want more of a level playing field with a ceiling of £2.5m for League One and £1.25m for League Two.

Significantly no mention of the Championship.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52738597

I did mention this yesterday on the forum to Stuart

I would be surprise if Championship clubs bought one in. I wouldn't penalise clubs owners who want to invest in clubs and aren't taking money out of the business/cub. 

[speeeeeeedie]

Troy Deeney and the like can grumble all they want, and they have a fair gripe.

Yet if the season doesn't end clubs will have to repay broadcasters for revenue they didn't earn.

Club owners aren't going to let that happen so my guess is that they'll play on and any player who doesn't feel right will sit it out. If they claim injury then so be it.

For every Deeney, who is at the tail end of his career, there will be another who plays in the same position chomping at the bit to get a game.

 

[Athlete]

11 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Troy Deeney and the like can grumble all they want, and they have a fair gripe.

Yet if the season doesn't end clubs will have to repay broadcasters for revenue they didn't earn.

Club owners aren't going to let that happen so my guess is that they'll play on and any player who doesn't feel right will sit it out. If they claim injury then so be it.

For every Deeney, who is at the tail end of his career, there will be another who plays in the same position chomping at the bit to get a game.

 

At the end of the day Troy Deeney is only human with a vulnerable child.. 

[Vinjay]

13 minutes ago, Athlete said:

At the end of the day Troy Deeney is only human with a vulnerable child.. 

Which is why I'm an advocate of not signing players with a wife and kids. It could tie into my marketing proposals discussed lately. The type of person who just wants to "settle down with a wife and kids" isn't edgy. 

[Mattyblue]

So lads largely from working class backgrounds in their 20s and early 30 with wives and kids have ‘settled down’ and lost that edge, have they?

For a bloke that isn’t particularly young you’ve a lot to learn Vinners 

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

Cos The FA Chairman has told the PL and EFL why it has happen. 

Why cant VAR been used. The on field ref can use a TV Monitor at the side of the pitch. 

That's why the Government want the PL and FA to share more of the TV Money down the football league chain and give more 

I did mention this yesterday on the forum to Stuart

I would be surprise if Championship clubs bought one in. I wouldn't penalise clubs owners who want to invest in clubs and aren't taking money out of the business/cub. 

You keep repeatedly saying this without actually stating what that reason is or even mentioning it any further, perhaps to be purposely cryptic in order to not directly address the point.

My personal opinion has remained that the season shouldnt be finished by playing out glorified training games at a time of high risk, but of course that seems to be going to be the case. But it is crazy that there is going to be relegation and promotion between leagues whereby one is finished and one isnt. That cant happen if the FA is in anyway serious about maintaining the integrity of the game, which they clearly arent.

Regarding VAR, I have seen it mentioned that it may be difficult to have the VAR dependant on where the matches are played. It is one of a number of areas whereby the integrity would be jeapordised.

The idea of the TV money trickling down the Football League is in my opinion a bit of an idealistic fantasy.

[chaddyrovers]

34 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

You keep repeatedly saying this without actually stating what that reason is or even mentioning it any further, perhaps to be purposely cryptic in order to not directly address the point.

My personal opinion has remained that the season shouldnt be finished by playing out glorified training games at a time of high risk, but of course that seems to be going to be the case. But it is crazy that there is going to be relegation and promotion between leagues whereby one is finished and one isnt. That cant happen if the FA is in anyway serious about maintaining the integrity of the game, which they clearly arent.

Regarding VAR, I have seen it mentioned that it may be difficult to have the VAR dependant on where the matches are played. It is one of a number of areas whereby the integrity would be jeapordised.

The idea of the TV money trickling down the Football League is in my opinion a bit of an idealistic fantasy.

well I did the post Clarke has told the PL Clubs that relegation will happen this season. I don't know what was said in the meeting directly but PL Chairman and FA Chairman told the press that relegation will happen. You are never going to get directly quotes from that sort of meeting.

High risk? PL players and staff are tested twice a week. They was 6 players and staff who tested positive. 3 were club staff and 1 player that we know about so far. 2 unknown.

League 2 clubs voted to finish the season now and just have 3 playoffs games between 4th and 7th. Yes League clubs from that league voted for that.  

League 1 clubs are having a meeting to decide how to finish the season this week/early next week including a vote. They need to decide and have 75% of clubs vote for how to finish the season. I wonder if you seen Peterborough's chairman interview on the football show on Sky Sports last week. 

Of course the integrity of the game can be maintain cos Clubs are voting for this. The FA doesn't have a say on EFL promotions and relegations. But the reason why the FA have a say on promotion from Championship to PL and Relegation from PL to championship is "agreement made when the Premier League was sanctioned ahead of its start in 1992, and that includes veto power over promotion and relegation."

If Games are played in the 20 Premier League stadiums then why cant VAR happen? 

That's why the Government want the PL and FA want to happen. 

[Stuart]

Surely if TV money being repaid is the issue then they could simply restructure the remaining years of the deal at a lower price per season and hand out commensurate pay cuts to players. Simples.

[roversfan99]

1 minute ago, chaddyrovers said:

well I did the post Clarke has told the PL Clubs that relegation will happen this season. I don't know what was said in the meeting directly but PL Chairman and FA Chairman told the press that relegation will happen. You are never going to get directly quotes from that sort of meeting.

High risk? PL players and staff are tested twice a week. They was 6 players and staff who tested positive. 3 were club staff and 1 player that we know about so far. 2 unknown.

League 2 clubs voted to finish the season now and just have 3 playoffs games between 4th and 7th. Yes League clubs from that league voted for that.  

League 1 clubs are having a meeting to decide how to finish the season this week/early next week including a vote. They need to decide and have 75% of clubs vote for how to finish the season. I wonder if you seen Peterborough's chairman interview on the football show on Sky Sports last week. 

Of course the integrity of the game can be maintain cos Clubs are voting for this. The FA doesn't have a say on EFL promotions and relegations. But the reason why the FA have a say on promotion from Championship to PL and Relegation from PL to championship is "agreement made when the Premier League was sanctioned ahead of its start in 1992, and that includes veto power over promotion and relegation."

If Games are played in the 20 Premier League stadiums then why cant VAR happen? 

That's why the Government want the PL and FA want to happen. 

So relegations and promotions are an absolute must, and your reason is because this Clarke fells has said so in a meeting to which you are totally unaware of what was actually said or what the reasons are? And that satisfies you? If you dont have a reason, then you cant use it within your argument.

The testing is another issue in regards to the morals of using up so many tests to enable teams to have half arsed glorified friendlies.

League 2 clubs are quite clearly in unison because it is absolutely impossible to expect any teams at that level to be able to put in place all of the hygeine precautions, to be able to further burden the number of tests required across the country to play these games, and also the cost of the testing and bringing players off furlough, and extending contracts that are about to expire to make the numbers up to play the games.

Clubs are naturally voting based on their own self interests as you would expect and understand rather than on the morality of it all. The bigger teams around the play offs are voting to finish the season, led by the loud mouth egotist that is Peterborough's chairman who loves the sound of his own voice. Even in the Championship, Hull have stated that they dont want to finish the season. Do you think that is a genuine ethical opinion that the season shouldnt be finished, or more the case that their season was in free fall with a poor squad unable to cope with selling 2 key players and they were lingering above the drop zone just about after a series of losses?

What surely HAS to happen is that if the season is completed against all logic, the point whereby a division that is completed meets one that isnt, NO promotions or relegations can take place between them leagues. Points per game bollocks deciding which teams take the place of teams who have played full seasons is inconsistent, unfair and quite frankly idiotic.

The integrity CANNOT be maintained by finishing the season, no matter how much you want it to be. 

- Four teams have played one less game, meaning that they have to play more of their fixtures behind closed doors.

- Teams will have different difficulties of run ins that again effects the integrity. They also have differing balances of home and away games. For example Brighton have more home games than away games. What if they go down 

- 5 subs is another rule that will further impact on the integrity. What if a 4th or 5th sub scores the goal that sends someone down etc?

- Many players will either be reluctant or totally refuse to play. What if Watford go down with a captain unable to risk playing due to having a young boy at high risk?

- Teams will gain advantages (including ourselves) due to playing again with players that have recovered from injuries. Our season had stuttered with 3 points in 4 games prior to the season stopping. Once it returns, key players such as Holtby and Evans are back again. Is that fair?

I just think it is far easier to scrap things for now, give it a couple of months, re-evaluate and crucially plan for a season in which the various logistics can be planned before teams have personal agendas, whether it be number or difficulty of games played, position in the league etc. 

I thought that the government wanted to finish it for the feeble reason to "boost the countrys morale" rather than the fanciful idea of the TV money trickling down and saving the day for clubs in the lower leagues?

[chaddyrovers]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

So relegations and promotions are an absolute must, and your reason is because this Clarke fells has said so in a meeting to which you are totally unaware of what was actually said or what the reasons are? And that satisfies you? If you dont have a reason, then you cant use it within your argument.

Well yes it does satisfies me. 

The rules was agree in 1991 when the Premier League was form. Relegation and promotion will happen every season. 

This fella Clarke is the FA Chairman and he isn't letting the PL clubs off by having no relegation. The rules are the rules. 

It is yourself who wants the season voiding and have no relegation. You keep banging about this. Its you who wont face the reality that Regelation and Promotion is happening this season one way or the other. 

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

The testing is another issue in regards to the morals of using up so many tests to enable teams to have half arsed glorified friendlies

Not going over this testing thing again

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Clubs are naturally voting based on their own self interests as you would expect and understand rather than on the morality of it all. The bigger teams around the play offs are voting to finish the season, led by the loud mouth egotist that is Peterborough's chairman who loves the sound of his own voice. Even in the Championship, Hull have stated that they dont want to finish the season. Do you think that is a genuine ethical opinion that the season shouldnt be finished, or more the case that their season was in free fall with a poor squad unable to cope with selling 2 key players and they were lingering above the drop zone just about after a series of losses?

I wonder why Hull don't want to finish the season? Cos the squad is awful and they were in free fall before it was stop. Grant McCann has been talking in their local media about how their squad couldn't recover from losing their 2 key players and that's why for their freefall. Now says they have all injured players are back. 

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

What surely HAS to happen is that if the season is completed against all logic, the point whereby a division that is completed meets one that isnt, NO promotions or relegations can take place between them leagues. Points per game bollocks deciding which teams take the place of teams who have played full seasons is inconsistent, unfair and quite frankly idiotic.

League 2 clubs have decide to end the season. Its was Majority of clubs voting for that. That's their clubs and league choice. Is it ideal? No, but none of this is ideal from start to finish of this virus. Look at Port Vale who was 8th in the league 2 and 1 point off playoffs but they voted to end the season now. 

League 1 clubs have a decision to make. I don't know how that vote will go. 

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

The integrity CANNOT be maintained by finishing the season, no matter how much you want it to be. 

- Four teams have played one less game, meaning that they have to play more of their fixtures behind closed doors.

- Teams will have different difficulties of run ins that again effects the integrity. They also have differing balances of home and away games. For example Brighton have more home games than away games. What if they go down 

- 5 subs is another rule that will further impact on the integrity. What if a 4th or 5th sub scores the goal that sends someone down etc?

- Many players will either be reluctant or totally refuse to play. What if Watford go down with a captain unable to risk playing due to having a young boy at high risk?

Deeney has to make his own decision for his family. Like Klopp and Peterborough Chairman have said that no player will be force to return if they have health conditions, Family with health conditions. 

Are we bring in the 5 subs rules? 

Teams have to make the best of a not an ideal situation but the players and clubs can play football again and get back to their day job. 

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

- Teams will gain advantages (including ourselves) due to playing again with players that have recovered from injuries. Our season had stuttered with 3 points in 4 games prior to the season stopping. Once it returns, key players such as Holtby and Evans are back again. Is that fair?

That's life. No one has asked this coronavirus to happen. Just have to got on with the current situation. 

 

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I just think it is far easier to scrap things for now, give it a couple of months, re-evaluate and crucially plan for a season in which the various logistics can be planned before teams have personal agendas, whether it be number or difficulty of games played, position in the league etc. 

Clubs have voted to restart training in the PL. Most clubs are going back training this week. 

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I thought that the government wanted to finish it for the feeble reason to "boost the countrys morale" rather than the fanciful idea of the TV money trickling down and saving the day for clubs in the lower leagues?

The Government have said that the want PL Clubs to share more of the TV with lower clubs. EFL Rick Parry said this at a Government select committee also I think

[Hasta]

 

11 hours ago, Stuart said:

What is happening in reality is 100% pure capitalism. Those who can afford it going straight to the top of the list ahead of those in most need.

Now I’m not a socialist per se but in the midst of a global pandemic, profit should not be put ahead of life, and quality of life for the 95% of people who have to wait until the 5% take their snouts out of the trough.

 But anyone over 65, any key worker or anybody who is working but not from home and has symptoms has access to tests already.

I know several people with no symptoms are taking this up and driving to Preston or Manchester to get tested just for the fun of it.

The company providing the tests, the Pl and the government all insist it I sent not taking stock from the NHS and the general public are already wasting available tests out of curiosity.

Of course we don't know the full story / picture, but to say NHS staff wait in line whilst stock of tests they need is used by footballers is highly debatable.

[speeeeeeedie]

3 hours ago, Athlete said:

At the end of the day Troy Deeney is only human with a vulnerable child.. 

Deeney can do whatever he feels is right. I'm not having a go at him.

I'm only pointing out the cynicism, and hard nosed business decisions that clubs will - in my view - make.

 

[Stuart]

10 minutes ago, Hasta said:

 

 But anyone over 65, any key worker or anybody who is working but not from home and has symptoms has access to tests already.

I know several people with no symptoms are taking this up and driving to Preston or Manchester to get tested just for the fun of it.

The company providing the tests, the Pl and the government all insist it I sent not taking stock from the NHS and the general public are already wasting available tests out of curiosity.

Of course we don't know the full story / picture, but to say NHS staff wait in line whilst stock of tests they need is used by footballers is highly debatable.

I know you don’t want to hear it but it’s basic maths. We will have to agree to disagree because we are looking at it from different ends of the telescope.

[roversfan99]

19 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Well yes it does satisfies me. 

The rules was agree in 1991 when the Premier League was form. Relegation and promotion will happen every season. 

This fella Clarke is the FA Chairman and he isn't letting the PL clubs off by having no relegation. The rules are the rules. 

It is yourself who wants the season voiding and have no relegation. You keep banging about this. Its you who wont face the reality that Regelation and Promotion is happening this season one way or the other. 

Not going over this testing thing again

I wonder why Hull don't want to finish the season? Cos the squad is awful and they were in free fall before it was stop. Grant McCann has been talking in their local media about how their squad couldn't recover from losing their 2 key players and that's why for their freefall. Now says they have all injured players are back. 

League 2 clubs have decide to end the season. Its was Majority of clubs voting for that. That's their clubs and league choice. Is it ideal? No, but none of this is ideal from start to finish of this virus. Look at Port Vale who was 8th in the league 2 and 1 point off playoffs but they voted to end the season now. 

League 1 clubs have a decision to make. I don't know how that vote will go. 

Deeney has to make his own decision for his family. Like Klopp and Peterborough Chairman have said that no player will be force to return if they have health conditions, Family with health conditions. 

Are we bring in the 5 subs rules? 

Teams have to make the best of a not an ideal situation but the players and clubs can play football again and get back to their day job. 

That's life. No one has asked this coronavirus to happen. Just have to got on with the current situation. 

 

Clubs have voted to restart training in the PL. Most clubs are going back training this week. 

The Government have said that the want PL Clubs to share more of the TV with lower clubs. EFL Rick Parry said this at a Government select committee also I think

You are so inconsistent with your points. You admit more than once that the situation is unprecedent and unexpected yet speak about relegation and promotion as if its a normal season with your main reason being the contents of a meeting you have no idea what was said in. Its totally bizarre and illogical.

You have just echoed my point about Hull. They are an example of teams voting not for what they think is right but what suits them in terms of league position. You wouldnt have this problem ahead of a new season.

I have never said that promotion and relegation wont happen, I know it clearly will but that doesnt mean it should or I think it is correct.

And as expected, you have been unable to provide any comeback about my series of ways how the integrity is totally and unavoidably destroyed because there arent any.

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

You are so inconsistent with your points. You admit more than once that the situation is unprecedent and unexpected yet speak about relegation and promotion as if its a normal season with your main reason being the contents of a meeting you have no idea what was said in. Its totally bizarre and illogical.

You have just echoed my point about Hull. They are an example of teams voting not for what they think is right but what suits them in terms of league position. You wouldnt have this problem ahead of a new season.

I have never said that promotion and relegation wont happen, I know it clearly will but that doesnt mean it should or I think it is correct.

And as expected, you have been unable to provide any comeback about my series of ways how the integrity is totally and unavoidably destroyed because there arent any.

We have to get back to way of some sort of new Normal way of life. It was unprecedent and unexpected situation but you just have to get on with the rest of the season that the best way they can. 

But we need to finish this season 1st. Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria are all finishing their current season, So why shouldn't we. 

I don't think restarting the season will lose any of it Integrity at all. Its you who think it will not me. 

If you know that Promotion and relegation will happen why keep going on and on about when you know it is happening?

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

28 minutes ago, Hasta said:

 

 But anyone over 65, any key worker or anybody who is working but not from home and has symptoms has access to tests already.

I know several people with no symptoms are taking this up and driving to Preston or Manchester to get tested just for the fun of it.

The company providing the tests, the Pl and the government all insist it I sent not taking stock from the NHS and the general public are already wasting available tests out of curiosity.

Of course we don't know the full story / picture, but to say NHS staff wait in line whilst stock of tests they need is used by footballers is highly debatable.

" Get tested just for the fun of it . " It doesn't sound like much fun to me. They played a recording of somebody having the swab rubbed on their tonsils this morning and it sounded like they were throwing up !

[roversfan99]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-8341697/amp/Kante-opts-Nervous-Chelsea-star-skips-sides-latest-training-session-coronavirus-fears.html

Kante another player not going back.

[RevidgeBlue]

17 hours ago, Stuart said:

So in order to get football back on TV...

- NHS and other key workers have to wait in line as stock they could have had access to is consumed weekly for footballers and staff

- L1 and L2 team having no income and potentially going to the wall is ok

- Footballers with health concerns including their families mean they don’t get paid unless they take their chances

Meanwhile....

- Fans cannot attend because it’s not safe

- Small businesses still cannot reopen (because it’s not safe)

- Everyone’s Summer holidays are cancelled or on hold - because it’s not safe

 

Why is Premier League football any different? (And let’s be honest, Championship football is only being discussed in the same breath because of promotion to the PL or it would already have been cancelled).

The only real concern here is large sums of money being paid to a small number of people who operate the PL and some of their clubs. I can’t believe there are ordinary folk who agree with this. Let’s get shops open before we talk about football.

Yet another symptom of how football doesn’t need paying fans - or at least it sees them as somewhat necessary for atmosphere.

Don't understand your argument at all here Stuart, football restarting and the rest of nor lives getting back to normal are mutually exclusive. Neither is affected by the other so if it's a choice between getting back to some semblance of normality with some football behind closed doors, it's surely better than getting back to exactly the same semblance of normality but without any football at all.

Football is returning primarily not for entertainment value but because it is fighting for its future.The Bundesliga were quite candid in admitting that half of their top flight Clubs would go bust if they did not complete their fixtures and thereby fulfill their commitments to TV Companies.

In the Premier League many of our top flight Clubs would be struggling if they couldn't finish their fixtures , they'd potentially be looking at having to repay c£35m each. That money will generally already have been budgeted for and spent so if top flight Clubs started  folding because the TV money is gone there's no hope whatsoever for the Clubs lower down the Pyramid.

At least if the Clubs at the top of the game are secure, you'd imagine that there's a chance more money might be able to percolate down to the lower levels until fans are finally allowed back into stadiums.

Edited May 20, 2020 by RevidgeBlue

[Paul]

It's interesting to read the debate here and in the wider media. In particular I'm fascinated by the fundamental view, from some commentators, that football must in someway be "saved." For me football has had more than enough money over the years to save itself, to put some sensible structure in place to secure its' longterm future but has failed to do so.

The huge element missing from the discussion is fan safety. Without fans the game cannot be saved. It's very simple.

The PL and other leagues can wring their hands all they wish over lost TV revenue and possibly having to repay part of this season's revenue. Should the season be completed and broadcast? Should next season start and broadcast? For me the answer would be play behind closed doors by all means. As for broadcast? This is highly questionable. If broadcast is permitted it should at most only be to private subscribers. To allow broadcast to any public venue creates the potential for spread of Covid-19, even broadcast to private homes creates issues.

Then we have fan safety at live games in the ground. It doesn't seem to be a consideration in any discussion. Life has changed and there will be an element of risk in everything we do for the foreseeable future. The level of risk an individual is prepared to take will vary. I know the areas of my life which have already changed, one of them is not visiting anywhere where I feel I cannot control my immediate environment. At Ewood I can't do this. To return to the ground I need to be sure I, and my son, are adequately distanced from others.

I would be reasonably comfortable sitting with the people I've sat with for years bar one. This person sits next to my son. During games this fan trims, files and cleans his finger nails. Disgusting at anytime. Today it makes me wonder about his general outlook on personal hygiene and Coronavirus? I can ask to move and then be surrounded by people I've never seen before. Safe? Very questionable.

Returning to Ewood has a huge question mark over it for me. My son won't understand if we don't go when football returns. I have to make a judgement as to whether or not it's safe for either of us to attend. My gut feeling currently is to stay away.

I don't care if this season is finished. I don't care about the "integrity" of the league (integrity? You're having a laugh. There's no integrity in football). I don't care if there's promotion or relegation. I don't care when next season starts.

I DO care about being safe in a football ground and whether or not it is safe to broadcast football.

Of course no one is discussing this. Why would they? We are only fans.

As for those desperate to see the game restart with the "let's see what happens in Germany etc," "the clubs are paying for testing etc". It takes my breath away. Try thinking about the ordinary people and how to minimise the risk to their lives. Restarting football will do nothing at all to help this.

[RevidgeBlue]

6 minutes ago, Paul said:

It's interesting to read the debate here and in the wider media. In particular I'm fascinated by the fundamental view, from some commentators, that football must in someway be "saved." For me football has had more than enough money over the years to save itself, to put some sensible structure in place to secure its' longterm future but has failed to do so.

The huge element missing from the discussion is fan safety. Without fans the game cannot be saved. It's very simple.

The PL and other leagues can wring their hands all they wish over lost TV revenue and possibly having to repay part of this season's revenue. Should the season be completed and broadcast? Should next season start and broadcast? For me the answer would be play behind closed doors by all means. As for broadcast? This is highly questionable. If broadcast is permitted it should at most only be to private subscribers. To allow broadcast to any public venue creates the potential for spread of Covid-19, even broadcast to private homes creates issues.

Then we have fan safety at live games in the ground. It doesn't seem to be a consideration in any discussion. Life has changed and there will be an element of risk in everything we do for the foreseeable future. The level of risk an individual is prepared to take will vary. I know the areas of my life which have already changed, one of them is not visiting anywhere where I feel I cannot control my immediate environment. At Ewood I can't do this. To return to the ground I need to be sure I, and my son, are adequately distanced from others.

I would be reasonably comfortable sitting with the people I've sat with for years bar one. This person sits next to my son. During games this fan trims, files and cleans his finger nails. Disgusting at anytime. Today it makes me wonder about his general outlook on personal hygiene and Coronavirus? I can ask to move and then be surrounded by people I've never seen before. Safe? Very questionable.

Returning to Ewood has a huge question mark over it for me. My son won't understand if we don't go when football returns. I have to make a judgement as to whether or not it's safe for either of us to attend. My gut feeling currently is to stay away.

I don't care if this season is finished. I don't care about the "integrity" of the league (integrity? You're having a laugh. There's no integrity in football). I don't care if there's promotion or relegation. I don't care when next season starts.

I DO care about being safe in a football ground and whether or not it is safe to broadcast football.

Of course no one is discussing this. Why would they? We are only fans.

As for those desperate to see the game restart with the "let's see what happens in Germany etc," "the clubs are paying for testing etc". It takes my breath away. Try thinking about the ordinary people and how to minimise the risk to their lives. Restarting football will do nothing at all to help this.

Not sure where your anxiety is coming from really Paul, rightly or wrongly I fear it will be a very long time before fans are allowed back in grounds under conditions we used to consider "normal".