Season Restart

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

 

[arbitro]

After the last few days it's difficult to predict what is going to happen next week let alone October. It's pure speculation at best. With Championship clubs having paid £210k for CV-19 testing to enable them to train and play then presumably clubs in League's One and Two will have a similar amount to find or at least pro rata based on staff numbers. That only covered the six week period to get the games played and with October being over 12 weeks away I just don't think many can survive when you factor in wages and other expenses. The only answer is to get a vaccine that works.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

58 minutes ago, arbitro said:

After the last few days it's difficult to predict what is going to happen next week let alone October. It's pure speculation at best. With Championship clubs having paid £210k for CV-19 testing to enable them to train and play then presumably clubs in League's One and Two will have a similar amount to find or at least pro rata based on staff numbers. That only covered the six week period to get the games played and with October being over 12 weeks away I just don't think many can survive when you factor in wages and other expenses. The only answer is to get a vaccine that works.

That's not going to come along any time soon though is it ? It's hard to see a way forward other than suspending the leagues until such time as a vaccine is found.

[arbitro]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

That's not going to come along any time soon though is it ? It's hard to see a way forward other than suspending the leagues until such time as a vaccine is found.

I can envisage a situation where all the fixtures are released (as yet there is no date for this) and the leagues are thrown in disarray as clubs go bust. And from a Rovers perspective the wage deferral was only until the end of June. The wage bill will be proportionately higher for the next couple of months until the deferrals have been settled.

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

5 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

That's not going to come along any time soon though is it ? It's hard to see a way forward other than suspending the leagues until such time as a vaccine is found.

The clubs would still have to pay the contracted players. Clubs would therefore still go bust. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

The clubs would still have to pay the contracted players. Clubs would therefore still go bust. 

The players would be put in a position of either accepting a significant cut in wages or not getting paid at all when the club goes bust.

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

The players would be put in a position of either accepting a significant cut in wages or not getting paid at all when the club goes bust.

Exactly, but the end result is the same. No club.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

Exactly, but the end result is the same. No club.

Not in every case. Some clubs could bat on with a reduced wage bill. It'd be less expensive that playing on behind closed doors. I can't see the season starting again this year so something will have to change. Obviously quite a few clubs were sailing close to the wind before the virus, it's not looking good for them.

[rigger]

17 minutes ago, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

Exactly, but the end result is the same. No club.

Or clubs with players that are willing to play for less money. The standard of football may drop, but commitment will increase.

[arbitro]

24 minutes ago, rigger said:

Or clubs with players that are willing to play for less money. The standard of football may drop, but commitment will increase.

That is the way forward for clubs from the Championship down. In the main the financial issues are created by one thing - players are paid too much. When Reading pay 176% of their turnover in wages it's not difficult to see what is causing the problem. Signing players on new deals from now should really be the turning point in addressing the extortionate wages but I don't think there is a snowball in hells chance of this happening. Panic buys will ensue towards the end of the window which will add to the agents leverage with clubs.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

14 minutes ago, arbitro said:

That is the way forward for clubs from the Championship down. In the main the financial issues are created by one thing - players are paid too much. When Reading pay 176% of their turnover in wages it's not difficult to see what is causing the problem. Signing players on new deals from now should really be the turning point in addressing the extortionate wages but I don't think there is a snowball in hells chance of this happening. Panic buys will ensue towards the end of the window which will add to the agents leverage with clubs.

It's certainly going to be an interesting few months.

[bazza]

Surely all players will have to take a dramatic reduction in wages. Otherwise if most EFL clubs go out of business there will be no-one to employ them. It needs the EFL to bring in a maximum wage immediately.

EFL?......??

[m1st]

On 01/08/2020 at 12:02, arbitro said:

That is the way forward for clubs from the Championship down. In the main the financial issues are created by one thing - players are paid too much. When Reading pay 176% of their turnover in wages it's not difficult to see what is causing the problem. Signing players on new deals from now should really be the turning point in addressing the extortionate wages but I don't think there is a snowball in hells chance of this happening. Panic buys will ensue towards the end of the window which will add to the agents leverage with clubs.

And if this sort of thing's going to happen at our level, what's going to go on further down 'the pyramid'?

I know, for example, that Rochdale FC - and Rochdale Hornets RLFC, afaik - have negotiated a loan from the Borough Council to keep them going. But there's been nothing in the local media - again, afaik - about when, and on what terms, that loan - to keep the Borough's sporting heritage going - has to be repaid, and on what terms.

I have a pal in London who's as keen a Dag & Red - National League - fan. Goodness only knows how teams at that level are going to survive.

[philipl]

I am all in favour of a 60% reduction in stadium capacity for 20/21.

Rovers will have a level playing field....

[rigger]

3 hours ago, philipl said:

I am all in favour of a 60% reduction in stadium capacity for 20/21.

Rovers will have a level playing field....

Not whilst Mowbray is at the helm.

[joey_big_nose]

On 01/08/2020 at 08:56, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

 

Just looking at this rationally what will actually have changed by October? Unless the population is significantly vaccinated by then (highly doubtful) nothing, and with the colder months coming and people spending more time indoors there will almost certainly be an increase of infections. October is likely to be more risky than now which makes this statement bizarre. 

I think it's all wishful thinking. For fans to be able to get back into the stadiums we either need

1) An effective vaccine or treatment that removes/minimises the risks

2) Accept the risks of increased transmission and deaths that come with it (which to me seems incredibly unlikely to happen)

[rigger]

45 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Just looking at this rationally what will actually have changed by October? Unless the population is significantly vaccinated by then (highly doubtful) nothing, and with the colder months coming and people spending more time indoors there will almost certainly be an increase of infections. October is likely to be more risky than now which makes this statement bizarre. 

I think it's all wishful thinking. For fans to be able to get back into the stadiums we either need

1) An effective vaccine or treatment that removes/minimises the risks

2) Accept the risks of increased transmission and deaths that come with it (which to me seems incredibly unlikely to happen)

Why would people spending more time indoors increase infections?

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

3 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Just looking at this rationally what will actually have changed by October? Unless the population is significantly vaccinated by then (highly doubtful) nothing, and with the colder months coming and people spending more time indoors there will almost certainly be an increase of infections. October is likely to be more risky than now which makes this statement bizarre. 

I think it's all wishful thinking. For fans to be able to get back into the stadiums we either need

1) An effective vaccine or treatment that removes/minimises the risks

2) Accept the risks of increased transmission and deaths that come with it (which to me seems incredibly unlikely to happen)

I agree. There is absolutely no certainty. Things could be a lot worse by October and probably will be. A vaccine before Christmas looks unlikely, and there's no guarantee there'll ever be an effective vaccine, there hasn't been yet for a coronavirus . The Govt have already decided on No.2. I don't suppose they have a choice because if they leave it any longer there will be no football clubs to support. 

[arbitro]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/12046794/celtics-boli-bolingoli-breaks-quarantine-rules-scottish-government-threatens-premiership-pause

A Celtic player who didn't self quarantine could cause the league to be suspended by the government. I still think there will be plenty of Championship players who will miss a chunk of pre season to self isolate after returning from holiday.

[Blue blood]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/12046794/celtics-boli-bolingoli-breaks-quarantine-rules-scottish-government-threatens-premiership-pause

A Celtic player who didn't self quarantine could cause the league to be suspended by the government. I still think there will be plenty of Championship players who will miss a chunk of pre season to self isolate after returning from holiday.

I think footballers have been immune to reprecussions from their actions far too long, way back from before covid. They know they are too important to clubs and so can do what they like. Derby last season was a prime example of this. 

So it's no surprise footballers aren't behaving with covid. That's the monster we have created. The problem is rather than "just" (for want of a better word) a few people harmed by their actions with covid it gives the opportunity for far more people to be effected by their bad behaviour. 

Personally don't think closing the league is right - it would kill the game and livelihoods - but surely players should be banned and fined significant amounts (for them) to deter such action. Let's get footballers properly accountable again, and if nothing else that would be one positive of a terrible 2020. 

[rigger]

When are the fixtures out?

[K-Hod]

Just now, rigger said:

When are the fixtures out?

‘In due course’ according to the EFL.

No concrete date for now.

[Hasta]

3 minutes ago, rigger said:

When are the fixtures out?

 

Which will be "out" first:-

Fixtures - 4/5

New Kit - 7/4

Season Tickets - 8/1

Tony Mowbray 500/1

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

Just now, Hasta said:

 

Which will be "out" first:-

Fixtures - 4/5

New Kit - 7/4

Season Tickets - 8/1

Tony Mowbray 500/1

Armstrong - evens

[rigger]

Just now, Hasta said:

 

Which will be "out" first:-

Fixtures - 4/5

New Kit - 7/4

Season Tickets - 8/1

Tony Mowbray 500/1

Please let it be the last one