EFL Covid and the play offs

Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea has tested positive now too. It's clear the authorities are going to have to call it imminently. Due to the nature of the virus and people potentially having it for a couple of weeks before any symptoms even show, god knows how many people they may have passed it onto in the interim.

IMO they ought to announce all sporting activity postponed for 3 weeks and all players and club staff who engage with them to self-isolate. It needs to be at minimum this long to let any affected parties get through it and hopefully out the other side. The season would then finish end of May rather than the start, but that's not really a problem is it? Obviously if after 3 weeks the nation-wide and global situation hasn't calmed down enough for things to resume then we'll have to delay it further, but so be it. Once things are ok, fixtures can be arranged for Saturday-Tues to get things wrapped up pretty quickly, pitches will have had plenty of time to recover because of the hiatus.

The Euros can just get put back to 2021.
 
Actually, just looking at the background......if Arteta actually contracted COVID-19 because he came into contact with the Olympiakos owner - well, that happened two weeks ago.
About right for the life cycle of this virus.

And of course Arsenal's next game after that......Portsmouth. So should Kenny Jackett and their first team squad be self-isolating as well?

Football is going to have to face up very shortly to the fact that these are not normal times, and they can't just close their eyes and carry on......

Am I just being naive here but surely there is less chance of passing this virus in an open air event like football than there in a more enclosed gathering like a theatre, pubs, restaurants, shopping centres and so on. If football is being shut down then by definition so should city centres.

It can probably never be calculated but would be interesting in a couple of weeks time to see the fall out from Cheltenham and see how many race goers are infected after a four day event where about a quarter of a million people will have gathered in close proximity.

I’m off there today for the Gold Cup and can’t say I’m overly concerned. On reflection probably a bit more worried about the trip I made to Sainsbury’s with my wife on Wednesday.
 
not sure what working at BMW has to do with whether oufc or anyone else plays football due to the coronavirus we all know you obviously dislike working in the factory.
 
As I keep saying if going to football is bad then working at BMW IN A CONFINED SPACE HAS TO BE MUCH WORST .

^^^ this......... the virus survives on hard, non porous surfaces.
As long as nobody sneezes in your face or you snog them after we score (sorry @RyanioBirdio none of that) a stadium is a relatively safe environment with the exception of "communal parts" such as hand rails etc.
 
Am I just being naive here but surely there is less chance of passing this virus in an open air event like football than there in a more enclosed gathering like a theatre, pubs, restaurants, shopping centres and so on. If football is being shut down then by definition so should city centres.

If I sneeze, or touch a seat, at the kassam, then after the match no one else will be touching that seat for one or two weeks (and it's in the open). Do the same at a cinema, and there could be four or five other people in that same seat, every day of the week.

By all means ban people from attending football matches, but at least apply logic to it with regard to other public places and events.
 
Am I just being naive here but surely there is less chance of passing this virus in an open air event like football than there in a more enclosed gathering like a theatre, pubs, restaurants, shopping centres and so on. If football is being shut down then by definition so should city centres.

It can probably never be calculated but would be interesting in a couple of weeks time to see the fall out from Cheltenham and see how many race goers are infected after a four day event where about a quarter of a million people will have gathered in close proximity.

I’m off there today for the Gold Cup and can’t say I’m overly concerned. On reflection probably a bit more worried about the trip I made to Sainsbury’s with my wife on Wednesday.
Trip to Sainsbury's! Get a grip man.
 
Here is an extreme version of what could happen as per the ice hockey extraliga in CZ..because of the state of emergency after the playoffs initially postponed for a month the season is now cancelled. I suppose you could start new season again with teams in their spot they ended with.
 
Interesting to point out the England cricket tour of Sri Lanka is still happening and no one has quite realised they are playing games now or asking them to cancel them.
 
According to Dan Roan on BBC website,

The EFL Board will meet this morning to make a decision on this weekend’s fixtures and beyond.

Looking more likely that even IF this weekend’s fixtures do go ahead that they will be the last ones for a while.
 
According to Dan Roan on BBC website,

The EFL Board will meet this morning to make a decision on this weekend’s fixtures and beyond.

Looking more likely that even IF this weekend’s fixtures do go ahead that they will be the last ones for a while.

Once the season is paused I think it will probe very difficult to restart. Chief medical officer used that logic for schools saying they would have to close for 13-14 weeks. If you apply that to football you would be looking at a potential restart date of end of June/beginning of July which might be possible...but what sort of condition will players be in, contracts, not all players will be free of the virus we will just be beyond the peak so disruption still possible.

However as has been said I don’t think there is a choice if clubs can not fulfil the fixtures due to self isolation.

I can’t see the season finishing a limited playoffs might be possible and if not I would go with current standings and then try and find additional compensation for those most negatively affected via the premier league and government
 
The thing is, we are only at the start of this. The whole strategy is to try to delay the peak for as long as possible, in order to keep cases at a manageable level both then and in the mean time.
That peak is not expected to be for another 10 to 14 weeks with a steady decline in cases for another 4 weeks or more after that. In other words, the peak is expected to be some point in June, with the tail into July and possibly August.
So, it is not a case of cancel a couple of games now, squeeze them into may and everything is hunky dory - once we stop, we will be stopped for a long, long time!
As has been said, individuals are more at risk at work, at the supermarket, the pub, etc, in fact plenty of the things they might end up doing instead of being at the game, so supporter well-being is not a reason to cancel.
That said, if squads are being affected by cases and isolation, then the level playing field element disappears and that becomes a different matter.
 
Watching the press conference yesterday it was clear that more stringent measures need to be delayed to reduce fatigue.

It is quite nice knocking around at home for two or three days but then people will get fed up... or run out of supplies and then they will venture out later on when the need to remain inside is greatest.
 
Interesting to point out the England cricket tour of Sri Lanka is still happening and no one has quite realised they are playing games now or asking them to cancel them.
Anyone know the stats for Sri Lanka, was thinking this myself yesterday. Of course, tests abroad tend to be attended by 3 locals and a dog anyway if you take out the Barmy Army, so moving to closed doors won't make much difference. Aus v NZ ODI being played behind closed doors.
 
Some are missing the point about cancelling indoor or outdoor activities. The actual issue is that any large gathering, sporting events, concerts, charity races etc, all need to have emergency services in attendance and it will stretch our resources too far.

BMW, Sainsburys etc do not need to have the same emergency services in place, and whilst they could still pose a risk, reasonable measures can be taken to minimise this. That's not the case with large gatherings and that is why there are likely to be further restrictions in the coming days.
 
Some are missing the point about cancelling indoor or outdoor activities. The actual issue is that any large gathering, sporting events, concerts, charity races etc, all need to have emergency services in attendance and it will stretch our resources too far.

BMW, Sainsburys etc do not need to have the same emergency services in place, and whilst they could still pose a risk, reasonable measures can be taken to minimise this. That's not the case with large gatherings and that is why there are likely to be further restrictions in the coming days.
The resources required for a standard game of football are actually very small and can be managed by playing behind closed doors in risky fixtures.

Again... I'm sure these steps will need to come into play but bring them in too early then everyone gets the virus at the same time and over stretches the NHS.

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