Games off

[Shropshire U]

Not sure why people are assuming that if the season ends now (the April 3rd date is just to buy time to decide on what to do about promotions and relegations) the EFL will sanction the existing points totals?
They are much more likely to void the 2019-20 season.
Clubs in L1 haven't even played the same number of games, let alone the fact that there is still loads to play for in terms of automatic places and play-off places.

 

[BotleyOx]

Will play havoc with the league
Contracted players and out of contract players, won't be the same teams playing
Even if say Bolton has a points deduction they could massively boost their team and escape relegation next season.

 

[outsidethebox]

After today's fiasco I'm not assuming anything where the EFL is concerned.

 

[tonyw]

As I was saying yesterday, it was always a matter of if not when. As soon as a footballer, ref or coach tested positive, then it was all over.

Arteta & Hudson-Odoi were the first, so Arsenal & Chelsea need to self-isolate.
But you can have the disease and be contagious for up to two weeks before symptoms show up (in fact, it's very possible that Arteta got the disease from interacting with the Olympiakos staff at their game two weeks ago). So that means that their opponents and the officials from the past two weeks (which includes Portsmouth, by the way) are at higher risk as well, and should probably be self-isolating. And then what about the other teams/officials that they interacted with?

They play more games in the NBA, but after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz was the first player to test positive, they then worked through the network of connections throughout the league, starting with him, and realised that they could trace a link to everyone in the entire league within the couple of week contagious period.


So the big question is, what next?

Tough to imagine that they can get the season restarted - especially as Britain is taking this stance of trying to spread out the infection and not stop it. The peak is not going to be for some time yet, so I doubt they'll be playing again in time to finish the season before contracts are up.

So then the decision for the PL & EFL - void the season, or accept the standings as is, or try to come up with some halfway house.
For example, if they're OK to play again in June, you could arrange a playoff between the top eight teams in the division. Higher ranked team as of today plays at home. Top three get promoted. Do something similar for relegation.
It still wouldn't be fair.....but I don't think there's a fair solution here at all. And it might be the one that would lead to fewer lawsuits.......

 

[werthersoriginal]

As I was saying yesterday, it was always a matter of if not when. As soon as a footballer, ref or coach tested positive, then it was all over.

Arteta & Hudson-Odoi were the first, so Arsenal & Chelsea need to self-isolate.
But you can have the disease and be contagious for up to two weeks before symptoms show up (in fact, it's very possible that Arteta got the disease from interacting with the Olympiakos staff at their game two weeks ago). So that means that their opponents and the officials from the past two weeks (which includes Portsmouth, by the way) are at higher risk as well, and should probably be self-isolating. And then what about the other teams/officials that they interacted with?

They play more games in the NBA, but after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz was the first player to test positive, they then worked through the network of connections throughout the league, starting with him, and realised that they could trace a link to everyone in the entire league within the couple of week contagious period.


So the big question is, what next?

Tough to imagine that they can get the season restarted - especially as Britain is taking this stance of trying to spread out the infection and not stop it. The peak is not going to be for some time yet, so I doubt they'll be playing again in time to finish the season before contracts are up.

So then the decision for the PL & EFL - void the season, or accept the standings as is, or try to come up with some halfway house.
For example, if they're OK to play again in June, you could arrange a playoff between the top eight teams in the division. Higher ranked team as of today plays at home. Top three get promoted. Do something similar for relegation.
It still wouldn't be fair.....but I don't think there's a fair solution here at all. And it might be the one that would lead to fewer lawsuits.......

Whatever happens, there has to be a firm undertaking that no lawsuits will be entertained. One up, one down is my suggestion

 

[horseman]

as i've said promotion for those already in the autos, scrap the play offs and adjust relegation accordingly.
Those teams currently in play off places have lost nothing as those places did not auto mean promotion so for me that's very simple and fair to all.

 

[moomooland]

It's the end of the world as we know it
And I feel fine

 

[horseman]

Whatever happens, there has to be a firm undertaking that no lawsuits will be entertained. One up, one down is my suggestion

i don't follow that when in our league top 2 are automatically promoted why complicate something that is very simple

 

[Winchesterox]

Off to watch Eastleigh then for the football fix

 

[Obstructed view]

the optimal solution (although somewhat hardcore) would be to deliberately infect all professional footballers, self isolate them with club medical staff (since they are likely to have very mild conditions) then in 14-21 days restart with closed door fixtures if needed ??

 

[tonyw]

as i've said promotion for those already in the autos, scrap the play offs and adjust relegation accordingly.
Those teams currently in play off places have lost nothing as those places did not auto mean promotion so for me that's very simple and fair to all.

Whilst that work work (given the current league tables) for the EFL, under that scenario, you then get the big Aston Villa lawsuit.

Because they're 19th and would be relegated as it stands but they have a game in hand on the three teams two points above them.

A Premier League place is worth 100m, so they wouldn't go quietly......

 

[SteMerritt]

the optimal solution (although somewhat hardcore) would be to deliberately infect all professional footballers, self isolate them with club medical staff (since they are likely to have very mild conditions) then in 14-21 days restart with closed door fixtures if needed ??

That's the kind of 'outside the box' thinking we need to get us out of this predicament. ?

 

[Johnox37en]

The garden centre is calling. Can't find an excuse now.

 

[oxford1985]

the optimal solution (although somewhat hardcore) would be to deliberately infect all professional footballers, self isolate them with club medical staff (since they are likely to have very mild conditions) then in 14-21 days restart with closed door fixtures if needed ??

dont count on that stopping the spread... a lady in Japan, re-caught Corona!!

Coronavirus: Japan confirms first case of person being reinfected with COVID-19

The case has health experts worrying that the illness could remain dormant after an apparent recovery.

news.sky.com

 

[Sir Winston]

Off to watch Eastleigh then for the football fix

You’re travelling to Notts Country? You must be desperate for a fix ?

 

[bazzer9461]

Bad decision. The government said football stadiums could continue to operate and part of the rationale behind this is it's plan to push the peak towards the warmer weather. The arses who run football believe they know better and choose to ignore government policy when, by allowing games to continue they are in a no lose position.

The correct answer was to allow games to go ahead and consider postponements on a game by game basis. Kicking the can down to what may well prove to be a more difficult part of road at this stage is completely wrong and a ridiculous decision in the current circumstances.

These ostriches will now happily put their heads back into the sand only to pull them out in April to find themselves with a potentially more difficult situation than one they could have mitigated by carrying on with fixtures for the time being.

But why have there been other European leagues suspended, when other leagues started to Suspend around Europe thought we would have suspended earlier. Just surprised it wasn’t suspended earlier, but it is a mockery that they allowed Cheltenham festival to go ahead,

 

[bazzer9461]

Woodburn’s relationship with us is doomed!

Looks like it ?

 

[bazzer9461]

As I was saying yesterday, it was always a matter of if not when. As soon as a footballer, ref or coach tested positive, then it was all over.

Arteta & Hudson-Odoi were the first, so Arsenal & Chelsea need to self-isolate.
But you can have the disease and be contagious for up to two weeks before symptoms show up (in fact, it's very possible that Arteta got the disease from interacting with the Olympiakos staff at their game two weeks ago). So that means that their opponents and the officials from the past two weeks (which includes Portsmouth, by the way) are at higher risk as well, and should probably be self-isolating. And then what about the other teams/officials that they interacted with?

They play more games in the NBA, but after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz was the first player to test positive, they then worked through the network of connections throughout the league, starting with him, and realised that they could trace a link to everyone in the entire league within the couple of week contagious period.


So the big question is, what next?

Tough to imagine that they can get the season restarted - especially as Britain is taking this stance of trying to spread out the infection and not stop it. The peak is not going to be for some time yet, so I doubt they'll be playing again in time to finish the season before contracts are up.

So then the decision for the PL & EFL - void the season, or accept the standings as is, or try to come up with some halfway house.
For example, if they're OK to play again in June, you could arrange a playoff between the top eight teams in the division. Higher ranked team as of today plays at home. Top three get promoted. Do something similar for relegation.
It still wouldn't be fair.....but I don't think there's a fair solution here at all. And it might be the one that would lead to fewer lawsuits.......

I can’t see that, as you say it wouldn’t be fair and with that it could lead to court action.

 

[Ian]

Will play havoc with the league
Contracted players and out of contract players, won't be the same teams playing
Even if say Bolton has a points deduction they could massively boost their team and escape relegation next season.

Bolton Wonders would benefit from the season being scrapped - their points deduction would not be carried forward.

 

[Ian]

Could the transfer window be reopened? We need a winger!!!

I suspect the season will resume in April, but some clubs will have had players who've had the virus and will therefore be at a disadvantage if these prayers have been very unwell with it - especially those clubs with smaller squads.