mooro
Well-known member
- Joined
- 13 Dec 2017
- Messages
- 4,059
While on an 'idealistic' level, the desire to somehow finish this season AND have a full 20/21 season is of course the optimum outcome, but for so many reasons, already mentioned on here, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that that will be possible, so we have to look into the best worst alternatives.
For me the turning point has been the change in likely resumption dates from the original estimates of June/July to the more realistic August/September/October now being suggested. Therefore taking the available time to complete a season and a quarter from 11-12 months down to about 8-9, which is getting too tight, particularly with the possibility of more interruptions next winter from a partial recurrence and also preparations for the Euros in the summer of 2021.
So I now come back to an idea mooted a while back, which basically involves promoting clubs currently in auto spots, but not relegating those in the relegations spots. As with most suggestions, some would be less happy than others, but I think is likely to be the least litigious, as on the whole the best teams WOULD get their reward of promotion, while most other teams going for promotion/playoffs would accept missing out in these circumstances, BUT to arbitrarily punish some teams (in easy reach of survival) with the massive blow that is relegation would be too harsh an outcome. Crucially, The same process could be applied all the way down the ladder, with adjustments to allow for the changes in league sizes for non-league steps 2,3&4 already planned at the start of the 19/20 season.
I would then add two amendments - i) in cases where teams outside of the promotion spots are level on points with teams in them &/or where teams outside have games in hand and could move into those spots by gaining 1pt per game, then the head to head records of the two teams involved are used as a decider - ii) teams in relegation spots who are 'cast adrift' (eg would require at least one third of the points on offer from their remaining games to move out of the dropzone as it stands) would be relegated. For context, going down to level 4 of non-league, I see four potential cases where (i) might apply and about half a dozen clubs (including Southend and Bolton) for whom (ii) could apply.
By taking these decisions now, this allows all the leagues and clubs to prepare for the new season without having to do half a job for the revival, then re-jig things 'overnight' for a new season, perhaps in a different league. It also means that the contract conundrum disappears, and clubs can approach the transfer window with clarity.
For me the turning point has been the change in likely resumption dates from the original estimates of June/July to the more realistic August/September/October now being suggested. Therefore taking the available time to complete a season and a quarter from 11-12 months down to about 8-9, which is getting too tight, particularly with the possibility of more interruptions next winter from a partial recurrence and also preparations for the Euros in the summer of 2021.
So I now come back to an idea mooted a while back, which basically involves promoting clubs currently in auto spots, but not relegating those in the relegations spots. As with most suggestions, some would be less happy than others, but I think is likely to be the least litigious, as on the whole the best teams WOULD get their reward of promotion, while most other teams going for promotion/playoffs would accept missing out in these circumstances, BUT to arbitrarily punish some teams (in easy reach of survival) with the massive blow that is relegation would be too harsh an outcome. Crucially, The same process could be applied all the way down the ladder, with adjustments to allow for the changes in league sizes for non-league steps 2,3&4 already planned at the start of the 19/20 season.
I would then add two amendments - i) in cases where teams outside of the promotion spots are level on points with teams in them &/or where teams outside have games in hand and could move into those spots by gaining 1pt per game, then the head to head records of the two teams involved are used as a decider - ii) teams in relegation spots who are 'cast adrift' (eg would require at least one third of the points on offer from their remaining games to move out of the dropzone as it stands) would be relegated. For context, going down to level 4 of non-league, I see four potential cases where (i) might apply and about half a dozen clubs (including Southend and Bolton) for whom (ii) could apply.
By taking these decisions now, this allows all the leagues and clubs to prepare for the new season without having to do half a job for the revival, then re-jig things 'overnight' for a new season, perhaps in a different league. It also means that the contract conundrum disappears, and clubs can approach the transfer window with clarity.