Matches Reduced Season.

[tonyw]

So in the US, the NFL tests every player for Covid every day.
If anyone has a positive test, then they are excluded from all "football" activities for 10 days. If they exhibit symptoms, it's 10 days after those symptoms subside.
Every player also now wears basically a tracking device during team activities so that if any player has a positive test, then can immediately see which other players he's been in significant contact with. Those players then also have to go on the Covid-19 list, and be excluded from football activities for a few days, and until after they've had two successive negative tests.

Because of those protocols, despite the fact that large swathes of the US have been absolutely battered by Covid, no NFL game this season has been lost. A few have been postponed a few days. The Broncos had to play one of their games without a Quarterback (because all their QBs were on the list) but they've managed to get through virtually the whole season (just one week plus the playoffs to go).

That's the level of Covid protocols that are needed to ensure that sport can go ahead as safely as possible for its players and staff.
It's undoubtedly bloody expensive, but the NFL can afford it - and I see no reason why the PL shouldn't be able to as well.

The Football League? Maybe not. And if they can't, then a circuit breaker would be best. Rather than the panicky, hand-wavy, inconsistent mess which is what they're currently presiding over.

 

[Oxford57]

Cant wait for the EFL board to make a decision, something along t he e lines of “do what you want as we have no idea what’s the best way forward either for the clubs”

 

[holdsteady]

Has a FL board meeting ever led to anything other than a statement about a future board meeting etc? They don’t make decisions, they just delay them.

If professional football has a circuit break they will probably end up in a massive orgy and cases will go up not down, these are football players we are talking about.

Anyone know what is happening with Non league football, loads of national league games postponed today.

 

[LowerSouth]

13 out of 32 National League games off today,due to “ other” ( COVID).
Tonight’s PL fixture Everton vs Man City also off.
Can only get worse.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Newcastle v Liverpool match scheduled for Wednesday now 50/50.

Incredible that the approach from all levels of English football for the last nine months has been, “Just cover your eyes and ears and keep running.”

 

[Wandering Yellow]

I dont mind what happens so long as the scum get relegated

 

[Concretebob]

I wonder if Man City's league cup semi final will go ahead? Because as we know, Spurs got a bye due to Covid in the earlier rounds

 

[holdsteady]

Try never to look at non league football as it was enough to be there for 4 seasons but what a mess it is down there, in the national league itself some clubs have played 10/11/12 games, while they seem to have played even less in the the southern division with one team only having played 9 games. They have to play less games this season than normal because of the Bury situation but that’s still one hell of a fixture pile up to sort out in 4 months with more Covid and potential bad weather postponed games to contend with.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

Need to get stricter with teams, if there's 14 players (including under 21s), a physio and doctor then the game should go ahead. Teams wouldn't cry off then.

 

[holdsteady]

Considering how much prem footballers earn it’s pretty amazing that they can’t isolate for the rest of this season to get it played. For a hundred grand a week I would stay away from my family for the next four months, pretty certain the missus would boot me out and lock the door for that money as well.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Considering how much prem footballers earn it’s pretty amazing that they can’t isolate for the rest of this season to get it played. For a hundred grand a week I would stay away from my family for the next four months, pretty certain the missus would boot me out and lock the door for that money as well.

Ah but you’d be unable to resist a bunga bunga party with four Russian prostitutes and the new French lad, I suspect

 

[Whingit]

I'd also be bang on the gak and whatever else i could get my hands on while WADA are out of the picture.

 

[bashamwonderland]

I'd also be bang on the gak and whatever else i could get my hands on while WADA are out of the picture.

Right up the old hooter.

 

[UTM]

Considering how much prem footballers earn it’s pretty amazing that they can’t isolate for the rest of this season to get it played. For a hundred grand a week I would stay away from my family for the next four months, pretty certain the missus would boot me out and lock the door for that money as well.

For a 100 k a week , I would stay away from the missus , oh just the job

 

[UTM]

Ah but you’d be unable to resist a bunga bunga party with four Russian prostitutes and the new French lad, I suspect

But would give this a miss , thank You... if my Mrs found out I would have no tackle left but take the money , thanks ......

 

[BrockBuster]

What a bloody mess. The EFL leaving this to the clubs is akin to the government not sticking to set rules rather than 'recommendations' then blaming the general public when it all goes tits up.

Just make rules and enforce them. It's not rocket science.

 

[nige01ox]

I actually believe any of the clubs would have a good chance if they brought a negligence case against the EFL; they have had how long to sit down and come up with a couple of sides of A4 with clear rigid guidelines, but instead they continually pass the buck onto the clubs? They're a shambles and a disgrace.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

The Rochdale club doctor has been on the radio this morning saying the season needs to be stopped immediately. Claims that ‘long covid’ is becoming more and more apparent in players across all divisions - players are getting hit harder especially as the virus mutates, hence why players like Lascelles and Saint-Max at Newcastle have been KO’d for nearly a month now - and as time has gone on more and more players who had it in the past have struggled to get their energy and stamina back. They constantly check players using everything from GPS stats to full-blown lab style testing, and the results are apparently there to see that a high number of players are struggling for long periods after contracting it. It isn’t “just a runny nose or a headache” for a lot of them, they’re seeing their physical health markedly affected for months at a time.

They also said that one of their main concerns is that a player with an undiagnosed condition contracts the virus, and gets into serious bother. Although rare it does happen. We’ve had players / former players in the past who had to retire due to things like that. Mitchell Cole, Andy Scott etc. Especially with the mutation currently going on, meaning that existing social distancing protocols aren’t up to scratch anymore, there’s definitely concern among the medical staff at clubs that this isn’t something to just ‘power through’. That the majority of squads across the country at all levels can’t keep the virus out presently is a worry. The new strain is nearly twice as infectious as the original one and clubs aren’t equipped to cope with that, so it’s getting in and it’s spreading much easier than before.

Once trained doctors start talking like this you’re basically getting into, “My opinion is worth as much as the doctor’s facts” territory if you choose to ignore it. Going to be an interesting next 7-14 days for the game. A lot will hinge on next week’s round of testing.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

The Rochdale club doctor has been on the radio this morning saying the season needs to be stopped immediately. Claims that ‘long covid’ is becoming more and more apparent in players across all divisions - players are getting hit harder especially as the virus mutates, hence why players like Lascelles and Saint-Max at Newcastle have been KO’d for nearly a month now - and as time has gone on more and more players who had it in the past have struggled to get their energy and stamina back. They constantly check players using everything from GPS stats to full-blown lab style testing, and the results are apparently there to see that a high number of players are struggling for long periods after contracting it. It isn’t “just a runny nose or a headache” for a lot of them, they’re seeing their physical health markedly affected for months at a time.

They also said that one of their main concerns is that a player with an undiagnosed condition contracts the virus, and gets into serious bother. Although rare it does happen. We’ve had players / former players in the past who had to retire due to things like that. Mitchell Cole, Andy Scott etc. Especially with the mutation currently going on, meaning that existing social distancing protocols aren’t up to scratch anymore, there’s definitely concern among the medical staff at clubs that this isn’t something to just ‘power through’. That the majority of squads across the country at all levels can’t keep the virus out presently is a worry. The new strain is nearly twice as infectious as the original one and clubs aren’t equipped to cope with that, so it’s getting in and it’s spreading much easier than before.

Once trained doctors start talking like this you’re basically getting into, “My opinion is worth as much as the doctor’s facts” territory if you choose to ignore it. Going to be an interesting next 7-14 days for the game. A lot will hinge on next week’s round of testing.

I dont think there is weekly testing in the EFL, just as and when people show symptoms.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I dont think there is weekly testing in the EFL, just as and when people show symptoms.

There isn't, but mandatory testing one a week is being introduced.*

The fear is that clubs who are doing the right thing are having to cancel matches, while those who are basically doing very little (c.f. Crewe!) and *not* testing are able to play their games.

*Edit: I thought mandatory testing was being introduced but can't find confirmation!