There’s still no sign of the 2019 / 2020 Premier League season resuming.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, here in the UK, not yet having reached its predicted peak, it’s being more difficult, by the day, to even guess when the season will resume.
On the surface, it looks as if any lengthy delay could impact on the start of the 2020 / 2021 season.
But, behind the scenes, I’ve no doubt those that run our game are having discussions on the way forward.
One possible way in which the 2019 / 2020 season could be concluded has been leaked to the world, this morning, by The Mirror who are suggesting that the idea has been muted of placing all the Premier League players in quarantine for a month and then completing the season behind closed doors.
But is that the right way forward?
I believe not!
Placing the players in quarantine, in a hotel, would also involve a lot of other people, mainly those associated with the hotel trade, there’d also still be the need to transport the players the length and breadth of the country to play these matches behind closed doors, itself a completely alien concept to how the game should be played.
To me, the idea put forward stinks of money and of fulfilling financial obligations.
I believe that, with the ‘lockdown’ probably set to be in force for at least 3 months, we should give the Premier League title to Liverpool, end the season now and start to prepare for the 2020 / 2021 season.
Is that a view you would concur with though?
Or have you your own ideas as to how we can get through this scenario?
Please feel free to air your views in the comment facility beneath this article.
Previous article by merlin
chelsea-face-opposition-from-tottenham-for-this-possible-summer-signing
The league should end now, give the title to Liverpool and maintain the table as its. Its too risky for the players to play under this condition, in 3 months time everything should be okay
my view exactly 🙂 too much is at stake health wise
I concur with d idea
I would have say that the remaining matches should be played behind closed doors to allow fans to watch from their homes but for the sake of everyone’s health, this season should just end now in other secure next season schedule in her proper form.
“To me, the idea put forward stinks of money and of fulfilling financial obligations”.
That is of course the crux of the matter.
The only benefit of continuing to try to play a full season is to secure the TV and sponsorship money.
The powers that be have effectively placed a value on the profit and loss account of each club at a cumulative price of around £752m. Over 1.2m infected people across the globe and counting but £752m is the magic number!!
I know that the players are often derided for the money that they make but all of a sudden FIFA, UEFA and most of the football associations have decided that the players are collateral damage and can be spared.
Football is a contact sport played by footballers who are elite athletes. However, they are NOT expendable.
How can the remaining games be played behind closed doors when it is our adulation that inspires these young footballers.
How would games be played to GUARANTEE that none of them would be infected getting to the game, playing the game and then getting home? By locking the fans away? We’ll just turn up and stand on the roads leading to the stadia.
When players are straining every sinew to win the ball how do you expect them to tackle each other without making contact?
How would you take corners?
Would it be just the defenders in the penalty box or just forwards?
Would we have just two goalkeepers and two strikers on the pitch to maintain social distancing?
Perhaps it will be you score then we score then you score then we…….
Pathetic.
When these athletes spit to clear their airways, who would go around catching the spittal safely?
If God forbid a player gets seriously injured, would they be just left there to sort it out for themselves (a piece of wood and a bandage perhaps to mend a leg) or would they be taken to the hospital where the NHS and even private hospitals are running at capacity looking after patients on life support machines?
One local hospital has closed because they’ve run out of oxygen.
Wake up.
The players cannot be placed in a position where there is a potential risk of even one of them becoming infected, hospitalised and die.
Which one of the sports administrators would put their own sons or daughters at such risk.
I have a son and a daughter who would do anything to play for our beloved Chelsea.
BUT I WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO CROSS THE WHITE LINE AT STAMFORD BRIDGE EVEN TO FULFIL THEIR DREAMS.
MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER ARE WORTH MORE THAN £752M.
If Liverpool are so keen to receive a title then let them have it. They were the best team so far so why not? If teams like Bayern, Juventus or Madrid want the Champions let them have it.
I am past caring.
In UK we are losing about 600 loved ones every day. 600 irreplaceable loved ones.
Footballers are someone’s loved ones too.
Shame on you FifA, UEFA and all the rest.
I’d rather have my son and daughter for as long as I can, thank you.
Every time an ambulance siren sounds my heart jumps a beat and then I hold my breath in fear for the families that might be about to enter the depths of despair. I often pray in the hope that my prayers might help the suffering.
And finally to all my fellow Chelsea fans and to football fans all over the world, take care and stay safe.
We can all start hating each other (in the footballing sense) next season.
But for now we are all equal, we are a global family and I wish you all the very best through these darkest hours.
KTBFFH, always.