Ways To End The Season Fairly

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by EB Hornet, Mar 13, 2020.

  1. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    I know it’s fashionable to knock them but the PL was following the unambiguous advice issued by the government. It wasn’t ‘their own way’. European counterparts suspended their own competitions based on their own governments’ advice.
     
  2. luke_golden

    luke_golden Space Cadet

    This post absolutely stinks of Liverpool fan.
     
  3. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    Well the premier league are clearly not prepared for one of their players or staff of any of their clubs to get the virus. The Government guidance is all based around acknowledging it can’t be stopped but just looking to slow it down. Those two views are clearly at odds with each other. The general public won’t be able to take the same stance as the PL indefinitely and will at some point need to go back to normal and be exposed to it. If the PLs stance doesn’t change we won’t see football until the virus has disappeared.
     
  4. Happy yellow

    Happy yellow Academy Graduate

    That is a poor argument. I am a Watford fan not a Liverpool fan. I could quite easily be masquerading as a Sheffield United fan considering their greatest season in about 80 years is going to be wiped from the record and they could still make the Champions League if the season was to finish as and when it is possible to play football again. If you want to base an argument on logic or reasoning then fair enough.
     
  5. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Ah ! A Sheff Utd fan then.
     
  6. EB Hornet

    EB Hornet Reservist

    I know, exactly what I thought when I read it. He’s comparing football to other sports and forgotten about the rest of the world who are having to go to work, some of whom come across hundreds of people every day.
     
  7. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    What annoys me about it is that he seems to think it’s intolerable to be at risk of getting it. But there won’t be a vaccine for a long while so unless he self isolates until the vaccine is ready, he is at risk of getting it like the rest of us are. We just don’t have the choice to do that for any length of time, but he does if he so wishes.
     
  8. With A Smile

    With A Smile First Team


    There were two ladies on the train last week blaming it on Margret Thatcher, because she allowed us to have open trade with China as part of the Hong Kong deal.
     
  9. The Voice of Reason

    The Voice of Reason First Team Captain

    Do you not understand what SPECIAL DISPENSATION means o_O
     
  10. HornetMan

    HornetMan Academy Graduate

    Jesus that was a tough read, have you never heard of commas and full stops? They allow sentences to be put together and make reading easier, my eyes hurt reading all of that in one go
     
  11. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    I’m sure he/she knows what it means. But why on Earth would they give them ‘special dispensation’ to play? It’s either safe or it’s not. There’s no halfway measure. The fact that football has suspended shows that it’s not.
     
  12. Yes I do

    Please explain why you think the PL would allow a game to be played, when they have stopped all games being played
     
  13. luke_golden

    luke_golden Space Cadet

    Well, you speak of logic and reason, but your initial post contains a lack of both.

    Why are you so concerned about a precedent being set? If this current event is something that occurs regularly, football as we know it will probably be irrelevant.

    Any proposal that includes handing your beloved Liverpool the title, or allowing Leeds/WBA promotion without it being properly earned sets a far more dangerous precedent in my eyes when it comes to the integrity of the competition.

    Equally, trying to resume the season at a later date (possibly a MUCH later date) does little to satisfy the integrity of the competition, given the issues around contracts expiring and the restart of subsequent seasons having to be squeezed in too.

    Would it be disappointing if your pretend scenario involving Watford occurred? Yes, it would. That said, my preference for voiding 2019-20 and starting afresh when possible isn’t based on our current sporting predicament. It’s just the proposal that makes most sense.
     
  14. By the autumn a sizeable proportion of the population would have built immunity, so the risk shouldn't be of the same scale with this specific virus
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2020
  15. Maninblack

    Maninblack Reservist

    Unfortunately only those who are there to make money out of it will be allowed to give a toss. Ultimately decisions will be made not to reach the best and fairest consensus possible but to keep the pockets of the rich investors lined as much as possible and f*** all the rest of us.
     
    Lincshornet likes this.
  16. AndrewH63

    AndrewH63 Reservist

    If the season was restarted over the summer, (say June to August), what are the other implications? For example stadium availability - not simply planned maintenance and cancelling planned bookings at the large stadiums, but also impacts of conflicting demands for transport, policing, stewarding etc.

    Lesser impacts on support staff, like holidays, which also affects players, coaches, officials and supporters.

    What are the financial impacts. Can clubs guarantee to be able to fulfill their fixtures. Particularly as you go down the leagues. Will pressure on cash flow require clubs to sell season tickets for a future season, (not simply before the end of one season which is the norm), before there is any certainty when that season will start?

    All of this is a mess, made slightly easier to manage if the season is voided early, with a plan to start all over again in August. Personally I can't see games restarting with crowds before May at the earliest.
     
    La_tempesta_cielo_68 likes this.
  17. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    I hope you’re right about that, it will require the public/media etc to remain calm and not give into hysteria and try to pressure the government into locking the whole country down for months on end though.
     
    La_tempesta_cielo_68 likes this.
  18. Happy yellow

    Happy yellow Academy Graduate


    Yes football as we know it is probably going to become irrelevant if the virus continues into next season. Next season is already going to be affected with the lack of transfer activity that will no doubt be going on. The number of cases of the virus are expected to peak in June so it will be miraculous if there are no signs of the virus by August and a new season begins as it normally would. Its a possibility but one I do not have much confidence in at the moment.

    The transfer window will be hugely affected. Its not a realistic possibility for clubs to spend substantial amounts of money on players when there is a pandemic going on if there is little prospect of the season starting in time. In my opinion the season should only be voided when it is clear that there will be no time to play the remaining fixtures before the start of the next scheduled season. Then it should be assessed if next season would be able to be started on time. As I said earlier no one knows when the virus will disappear and it will not surprise me if next season cannot be completed. Future seasons are going to be affected even if the virus disappears by the end of 2020 with Euro 2021 now likely and the winter World Cup in 2022, where the fixture schedule will have to be re-arranged.

    As for contracts, there is a way round this if you offer the member of staff a short term contract. If they refuse the contract as could happen in a normal summer then they walk away from the club and a replacement is sought.

    Also its a bit insulting to call me a Liverpool fan when I am a Watford fan and never once mentioned Liverpool in my previous posts. Other clubs are affected. Man City may never have a better chance of winning the Champions League if their ban is upheld and Wolves may never have a better chance of winning the Europa League. I do however agree with you that no team should be awarded an honour they have not mathematically earned.

    I am not saying I have a fixed view on what should happen to this season and anyone who disagrees is incorrect. Its perfectly possible that football could be safe to resume in March 2021 for example then there should be enough time to complete the 2019/20 season. In my opinion voiding this season is not a good idea until it becomes clear that the virus has disappeared and next season will be able to start at its scheduled time. Otherwise how does anyone make preparations for next season?
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2020
  19. EB Hornet

    EB Hornet Reservist

    A lot of confusion being created out of the unknown and fear. Is anyone suggesting it’s actually not safe for two football teams to meet at a venue and play a football match?

    If so, how is it different to 1500 people all congregating at various schools across the country tomorrow? Or a few hundred in office blocks? Or supermarket staff serving a few thousand people each?
     
  20. Happy yellow

    Happy yellow Academy Graduate

    Its mad. The world has gone mad. Its perfectly OK for thousands of children to play football in the school playground and potentially pass on the virus but professional football has been suspended. No consistency. Its also possible that the mental panic being created by the response to the virus could be damaging to society's mental health.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2020
  21. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    It's the over 70's and the infirm that are most at risk. So this is why Watford cannot play any games, as that counts for 90% of the squad.
     
    Hogg-DEENEY!!! and EB Hornet like this.
  22. Lincshornet

    Lincshornet Academy Graduate

    If it takes that long there probably won't be enough teams left to complete the season especially in Leagues 1 and 2 I'm afraid.
     
  23. luke_golden

    luke_golden Space Cadet

    Thanks for the further explanation. I’m operating under the impression that it’s already quite clear regular football is some time away at this point. I believe that the sooner a decision is reached, the better prepared teams will be to resume normality, whenever that might be, without the uncertainty of an arbitrary decision hanging over their sporting future. Given that it seems extraordinarily unlikely normal football will resume in the next few weeks, I’d be more than happy with 2019-20 being declared void. That decision doesn’t have to be made tomorrow, but as the weeks pass by, I’d say it’s really the only sensible option.

    Once the decision is made, clubs know where they’ll be, and can begin planning accordingly, so that when normality resumes, all clubs are relatively ready to step up preparations to get next season started, either in time, or even later than that if necessary.

    Apologies for the Liverpool quip.
     
  24. Maninblack

    Maninblack Reservist

    It's not the world gone mad, it's just the UK. The government is gambling with its citizens' lives:

    Other countries: Immediate and/or hardline lock down, fines/arrest/prison threatened for those who don't comply.
    UK: Fannying around. 'We might ask people ever so nicely if they'll follow some instructions in a few weeks time, if you don't mind, but in the meantime do what you think is best. Can't risk being sued for making the wrong decisions, can we?'
     
  25. Otter

    Otter Gambling industry insider

    I'm of the opinion that with contracts ending on 30/6, that if the season cannot be completed by then, then it will probably be abandoned. Therefore the premier League will have to have resumed by the beginning of June to allow for the remaining fixtures to be played. However the EFL has a tighter schedule as there are more games to be played and have room for the play offs.
     
  26. V Crabro

    V Crabro Reservist

    I would say that the season would have to restart by mid-May, even then that represents a game every 5 days. Also, how match fit would players be? They would effectively have had an early close season with little opportunity for a mini "pre-season". I have been (and still am) an advocate of the double season solution, however, with every passing day I am increasingly of the view that this season will be voided.
     
  27. Kernunnos

    Kernunnos First Year Pro

    There isn't a snowball in Hell's chance of this season being completed, and the way things are looking I doubt the 20/21 season will even start.
     
  28. BigRossLittleRoss

    BigRossLittleRoss First Team

    whoever stays up is getting he equivalent of £100 mill in revenue , which will be worth about 2 toilet rolls and a 1kg packet of Penne
     
    EB Hornet likes this.
  29. foxywfc

    foxywfc Reservist

    I’m still more suspicious of giraldi


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  30. The bigger challenge for football isn’t whether to finish this season, but how to survive without revenue. Many clubs live hand to mouth and will quickly be in danger of administration. That’s what football must focus on.
     
  31. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    Grooming Blade unmasked?
     
  32. FromDiv4

    FromDiv4 Reservist

    Maybe all league players should give 5% of this months pay into a pot to help out the lower league teams.
     
    The Voice of Reason likes this.
  33. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Selhurst Park likely to be isolated too as it appears to be stuck in the 70s.
     
    The Voice of Reason and FromDiv4 like this.
  34. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    There is a meeting on Tuesday with UEFA and there is also a meeting scheduled on Thursday with the FA, Premier League and EFL.

    Clearly we'll have some more direction then, however, I can only see one solution now.

    It's becoming obvious because of quickly unfolding events they will not be opening stadiums until after the peak, which is predicted being mid-July. So that leaves three options, play behind closed doors, delay the end of season until the world is on a firmer footing or cancel the entire season.

    I think playing behind closed doors would not be an option. That would not be voted on because of the loss of revenue to clubs in lower leagues, and probably all clubs in general. At this stage it's far too early to cancel the entire season, so I suspect they will postpone all matches until such a time the virus is under control.

    This would give everyone a lot of time to prepare for the end of season. Probably to start mid-July. The advantages to this are clubs will get their revenue from remaining games, albeit a couple of months late, contractual obligations with TV companies would be met, and the season would complete in its entirety so there would no no arguments over relegation, promotions and Championships.

    The knock-on effect would be the start of the new season and the transfer window. Seeing as this is a global problem, we could start season 2020-21 in January 2021, after the Christmas break. It may even play out well with the winter World Cup.

    So, my plan would be this season ends in October 2020. New season starts in January 2021 and ends in September 2021. You break for the winter World Cup, then the following season starts in May 2022, but you can take you time with it and it can end in March 2023. You have a slightly longer end of season break then we are back on schedule for August 2023.

    To fill in the slightly longer breaks you can have mini-tournaments, just to keep things ticking over.

    Personally I think that's a good plan and will tick virtually every box, which gets us out of this mess with the least damage to fairness, reputation and financial cost.

    It sounds a bit crazy at first glance, but because of the winter World Cup, it plays out really well.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2020
    Chiswell likes this.
  35. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Not saying it’s the worst idea - but it doesn’t clear the hurdle of players who’s contracts are ending and want to leave. And that could significantly weaken their ability to challenge in the way they were.
    For example, Chelsea could lose Caballero, Giroud and Willian.

    But I accept there is no perfect way to do this and there are always going to be clubs who will feel aggrieved.
     

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