Project Restart - Hoping for 8th June

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From the Times coverage of today’s meeting.

However as many as 12 clubs expressed their opposition to neutral venues during the four-hour video conference, pointing out that Germany’s top two divisions are resuming matches this coming weekend in their own stadiums.

Oh, 12 clubs you say? Not just the ones that are apparently the really self-interested bottom 6 that are allegedly spoilin’ for a voidin’? It’s almost as though the neutral venue issue is a genuine issue for clubs. Whatever next – the Brighton player’s Covid test wasn’t faked?

I like the quote.... 'as many as 12'. How many does this mean? 2 4 7 12?
 

The idea that thousands of people will turn up and gather outside, say, Bramall Lane for a BCD game is ridiculous. The fans will want to watch the game, and the only way of doing that will be on TV. If they show up at the stadium they will miss the game and possibly get arrested. Any players or staff will tell them to fuck off. No autographs will be signed. There would be zero point.

OK a few kids may try to bunk in, but the vast majority will stay away
 
I like the quote.... 'as many as 12'. How many does this mean? 2 4 7 12?

Well in addition to the “self-interested 6”, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal all opposed it too according to the Telegraph. So more likely 9-12 clubs. Spurs and Arsenal definitely self-interested here – wanting the league ended now so they can secure their 8th and 9th places rather than have the inconvenience of more games to potentially get CL qualification. Disgraceful stuff this non-neutral clan.
 
Well in addition to the “self-interested 6”, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal all opposed it too according to the Telegraph. So more likely 9-12 clubs. Spurs and Arsenal definitely self-interested here – wanting the league ended now so they can secure their 8th and 9th places rather than have the inconvenience of more games to potentially get CL qualification. Disgraceful stuff this non-neutral clan.
I don’t understand why Arsenal would be opposed it, they like us have 4 home games and 6 away games left, unless of course they are concerned about the integrity of the competition or maybe that pesky Brighton have paid them off ;)
 
The fans will want to watch the game, and the only way of doing that will be on TV.

Fortunately we don’t live in an era where some fans are morons, or where technology has developed to enable you to watch a game on a smart phone, so we’ve nothing to worry about.
 
Perhaps I just see things very simply, but I honestly can't see what the problem is here. Germany are leading the way. Reality check .... they are human beings living with this virus too and are showing that if we really want to do it, then it can be done!

It's obvious why some teams are putting any barriers they can in the way to prevent the season from being played out. There will be lots of hush hush and back stabbing conversations taking place ..... the league is already won, the teams in danger of relegation don't want to go down and the teams already in Champions League places won't want to risk their position.

There are enough real problems (health, logistical, training, transport etc) without clubs being arseholes and putting self interest in the way of the integrity of football. This virus will be alive and kicking for some considerable time yet, so football clubs need to stop the selfishness and look to how they can collectively as an industry (just like all the others are having to do) work during the times of covid-19. FFS, players will be getting tested twice a week ..... my son is on the front line NHS and has not been tested yet. My niece works in a care home and hasn't been tested yet. Thousands of people are working day and night in many other industries (generally on shit pay too) to keep the nation going and haven't been tested yet.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not having a pop at the perceived mamby pamby footballers - they of course need looking after because of the very nature of the game. I get that. It's the clubs purely looking at how they can work this horrible situation we find ourselves in to their own advantage (the Karen Brady's of this world).

So what do we do? I think every club accepts that behind closed doors is a given, so they can moan about that, but it won't carry any real weight. So the next thing for them is to moan about neutral grounds. Ok, let's fix that..... don't use neutral grounds. In this scenario I would hope that the police absolutely smash any dickheads disobeying the rules on gatherings and social distancing etc. And I mean smash them ..... fuckin jail sentences and criminal records. We are at war here, and anybody acting like a dick and spoiling it for the rest of society should be treated accordingly.

As for players getting the virus, well, measures should/will be put in place to make this risk absolutely minimal. There is nothing to stop a club taking over a fully quarantined hotel/complex and self isolating there as a group for the duration of the season - we are talking 6 weeks or so, it's like a world cup scenario. Testing and other sanitary/quarantine measures should be put in place to make the risk absolutely minimal.

We need to separate out the self interest from the real issues and move forward, like every other industry is being asked to do.
 
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Well in addition to the “self-interested 6”, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal all opposed it too according to the Telegraph. So more likely 9-12 clubs. Spurs and Arsenal definitely self-interested here – wanting the league ended now so they can secure their 8th and 9th places rather than have the inconvenience of more games to potentially get CL qualification. Disgraceful stuff this non-neutral clan.

I think that most clubs will be opposed to neutral venues, but will vote in favour should it be the only option allowed by the government. The teams at the bottom would rather have a null and void season than play at neutral venues. That's the difference as I see it.
 
Fortunately we don’t live in an era where some fans are morons, or where technology has developed to enable you to watch a game on a smart phone, so we’ve nothing to worry about.
It’s difficult to argue that there is a sizeable number or morons that support every club. That said, I’d be really surprised if things go ahead behind closed doors and we see endless Twitter videos of hundreds (dare I say thousands) gathering outside grounds.

It is of course possible, but the risk will be seriously reduced with pubs not being open. They could still go and buy booze from a Shop and congregate to watch on a smart phone/Tablet, admittedly. Clubs could support local off licences to shut for a few hours whilst the game is being played or alternatively the Police make them

Perhaps the risk could be further reduced by the broadcast only being available through a TV box or WiFi stream, excluding 4G or 5G streams through the TV apps.

I think a bigger issue would be match day parties to be honest. Something which would be impossible to Police.
 
I think that most clubs will be opposed to neutral venues, but will vote in favour should it be the only option allowed by the government. The teams at the bottom would rather have a null and void season than play at neutral venues. That's the difference as I see it.

The bottom 6 etc that have their own agendas need to start understanding null and void is 100% off the table and that 3 teams are going to be relegated. If they continue to dig their heals in issue points deductions and fines. If I was running Norwich I would go against the others and speak in favour of a restart in any guise.
 
The self interest six having had their wings clipped over null and void and relegation have now moved the focus back to neutral grounds. The fact the German League will play their games at Home adds weight to the argument that the Government should reconsider. There are some sensible safety features of the Bundesliga's approach to restart including all Home players travelling to games in their own cars.

The Government would probably be amenable to reconsidering especially when details of how Germany is approaching this is looked into. The problem is they are advised by an idiot in Deputy Chief Constable Roberts one of SYP's finest the man who believes there is no trouble at night matches and that all football related violence is fuelled by rampaging hordes who have been allowed to sniff a glass of alcohol. His recent comments that Clubs need to get a grip haven't helped matters but he and his SAG counterparts will do all they can to ensure neutral venues remains the only option.

In the meantime the self interest six campaign continues with an a EPL Club Chairman who doesn't want to be named, come on Mr Barber own up, telling Sky Sports up to 40% of players don't want to restart and half the EPL CLubs aka the bottom half don't want relegation.

The choice is simple if the go ahead is given either restart or lose up to £762m in TV revenue and face the consequences of some EPL teams facing financial ruin. Cold hard cash will be the deciding factor and when the Bundesliga kicks off this week end and football returns to the TV screens Barber and his cronies will hopefully shut the fck up as the EPL agrees to restart at neutral venues sometime in June.
 
The idea that thousands of people will turn up and gather outside, say, Bramall Lane for a BCD game is ridiculous. The fans will want to watch the game, and the only way of doing that will be on TV. If they show up at the stadium they will miss the game and possibly get arrested. Any players or staff will tell them to fuck off. No autographs will be signed. There would be zero point.

OK a few kids may try to bunk in, but the vast majority will stay away

Unfortunately there will always be a handful who will smell the sweet, sweet likes and retweets on offer for turning up and videoing themselves being a cunt.
 
So Danny Rose thinks it's a disgrace that football returning is even being talked about.

Maybe he'd like to give up his humongous monthly wage in the meantime then and donate it to the shopworkers in their 50s and 60s who have kept us going since day 1.

Or maybe save it to give to those who work at Spurs or Newcastle who will lose their modestly paid jobs due to football being too dangerous.

Starting to fucking annoy me that these spoiled twats can't articulate their concerns without sounding like it's all about them and their higher importance.
 
I think people tend to forget its a risk everytime you walk out of your front door before the virus. Crossing the road, driving to work, getting stabbed in a mugging etc. etc. When I was younger the odd professional footballer I knew directly or indirectly would be champing at the bit to play football and hated being sidelined no matter what the issue. Nowadays they seem to be more bothered about what to get as their next tattoo.
 
In the meantime the self interest six campaign continues with an a EPL Club Chairman who doesn't want to be named, come on Mr Barber own up, telling Sky Sports up to 40% of players don't want to restart and half the EPL CLubs aka the bottom half don't want relegation.

No relegation is completely off the table now anyway as the FA have stated this isn't an option and they have a key voting share and subsequent veto over any rule changes. They have also stated that the league table must be based on "sporting merit" as per UEFA's guidelines.

All the clubs sign up to the rules when they accept their share at the start of each season. If the games can't be played then it will be PPG, weighted home and away PPG or some other formula that decides the final league table and who is relegated. This will be put to a vote and needs 7 to vote against for it to be blocked. I really can't see anyone other than the 3 teams that would be relegated voting against it so it will pass and they will be relegated.

Now to the legal ramifications of ending the season this way. This is the unknown in it all IMO and will depend on how watertight the premier league rules are with respect to rule changes and how binding the outcomes are if the majority vote for the changes.

I'm no legal expert but not sure the clubs would have a leg to stand on as they would in effect, as a shareholder, be taking legal action against their own rules.

Someone with a legal background may be able to shed a bit more light?
 
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No relegation is completely off the table now anyway as the FA have stated this isn't an option and they have a key voting share and subsequent veto over any rule changes. They have also stated that the league table must be based on "sporting merit" as per UEFA's guidelines.

All the clubs sign up to the rules when they accept their share at the start of each season. If the games can't be played then it will be PPG, weighted home and away PPG or some other formula that decides the final league table and who is relegated. This will be put to a vote and needs 7 to vote against for it to be blocked. I really can't see anyone other than the 3 teams that would be relegated voting against it so it will pass and they will be relegated.

Now to the legal ramifications of ending the season this way. This is the unknown in it all IMO and will depend on how watertight the premier league rules are with respect to rule changes and how binding the outcomes are if the majority vote for the changes.

I'm no legal expert but not sure the clubs would have a leg to stand on as they would in effect, as a shareholder, be taking legal action against their own rules.

Someone with a legal background may be able to shed a bit more light?
One way or another this season will be decided in court.
 

Well this is one team who want to play.


Wolves install drive-through coronavirus testing at training ground

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52630791


The procedure is carried out in the car park of Wolves' training ground and takes less than a minute.
It is part of a £4m agreement between the Premier League and Hong Kong-based genetic testing company Prenetics.
 
Surely the problem of people turning up outside grounds isn't a problem ? as the government has moved the responsibility to individuals as to whether they go out or stay home, if people choose to join a crowd outside a ground (and miss the match on TV)
then catch the virus, it is their problem - as it should be, the problem i guess is who they then pass the virus onto.
My advice to them would be "stay at home - stay safe"
 
I disagree, the season will be decided either on the field or by PPG as stated by the FA. Any ensuing legal action will be purely for financial compensation.

Yeah this my view as well. If the rules are changed via a majority result then there will be 3 teams relegated and the only thing to decide is if they sue for compensation and on what grounds.

As I said in the previous I'm really not sure what those grounds would be but I'm sure they'd try.
 
The other risk the teams face is the Broadcasters suing them for breach of TV contract if they dont get their TV money back if it ends with PPG.
 
The other risk the teams face is the Broadcasters suing them for breach of TV contract if they dont get their TV money back if it ends with PPG.
Sky could just have the next season "free of charge" if the clubs dont wanna pay the money back

that wud be fun
 
Please forgive me if this has been mentioned before. But, the difference between playing football behind closed doors at your home ground & a neutral ground is financial. As clubs have sold their soul as naming rights for stadia. Emirates, Etihad, etc gain commercial advantage by having their services advertised & mentioned for home games. As they wouldn't get as much exposure at neutral grounds, they will have penalty clauses in their contracts which allow them to withhold payments to clubs.
 
Yep. It's bizarre. Seen a few little one man planes using the chance to go over here. Going to take some getting used to when/if it ever returns to normal.

The Red Arrows flew over my flat on Friday. I heard the noise and thought, "That sounds like The Red Arrows," but by the time I'd staggered to the window it was too late. What a swizz! You'd think they'd go at a nice sedate pace so those of us having a well-earned lie-in would have a chance to see them. Or they could do what the Spelthorne Police Helicopter does and circle above my street all fucking day.
 
As clubs have sold their soul as naming rights for stadia. Emirates, Etihad, etc gain commercial advantage by having their services advertised & mentioned for home games. As they wouldn't get as much exposure at neutral grounds, they will have penalty clauses in their contracts which allow them to withhold payments to clubs.

Possibly, but that’s pure speculation, right? On what basis might existing contracts have anticipated the possibility of regular games being played in neutral stadia?
 

Isolate players in hotels for 2 weeks before the start date, and keep them there for the remainder of the season. Play 3/4 games a day with each team playing every few days to get the season completed faster and to provide daily entertainment to the nation.
My issue with this is.. it’s alright isolating our precious footballers.. whose going to cook their food, make their beds, clean their toilets etc? Are we going to isolate all the hotel staff?
 

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