EFL Football suspended until 30 April

[Dannyred]

As others have said, Too many legal issues if you did this

Yes you are right and that’s why it maybe the games are played behind closed doors but to void it would be wrong with 6 weeks of matches left. They could scrap the play offs.

 

[John William]

Depends which scientists they decide to listen to..They are not all singing from the same hymn sheet..

True, but their hymns sheets are still better than anyone else's.

There is a story that Wernher von Braun (father of the V2 and the US space programme), when asked why the USSR had launched a satellite into space before the USA, replied:

"Their German scientists are better than our German scientists".

 

[Dannyred]

If next season wasn't allowed to start or was even halved due to this current season needing to be finished then wouldn't that pretty much finish a lot of lower league clubs anyway? Either this season needs to finished before next starts or next season needs to start on time and the current season voided. If neither can be played then may as way forget football for good and find another hobby.

The problem is that next season cannot Finnish late as the Euros and Olympics are taking place.

 

[LOG]

There is a risk behind everything we do. It's a question of likelihood v. possibility, otherwise no-one would ever drive anywhere still less take a plane. Or smoke. Or drink alcohol.

Every time a footballer steps onto the pitch (s)he risks serious injury or worse. Would closed door matches really be too risky?

I'm not competent to make that assessment and neither is anyone else on these forums.

We HAVE to accept the judgement of the scientists, and the football authorities advised by them.

True, and i'd take the judgement of a suitably qualified expert over anyone else but a player risking an injury the moment they step on to the pitch or someone choosing to smoke is done on the basis that they understand that risk. There's (currently) too much unknown about all of this but, of course, i'm more than happy for that opinion to change as things develop over time.

It might not be for this thread but i had a conversation with someone earlier about whether relaxing the lockdown to allow businesses to start to trade again would be the lesser of two evils even if it meant that cases and deaths would increase in the shorter term and until a vaccine was ready.

If millions of people end up unemployed because of this, the economic, health and social consequences will be huge. As well as the welfare bill going through the roof, there are well documented connections between poverty/low income and mortality, mental health, crime and so on.

At present, there isn't a right answer that i can think of and opinions will probably depend on how individuals have been affected.

 

[Grecian Max]

I keep saying, it's going to be null and void.

Start afresh with the same tables, clubs can take legal action if they want, it's a global pandemic, no one predicted this.

The only change I can see the PL, as a separate entity, inviting Leeds and WBA in 22 team league. Could even see a PL2 come out of this. I think the EFL will keep the rest as is.

 

[Alistair20000]

Depends which scientists they decide to listen to..They are not all singing from the same hymn sheet..

Very true. I glazed over reading the Observer yesterday.

 

[Legohead]

I keep saying, it's going to be null and void.

Start afresh with the same tables, clubs can take legal action if they want, it's a global pandemic, no one predicted this.

The only change I can see the PL, as a separate entity, inviting Leeds and WBA in 22 team league. Could even see a PL2 come out of this. I think the EFL will keep the rest as is.

IMO the common sense decision is to null and void the season and this is what would happen i'm sure of it IF the ramifications of legal action was not present. As it stands it is present and this therefore is holding up anything else. Void it due to exceptional unforeseen circumstances and try and get the new season started in August / Sep if possible. That's the common sense scenario but as always, it's about money and ridiculous pride.

If all clubs just accepted that this is an unavoidable situation and agreed to abandon the league then it gives the decision makers more room for manouevre when talking about next season and getting the thing up and running again.

 

[LOG]

One interesting thing raised on the latest Price of Football podcast was how FFP/SCMP will be affected given that club income this season is likely to nosedive. The chap on there seemed to think that the rules would need to be relaxed for a couple of seasons.

 

[Alistair20000]

True, and i'd take the judgement of a suitably qualified expert over anyone else but a player risking an injury the moment they step on to the pitch or someone choosing to smoke is done on the basis that they understand that risk. There's (currently) too much unknown about all of this but, of course, i'm more than happy for that opinion to change as things develop over time.

It might not be for this thread but i had a conversation with someone earlier about whether relaxing the lockdown to allow businesses to start to trade again would be the lesser of two evils even if it meant that cases and deaths would increase in the shorter term and until a vaccine was ready.

If millions of people end up unemployed because of this, the economic, health and social consequences will be huge. As well as the welfare bill going through the roof, there are well documented connections between poverty/low income and mortality, mental health, crime and so on.

At present, there isn't a right answer that i can think of and opinions will probably depend on how individuals have been affected.

Careful LOG. This is exactly what The Donald was saying the other day. Some way down the line with the benefit of hindsight we may know, or maybe not. Judgements will inevitably take advantage of hindsight; and as you rightly say how this thing has affected individuals will play its part.

The problem with following the expert is that his remit may be very narrow.

"How do we best try to defer this virus from swamping the NHS ?" and "What are the longer term economic and health costs of accepting your expert advice ?" are quite different questions. The medical and science expert will say the economic assessment is for others to make. As you say, maybe for another thread.

 

[manc grecian]

Even to play behind closed doors the teams would need a club doctor and paramedic team present for the players safety. I'd rather those resources were used elsewhere rather than for a game of football.