Current Season Void Or Continue

[dsr]

You can’t not pay players that is madness

If football is suspended for this season and next season, what are we supposed to pay the players with? We can survive, I dare say, if we get no income until August; but if we don't start and finish that season, then there will be no money left.

[Rileybobs]

Devil's Manifesto - I like it

Your suggestion would disrupt next season too much and would create uncertainty throughout the summer (we would naturally push for it to start asap and would get sidetracked on repetitive decisions and problems) that would be counter productive. We need a clear plan that we can focus on which I provide

I do like your thinking and input though and it is far more advanced than some of the other people on this thread. You would be just the kind of person I would like onboard to help drive the Devil's Manifesto forward

I’m not fully behind the Manifesto, but as my career, and private life prove I am willing to put all of my morals entirely to one side for monetary gain. So, what sort of bunce would I be looking at?

[Devils_Advocate]

I’m not fully behind the Manifesto, but as my career, and private life prove I am willing to put all of my morals entirely to one side for monetary gain. So, what sort of bunce would I be looking at?

I am doing it out of my love for the game without financial remuneration. If this plan is adopted by the Premier League my aim would be to agree a reward package with Richard Masters to support League 1 & 2 teams.

If you insisted and didn't feel morally challenged I could agree a performance related % to be diverted from the football clubs in need to yourself

I suggest if you are money motivated this might not be for you as I am more of a philanthropist by nature and this is the approach I wish the project to follow

[UnderSeige]

What about Player and other Staff Safety? How safe will it be for players? What are the potential consequences of players catching Coronovirus? Will 'player insurance' be void if they catch coronovirus? Will players be able to bring a case against the club if their health is affected in such a way that their careers can no longer continue?

What about the notion that 'young physically fit players' are unlikely to progress to the critical stages of the disease?

• This is probably true in most cases. However, a small percentage of people from younger age groups are becoming critical.https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/ ... t-risk-too

• There is a possibility that individuals who reach the critical stages of the disease could be affected permanently.https://www.healthline.com/health-news/ ... f-covid-19

• On Thursday, the US Army recruitment office announced that applicants would not be accepted if they had recovered from coronavirus. This was amended yesterday to say that this just applies to those hospitalised by it. The US Army must therefore believe that there are long term health and fitness consequences to contracting the disease. Chris Martenson talks about it in the following link among other things https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPDmElpj9wU

• On April 14th the death rate in New York was 6,839. 309 of these were in the age group 18-44. 65 of these had no known underlying health conditions https://www.worldometers.info/coronavir ... ographics/

• I have heard anecdotals from young physically fit individuals (BBC News etc) in which they claim that coronavirus has knocked them for six. Left them struggling for breath, devoid of energy etc.

• A number of Premiership players have already had the virus leading to a match cancellation and isolation of the squad in Arsenals case. https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/coronav ... nt2pyru972

Are there Premier League Footballers who have underlying conditions or other diifficulties?

• Aston Villa claim to have an asthmatic player who has been advised by the NHS that he is at risk. Another has a Mother in Law in remisssion. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/ ... a-18200933

• Some players may be able to opt out from playing. "Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has insisted that he would accept players not wanting to play if they had objections and would not hold it against them". According to the Mirror there around 50 players ready to opt out.https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... s-21998439

• Some players have family members on the critical list.

• It's claimed that two or three players from every side are opposed to the restart. https://www.football365.com/news/premie ... 50-players I am not sure about this. I heard that the Burnley squad are all keen to start.

• Some coaching staff are in older age groups. E.g. Roy Hodgson.

• A number of Club Doctors have raised concerns. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52536329

[Jamesy]

We’ll have the World Cup in 2022 season to add to the problems

Correct, Euros next year then World Cup year after. That is why Premier League needs voiding now instead of p!ssing around whilst the clock is ticking.

[Paul Waine]

10 Simple Steps to Solve This

1 End this season now
2 Give all clubs that have played one less game 3 pts
3 Count the current standings as final
4 Top of league positions count for Europe etc (Liverpool Champions)
5 Nobody goes down
6 Leeds and WBA promoted
7 22 teams next year with 5 relegation spots
8 Aim for Aug/Sep return providing Covid cases go down sufficiently, lockdown restrictions eased and where possible social distancing measures in place
9 Play season behind closed doors and agree any rules around neutral venues to cover full season
10 Aim to have football back to how it was for 21/22 season

Hi DA, I'm surprised at your list.

1(a). The season isn't finished until all teams have played 38 games - this can be done with neutral grounds by end July;
1(b). Do 1(a), as I describe, and all your other points are redundant. However, let me add a few observations on them.
2. What all clubs? even though, the clubs with the missing games were due to play each other? If this was necessary, let's assume they drew, so 1 point each;
3. Complete the season, all 38 games. But do you mean "current standings" as current, or after the clubs with one less game have been adjusted?
4. Football merit to qualify for Europe - except when your club is banned for breaking rules (ManC).
5. The Premier League agreement with FA is that clubs get relegated every season, so 3 clubs must go down.
6. Championship, finish the season, top 2 automatic promotion and play-offs for 3rd spot. However, if Championship can't complete season, then no promotions and...
7. Play 2020/21 season with either 20 clubs, if both Premier League and Championship completed or 17 clubs, if Championship not completed. No relegation spots at the end of the season - and 3 promotions, assuming Championship back to normal.
8. Start 2020/21 in Sept, behind closed doors if covid-19 situation requires. Players have already had their "summer break," so, finish 2019/20 and ten straight into pre-season. (A week off for those who mush have a week off, but where are they going to go? what are they going to do)?
9. Agreed, as I've stated in 8, above.
10. Crowds back and home v away games as soon as possible, even before the end of 2020/21 if everyone "gets a grip."

UTC

[Devils_Advocate]

Correct, Euros next year then World Cup year after. That is why Premier League needs voiding now instead of p!ssing around whilst the clock is ticking.

Sounds like you support my 10 step plan better known as the 'Devil's Manifesto'

[Rileybobs]

I am doing it out of my love for the game without financial remuneration. If this plan is adopted by the Premier League my aim would be to agree a reward package with Richard Masters to support League 1 & 2 teams.

If you insisted and didn't feel morally challenged I could agree a performance related % to be diverted from the football clubs in need to yourself

I suggest if you are money motivated this might not be for you as I am more of a philanthropist by nature and this is the approach I wish the project to follow

I think we’ve reached an impasse. I wish you good luck with your endeavour.

[Devils_Advocate]

Hi DA, I'm surprised at your list.

1(a). The season isn't finished until all teams have played 38 games - this can be done with neutral grounds by end July;
1(b). Do 1(a), as I describe, and all your other points are redundant. However, let me add a few observations on them.
2. What all clubs? even though, the clubs with the missing games were due to play each other? If this was necessary, let's assume they drew, so 1 point each;
3. Complete the season, all 38 games. But do you mean "current standings" as current, or after the clubs with one less game have been adjusted?
4. Football merit to qualify for Europe - except when your club is banned for breaking rules (ManC).
5. The Premier League agreement with FA is that clubs get relegated every season, so 3 clubs must go down.
6. Championship, finish the season, top 2 automatic promotion and play-offs for 3rd spot. However, if Championship can't complete season, then no promotions and...
7. Play 2020/21 season with either 20 clubs, if both Premier League and Championship completed or 17 clubs, if Championship not completed. No relegation spots at the end of the season - and 3 promotions, assuming Championship back to normal.
8. Start 2020/21 in Sept, behind closed doors if covid-19 situation requires. Players have already had their "summer break," so, finish 2019/20 and ten straight into pre-season. (A week off for those who mush have a week off, but where are they going to go? what are they going to do)?
9. Agreed, as I've stated in 8, above.
10. Crowds back and home v away games as soon as possible, even before the end of 2020/21 if everyone "gets a grip."

UTC

You make a few reasonable points (that I have already considered and overcome) but on the whole it is a poor rebuttal of the Devil's Manifesto and offers nothing anywhere near as well thought out and deliverable in its place

5/10

[Dyched]

Why can’t they just use the standings after everybody had played each other once and have done with it?

[Devils_Advocate]

I think we’ve reached an impasse. I wish you good luck with your endeavour.

I think the right decision has been reached but thankyou for your very good input into the discussion

[Dyched]

If football is suspended for this season and next season, what are we supposed to pay the players with? We can survive, I dare say, if we get no income until August; but if we don't start and finish that season, then there will be no money left.

That’s okay if your Paul Pogba and have millions in the bank. But not if your say for example Dwight McNeil. In his 2nd year in the first team. Won’t have millions in the bank. Might have taken on a house/cars to be paid off within his current contract etc.

[Paul Waine]

What about Player and other Staff Safety? How safe will it be for players? What are the potential consequences of players catching Coronovirus? Will 'player insurance' be void if they catch coronovirus? Will players be able to bring a case against the club if their health is affected in such a way that their careers can no longer continue?

Edited out most of the quote just to save space on the thread.

What about doctors and nurses, UnderSeige? What about the food producers, supermarket workers, food delivery services? Aren't any of those allowed to "have asthma" or other underlying conditions, etc, etc, etc?

I understand Fabrice Muamba retired from football after his "health scare" at WHL. Should one player in a current Premier League squad by able to void the season for everyone else if that player doesn't want to re-start the season?

[ralphdpomeroy]

10 Simple Steps to Solve This

1 End this season now
2 Give all clubs that have played one less game 3 pts
3 Count the current standings as final
4 Top of league positions count for Europe etc (Liverpool Champions)
5 Nobody goes down
6 Leeds and WBA promoted
7 22 teams next year with 5 relegation spots
8 Aim for Aug/Sep return providing Covid cases go down sufficiently, lockdown restrictions eased and where possible social distancing measures in place
9 Play season behind closed doors and agree any rules around neutral venues to cover full season
10 Aim to have football back to how it was for 21/22 season

Why would you promote teams and not relegate any ?

Unless you void the season completely promotion and relegation should stand ... but that would be down to the EFL to abandon the play-offs and promote the third club in the old fashioned way ...

[Devils_Advocate]

Why would you promote teams and not relegate any ?

Unless you void the season completely promotion and relegation should stand ... but that would be down to the EFL to abandon the play-offs and promote the third club in the old fashioned way ...

One would never be accepted and one clearly would be. You need to look at the bigger picture as your short-termism will not help anyone in the current situation

There needs to be a balance between what is right and fair and what is practical and deliverable and this is the true brilliance of the Devil's Manifesto

[ralphdpomeroy]

Clearly by you maybe but not clearly by the wider world.

Three up three down and a Champion or void the lot and expunge the results.

[ralphdpomeroy]

Not sure where the short termism is either fella ...

[Devils_Advocate]

Clearly by you maybe but not clearly by the wider world.

Thats exactly the attitude Ludwig Boltzmann faced and look how history judged his ideas

[ralphdpomeroy]

Thats exactly the attitude Ludwig Boltzmann faced and look how history judged his ideas

Never trust an Austrian though ..especially one born in the 19th century

[dsr]

That’s okay if your Paul Pogba and have millions in the bank. But not if your say for example Dwight McNeil. In his 2nd year in the first team. Won’t have millions in the bank. Might have taken on a house/cars to be paid off within his current contract etc.

If Burnley, come September, have no money in the bank, they cannot pay the £90m that the players are expecting in wages. That is simple economics. If your pocket is empty, you cannot spend the contents.

It is irrelevant for this example how much money McNeil or Pogba or anyone else needs - if the money is not there, they can't have it.

[dsr]

What about Player and other Staff Safety? How safe will it be for players? What are the potential consequences of players catching Coronovirus? Will 'player insurance' be void if they catch coronovirus? Will players be able to bring a case against the club if their health is affected in such a way that their careers can no longer continue?

...

Lots of valid arguments there for cancelling football and indeed all physical activity of any sort until coronavirus is extinct. (Though I reckon there are even more valid arguments to say that cancelling all physical activity carries risks of its own.) There are some arguments there for allowing football to restart once a vaccine has been found and thoroughly tested, if you think that the already tiny risk has been brought down a bit further. What there isn't, though, is an argument for cancelling this season and starting another in August, because the health risk will not have significantly changed.

[Spijed]

I see the guy at Watford complaining about the situation is one and the same who was involved with the Carlos Tevez affair at West Ham.

Says it all!

[UnderSeige]

Edited out most of the quote just to save space on the thread.

What about doctors and nurses, UnderSeige? What about the food producers, supermarket workers, food delivery services? Aren't any of those allowed to "have asthma" or other underlying conditions, etc, etc, etc?

I understand Fabrice Muamba retired from football after his "health scare" at WHL. Should one player in a current Premier League squad by able to void the season for everyone else if that player doesn't want to re-start the season?

Doctors, nurses etc who have underlying health conditions will have to 'Shield'. Their GP (or whoever) will have forwarded their details to the government, the government then send a letter to tell them to 'Shield'. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... m-covid-19

It is irrelevant who or what you are. If you have underlying conditions you have to 'shield'.

If the government decide that restart can continue no one player could or should prevent the whole league from starting. However, if one player contracts the virus, the whole squad will have to self isolate for two weeks (yes - the rules on self isolating will still apply - even to footballers). I refer to the Arsenal match in the last post I made.

The problem then would then be keeping the squads isolated for the rest of the season. If just a few players from different teams contract the virus during the season the whole fixture list will be disrupted.

[Jamesy]

Sounds like you support my 10 step plan better known as the 'Devil's Manifesto'

Most of the steps, however I couldn’t support a 22 team Premier League. If no relegation, no promotion from Championship.

[Spijed]

Doctors, nurses etc who have underlying health conditions will have to 'Shield'. Their GP (or whoever) will have forwarded their details to the government, the government then send a letter to tell them to 'Shield'. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... m-covid-19

It is irrelevant who or what you are. If you have underlying conditions you have to 'shield'.

If the government decide that restart can continue no one player could or should prevent the whole league from starting. However, if one player contracts the virus, the whole squad will have to self isolate for two weeks (yes - the rules on self isolating will still apply - even to footballers). I refer to the Arsenal match in the last post I made.

The problem then would then be keeping the squads isolated for the rest of the season. If just a few players from different teams contract the virus during the season the whole fixture list will be disrupted.

But what happens if we haven't got any treatment or vaccine for the foreseeable future?

We are still likely to have issues for at least another year

[Jamesy]

If Burnley, come September, have no money in the bank, they cannot pay the £90m that the players are expecting in wages. That is simple economics. If your pocket is empty, you cannot spend the contents.

It is irrelevant for this example how much money McNeil or Pogba or anyone else needs - if the money is not there, they can't have it.

This is another example of why season needs voiding now. The longer they debate the whys and wherefores of player safety (important) and the unfairness of neutral venues, relegation etc. we will still be paying circa 7.5 mill per month to our playing squad for not playing.

[Devils_Advocate]

Most of the steps, however I couldn’t support a 22 team Premier League. If no relegation, no promotion from Championship.

You are so close to enlightenment you can almost touch it but alas you cannot get over the final hurdle. Please take solace that your thinking on this subject is elevated above most on this topic

[Spijed]

This is another example of why season needs voiding now. The longer they debate the whys and wherefores of player safety (important) and the unfairness of neutral venues, relegation etc. we will still be paying circa 7.5 mill per month to our playing squad for not playing.

Player safety is going to be no different until we get a suitable treatment or vaccine.

[taio]

I believe the season should be resumed within the next few weeks and completed behind closed doors. If that can't happen then the season should be cancelled. In those circumstances, it's hard to see how next season could start too.

[Paul Waine]

Doctors, nurses etc who have underlying health conditions will have to 'Shield'. Their GP (or whoever) will have forwarded their details to the government, the government then send a letter to tell them to 'Shield'. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... m-covid-19

It is irrelevant who or what you are. If you have underlying conditions you have to 'shield'.

If the government decide that restart can continue no one player could or should prevent the whole league from starting. However, if one player contracts the virus, the whole squad will have to self isolate for two weeks (yes - the rules on self isolating will still apply - even to footballers). I refer to the Arsenal match in the last post I made.

The problem then would then be keeping the squads isolated for the rest of the season. If just a few players from different teams contract the virus during the season the whole fixture list will be disrupted.

Hi US, the "shielding group" - as your link shows - is for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable. There won't be any professional footballers in that group. If any "support staff" fall into any of those groups then they will already be "shielding" so won't be included in any of the staff required to put on premier league games. There's a big difference between "underlying health conditions" and those who are shielding. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease and many others don't, on their own, put someone on the "shielding" group. Even being "over 70" doesn't do that.

I agree with you about a player getting infected and the infection spreading. I'm sure that's where the testing and the other protocols will come into play, to help ensure that most players and support staff are not exposed.

[Paul Waine]

You make a few reasonable points (that I have already considered and overcome) but on the whole it is a poor rebuttal of the Devil's Manifesto and offers nothing anywhere near as well thought out and deliverable in its place

5/10

Hmm, I see we have a Jonathan Swift version of DA today. Your definition of "deliverable" appears to have the same meaning as "undeliverable."

Let's keep it simple.

I'll mark mine 10/5

and, your's 1 for effort, if I'm being generous.

My definition of football: a competitive game between 2 teams, often played amongst a larger group of teams, where each team plays others over a season, accumulating points based on results, until one team is crowned champions and others may be relegated.

UTC

[Devils_Advocate]

Hmm, I see we have a Jonathan Swift version of DA today. Your definition of "deliverable" appears to have the same meaning as "undeliverable."

Let's keep it simple.

I'll mark mine 10/5

and, your's 1 for effort, if I'm being generous.

My definition of football: a competitive game between 2 teams, often played amongst a larger group of teams, where each team plays others over a season, accumulating points based on results, until one team is crowned champions and others may be relegated.

UTC

Good try but stick to what you do well (Im not sure what that is but you probably have an idea)

[Chester Perry]

I see the guy at Watford complaining about the situation is one and the same who was involved with the Carlos Tevez affair at West Ham.

Says it all!

You wonder how have been so brazen in breaching the rules at on Premier League Club, he is allowed to sit on the board of another

https://twitter.com/tariqpanja/status/1 ... 8635747328

It is at moments like this that you understand why the Saudi's are confident of passing the Owners and Directors Test to complete their Newcastle purchase

[Elizabeth]

I have now found I am exhausted by all the politics involved in this Restart Project.
Yes, I've wanted it to happen but only because I want to see football on the box. We are safe and have had a great season but I can watch German, Spanish or Italian football on the box if I want.
They tell me that money talks so I suppose it will restart and relegation will happen but how tedious it has all become. They can void it all for me now

[TVC15]

If Burnley, come September, have no money in the bank, they cannot pay the £90m that the players are expecting in wages. That is simple economics. If your pocket is empty, you cannot spend the contents.

It is irrelevant for this example how much money McNeil or Pogba or anyone else needs - if the money is not there, they can't have it.

They might not be able to have it in September but they will still be owed it and will get it some how and at some point - when the ground is sold, when the players are sold etc. Unless we have the unlikely scenario of players writing off millions of pounds that are owed to them.
If we can’t get football back on till say early 2021 I would be very surprised if we just stopped paying wages in Sept / Oct....I would think we would try and seek funding / loan facilities of around £30m initially which would take us to around Feb 2021 and carry on paying the wages given the alternatives of having to sell players for less than they are worth, selling our ground, going into administration etc.

[UnderSeige]

Lots of valid arguments there for cancelling football and indeed all physical activity of any sort until coronavirus is extinct. (Though I reckon there are even more valid arguments to say that cancelling all physical activity carries risks of its own.) There are some arguments there for allowing football to restart once a vaccine has been found and thoroughly tested, if you think that the already tiny risk has been brought down a bit further. What there isn't, though, is an argument for cancelling this season and starting another in August, because the health risk will not have significantly changed.

We don't know whether the health risk will have changed by August or any other time. This depends on government policy and whether people comply with it. If the current restrictions are released too quickly the number of infections will increase rapidly and a second lockdown will then have to occur.

The latest figures for the UK are 215,260 recorded infections and 31,587 deaths. This will not include people who have had the virus without having to go into hospital. On the 1st March the total number of recorded cases was 9. Starting from 9 we reach 215,260 in just ten weeks. However, the current restrictions (including those on sport) are beginning to work.

Continuing with the current restrictions will enable the number of active cases to get down to a more manageable level. Then a number of measures can be put into place that will gradually allow businesses and individuals to be released from some of the restrictions. Track and trace; wearing of masks etc. have been extremely successful across a number of different countries. The following is an example of this working: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQpb_jejV_Q

I don't agree with you that "all physical activity of any sort" should be banned. That would be throwing out the baby with the bathwater. I do however agree with you that football should be restored once a vaccine has been applied to the population. We should hopefully have started rolling this out by the turn of the year.

I also agree with you very strongly that the current season should not be cancelled. My preference would be to re-start the season with 'proper football' and fans in Turf Moor early next year. Not only that but I would expect all coffee and alcohol to bars to be open; pubs and coffee shops near the ground to be open; grumbling and moaning at the referee; no VAR; Park view chippy'; no VAR; all carparks nearby to be open; trains and buses running; no VAR; rivalry with away fans; going bonkers when we we score; no VAR; walking down to ground; breathing in the crisp spring night air; discussing the match incidents with your mates; and walking back from the ground mulling over all of the incidents of the match. You won't get all that with 'TV behind closed door mask wearing pandemicball'.

[UnderSeige]

Hi US, the "shielding group" - as your link shows - is for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable. There won't be any professional footballers in that group. If any "support staff" fall into any of those groups then they will already be "shielding" so won't be included in any of the staff required to put on premier league games. There's a big difference between "underlying health conditions" and those who are shielding. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease and many others don't, on their own, put someone on the "shielding" group. Even being "over 70" doesn't do that.

I agree with you about a player getting infected and the infection spreading. I'm sure that's where the testing and the other protocols will come into play, to help ensure that most players and support staff are not exposed.

Squads will need very careful testing, distancing and isolating to make this a success.

The manager has revealed how an unnamed Aston Villa squad member has asthma and, therefore, is among the most at-risk to the threat of Covid-19 according to the NHS. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/ ... a-18200933

[tiger76]

Dynamo Dresden's entire squad in isolation.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52601471

This highlights the hurdles that will have to be overcome,to complete the season.

[Spijed]

Dynamo Dresden's entire squad in isolation.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52601471

This highlights the hurdles that will have to be overcome,to complete the season.

Seems a bit odd as I thought if anyone tested positive they would be isolated but the rest of the squad carry on.

[tiger76]

Seems a bit odd as I thought if anyone tested positive they would be isolated but the rest of the squad carry on.

Well quite this is the problem,if whole squads are having to isolate for 14 days,whenever a positive case emerges,then they might never be able to play.

[UnderSeige]

Dynamo Dresden's entire squad in isolation.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52601471

This highlights the hurdles that will have to be overcome,to complete the season.

It only takes one player or member of staff to get it and then the whole squad is in isolation for two weeks. When Dresden return from isolation they won't have trained for two weeks. This brings into question whether they will be able to play straight away or whether they will require another week or two training before starting to play again. If the Premiership does start up behind closed doors it has the potential to be a 'stop and start affair'.

If Dresden had already played a match before this had happened then both teams would be out of action for two weeks due to 'track and trace'.

Another point is that two squad members had it. Could this be that one of them has brought it in from outside and quickly infected the second? It could also be that both players picked it up from the same place. It is going to be very difficult to contain this thing if it does get into one or more Premiership squads. Chris Martenson calls it the 'Honey badger Virus' because it is extremely difficult to contain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c36UNSoJenI

[corporal jones]

Most clubs have 9 games to play so three weeks worth of action. Here’s my suggestion. The squads and reduced number of staff go into isolation now either at training ground or hotel. In our case crow wood. Games start at the normal venues first week of June behind closed doors. Teams arrive and leave after the game straight back to their base. All games are played in that manner. Any players who wish to opt out or refuse to come back from abroad: tough. Just as though they were injured or suspended they are not available and it’s the same for all. As for crowds gathering that’s a police issue nd not footballs problem. If we don’t find a way then in sept we will still be in the same boat. Then what?

[UnderSeige]

Seems a bit odd as I thought if anyone tested positive they would be isolated but the rest of the squad carry on.

It won't work that way. If a player, coach, backroom staff, cleaner or anyone who has been in contact or close vicinity the whole squad will need to isolate for 14 days. Also the players families if the players are still living at home. In addition to this, any other club that has recently played the infected club will also have to isolate.

One way to get round this would be to isolate the whole club from the outside world for the duration of the season. This would be a bit like a few care homes where the staff have decided to live in the care home for the duration of the pandemic. I'm not sure that the players and other staff would like to be isolated from their families for this length of time though.

Example from March

Arsenal game postponed. Saturday's Premier League fixture called off after Arsenal head coach tests positive for the coronavirus...Arsenal confirmed on Thursday night that their head coach has tested positive for the coronavirus, and that their entire first-team squad are now self-isolating. https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/n ... -postponed

[UnderSeige]

Most clubs have 9 games to play so three weeks worth of action. Here’s my suggestion. The squads and reduced number of staff go into isolation now either at training ground or hotel. In our case crow wood. Games start at the normal venues first week of June behind closed doors. Teams arrive and leave after the game straight back to their base. All games are played in that manner. Any players who wish to opt out or refuse to come back from abroad: tough. Just as though they were injured or suspended they are not available and it’s the same for all. As for crowds gathering that’s a police issue nd not footballs problem. If we don’t find a way then in sept we will still be in the same boat. Then what?

That might work. The staff at the hotel would also need to be in isolation with the players and the hotel would need to have facilities for the players to train. The hotel security would also need to keep out any fans that might try to watch the training sessions or get autographs. The hotel would not be able to have other guests coming in and out.

[Spijed]

Cologne had three positive tests but carried on training:
"three people at FC Koln are now in quarantine" - but also that "the group training can continue".
https://www.skysports.com/football/news ... t-positive

[UnderSeige]

Cologne had three positive tests but carried on training:
"three people at FC Koln are now in quarantine" - but also that "the group training can continue".
https://www.skysports.com/football/news ... t-positive

The link is from the first of May. By the time the fixtures start they will have done their 14 days. It looks like they have some other testing/distancing regime in place to enable the squad to carry on training in the meantime. Perhaps the players have been training individually or small groups throughout April. Also it doesn't say who tested positive. They might have been club employees who are not in direct contact with the players.

If the restart is going to happen, Premier League clubs need to be Koln a telephone Call. There might be something to learn.

[Devils_Advocate]

Most clubs have 9 games to play so three weeks worth of action. Here’s my suggestion. The squads and reduced number of staff go into isolation now either at training ground or hotel. In our case crow wood. Games start at the normal venues first week of June behind closed doors. Teams arrive and leave after the game straight back to their base. All games are played in that manner. Any players who wish to opt out or refuse to come back from abroad: tough. Just as though they were injured or suspended they are not available and it’s the same for all. As for crowds gathering that’s a police issue nd not footballs problem. If we don’t find a way then in sept we will still be in the same boat. Then what?

Fairy-tale stuff, check out the Devil's Manifesto and take a shot of realism

[NewClaret]

Well quite this is the problem,if whole squads are having to isolate for 14 days,whenever a positive case emerges,then they might never be able to play.

Need a solution to that for the PL. Can’t be stopping and starting every five minutes, could miss 4 games in 2 weeks!

[Jamesy]

I have now found I am exhausted by all the politics involved in this Restart Project.
Yes, I've wanted it to happen but only because I want to see football on the box. We are safe and have had a great season but I can watch German, Spanish or Italian football on the box if I want.
They tell me that money talks so I suppose it will restart and relegation will happen but how tedious it has all become. They can void it all for me now

You are right Elizabeth, Tedious is the word. Didn’t think I would ever feel like this but after almost two months of lockdown and not working anymore I can’t be arsed about football.

[Spijed]

Need a solution to that for the PL. Can’t be stopping and starting every five minutes, could miss 4 games in 2 weeks!

If this season couldn't be started because players start catching the virus its going to keep happening until a vaccine is found.

And despite the talk of one being developed later this year many scientists believe that is highly unlikely and we won't have one for sometime.

If that's the case we'll have to take the risk or go without football and sport in general for a few years.

That's the choice.