The Premier League is reported to be putting an emergency plan together which will ensure this season ends and the new season starts on time.
The six week timetable for the remaining games to be played is ambitious but the PL see a financial catastrophe ahead unless they can get a plan in place.
It would allow the 2020-2021 campaign to begin on time, on August 8 – four weeks after the end of the previous season.
According to The Telegraph, the June 1 start date, which is in just 10 weeks’ time, is not set in stone but more of a target for the Premier League, with the Football Association determined for the season to be concluded.
Following UEFA’s decision to postpone the European Championships by a year, the June 1 start date is one of the best-case scenarios being considered by the Premier League and Football League.
Under the Premier League’s June 1 plan, there is also an aim for the FA Cup to be concluded
The Telegraph’s report states that games would be played behind closed doors while the Premier League would require the government to sanction the presence of emergency crews within the ground.
Resources are currently in short supply and the strain on the NHS is only going to increase as the epidemic reaches its peak, which is forecast to be around June – the time the Premier League are hoping to resume.
ClaretandHugh says: It seems that every hope we have of a return to football and normality in general is based on the 12 week rule! By that I mean everything we have been seeing and hearing suggests that this is how long it will take for the virus to peak and start to subside. The PL – as we have said before – are very much in touch with central government and have contacts with it through the Culture department. As we have said before, 12 weeks is regularly mentioned – first as the period over 70s must self isolate, then as Boris Johnson spoke of turning the tide and now on the broader lock down. Summer temperatures too may ease the bug which is now widely reported as hating the heat. Pray for a very long and hot one. The PL is clearly very much on the case. Let’s keep on hoping and remaining optimistic.
At what point do FAPL realise that the World has changed, money is not important, promotion and relegation are unimportant ?
The whole world is now at a point where health, wellbeing and peoples livelihood are under threat. If what you are reporting is true then it shows that all doubt can be removed that football is no longer the peoples game.
Wishing everyone out there
Wishing everyone out there the best, FAPL may not care about us but we can look out for each other COYI !!!
Thanks 32
I don’t think it’s been the people’s game for a very long time
True in a better World following these events we could be optimistic that profiteers would realise the goose that lays the golden eggs are the fans and they should be put first rather than a business model benefitting a selfish few at the top Who are lining their own pockets at the cost of the many.
When it is safe for the players and supporters by all means provide a date and start playing behind closed doors if necessary to complete or start afresh the season.
These dates of contracts can be pushed back if those profiteers come to a collective solution, if for example FIFA was to freeze time on all current contracts, the clock will restart on them when football is allowed to commence, this would be one way of approaching the challenge. If players refused to comply and launch breach of contract proceedings FIFA could refuse them future work. The situation is unprecedented it requires a radical solution to protect all parties.
A lot of players and those associated at all levels of the clubs will be affected forever by these events some will lose friends or family. To expect those affected to conclude a season under this backdrop which is being forced purely out of fear of losing money is so far off the charts of reality that the decision makers should consider their positions on the grounds of negligence.
Not sure about ALL of that 32. Not sure what we mean by profiteers and its the TV companies who lay the golden eggs not us . Not sure anyoe is lining their profits in this scenario – quite the opposite.
Currently nobody is earning – never mind profting – there’s no cash from anywhere so I don’t quite follow. WE are talking about NOW and its consequences not the past. The last paragraph is emotional but if and when that happens they will be given the choice of whether they want to play as in normal circumstances.I think we treat the thing as it develops.
Without the fans there is no money is there Hugh ? For example imagine no one attended a game, bought a replica shirt, visited a website, purchased other forms of media etc where then is the business model ? If so is it us that are the geese that lay our hard earned money (golden eggs) into the hands of the businesses ?
TV broadcasters and Football authorities imho realise they are going to lose a lot of money if there is no product to sell, it has been reported on this site by Sean it could cost upto 769 million (I think correct me if I am wrong) in financial penalties for not delivering the season and cup competitions, players have contracts expiring on June 30 also which could be significant losses to clubs not to mention players who may not have wages incoming after June 30. This drive to get football played has nothing in my opinion due to integrity of the game it feels like it is all motivated by the money men putting pound coins before safety.
They supply some money but this is a TV game now and all the players wages are paid for by TV. WE aren’t that important fnancially
so true and the comment ‘the PL see a financial catastrophe ahead ‘ some the money baggers up to a tee. never mind the risk to public, players and staff – show me the money. BTW; i thoroughly enjoyed the Hammers vs Arsenal match poster yesterday!! Reminded me of what footy really used to be about!! You never know; if the PL goes bust, we could go back to those times again!! Sim chance!!!
Keep safe everyone; whoever you support
Total ********, you think every thing is going to get better, after 12 weeks . Totally disalousioned
Everything is based on 12 weeks – 12 weeks to clear in China and Iran, 12 weeks for over 70s, Johnson said 12 weeks to turn the tide and 12 weeks indoors for the vulnerable. Watch your language. We don’t do that here
‘Nobody is pretending this will be over in 12 weeks’ as stated by Govt minister today
Except the football industry, football media and other interested parties scrambling around to cover revenues and a PM whose party thought Brady deserved to be given a seat in the Lords.
The NHS have cancelled all non urgent ops for 12 weeks from middle of April, this gives you an idea this will be around for at least 16 weeks – and will not be expecting a footballer turning up with a broken leg, concussion etc on June 1st
You aren’t forced to read this site Hammero and why would people not try to cover revenues. I expect everybody else is including yourself. Why always so critical.
Not critical, but factual. Unlike the media. As per No 32 spot on response, the world has changed and people have other priorities.
I won’t post anymore. But will carry on looking in, as sometimes there are decent posts. And also reasoned responses, which allow people to have an opinion on some of the not so decent
Once again the I won’t post get the hump attitude. What you want us to do = close the site? We are here to inform as we get stuff. If it’s of no importance don’t readt. I’m an over 70 self isolating with asthma and copd. If I were to get it (and I won’t) it would probably kill me but losing my patience, rag and becoming emotional won’t help me will it? Of course this is bigger than football – worst thing any of us have ever seen – but telling a football site that it’s of no importance? – not sure where that gets us. WE keep on keeping on. It’s what we do
In Australia self isolation is for 2 weeks and social distancing is now the go until further notice and any closure, whether it be sport, clubs, pubs, cafes & restaurants as now applies in Australia from midday on Monday, is for at least a 6 month period before being reviewed.
I would also add, if anyone still thinks the Olympics is going ahead, tell ’em they’re dreaming!!!
Really dont think alot of people care at this moment in time ..really not important with what’s going on ..I think the lack of comments prove that …at the end of the day it’s a game
Saving peoples lives is more important…
All true but we are not gonna close the site mate. Distraction is good in times of trouble. WE are here if you want us if not all very understandable
Of course hugh nothing wrong with sites certainly dont mean closing the site down ..just mean if the league is voided it wouldn’t mean then end of the world..I know a lot of money would be lost but when lives are at stake money shouldn’t matter,,l I’m self employed so will get hit hard ,but i will soldier on and survive, so I’m sure the clubs will too …imo I think it should be voided liverpool should be crowned champions and the top 2 in the championship should come up ,but no one to go down and have extra 2 teams in premier nxt season with 4 going down to get the numbers right again
Not really sure where the “hates the heat” mantra is coming from? Slightly less tolerant of the heat on external surfaces and doesnt like direct sunlight maybe, but it’s spreading perfectly capably in every continent in earth and there are some pretty warm ones of them about!
If there is a medical research paper that confirms this heat-hatinh principle Id be keen to be pointed in it’s direction!
It’s coming from the NHS in private e mails I’ve seen and consider there are less than 2k cases across the whole of Australia and S America – easily checkable on Google. The memo also suggested eating hot broths sipping hot water as that helps any infection into the stomach where it is dealt with by gastric acids
Unfortunately there are a lot of fake emails about.
The number of cases reported is only as accurate as the volume of testing being undertaken. The South America case numbers are meaningless as you’re talking about medical backwaters with terribly 3rd world living conditions, and where testing for CoronaVirus is almost non-existent. It’s like suggesting there are only 5000 cases in the UK that have led to 233 deaths (which would give us a mortality rate in an NHS not currently overwhelmed of 5% when the mortality rate in countries that are doing extensive testing across the population is shown to be between 0.5 and 1%.
To suggest a respiratory condition can be averted by sipping hot water is ridiculous. The virus can be transferred in aerosolised particles (in someone’s breath water vapour). It can get into the blood stream via the mucus membranes.
An email chain circular purporting to be from Stanford University was suggesting the same thing but was very quickly discredited. Do you not think that if it was as easy and tangibly important as drinking a bit of a hot brew every so often, that wouldn’t be front and centre alongside the wash your hands and don’t step foot out of the front door if you don’t have to campaign? Come on Hugh get real!
There is no credible public source suggesting that this goes away with the hot weather. There are people hoping it behaves like seasonal flu but nothing to substantiate it.
Yes but mine’s not. I know who sent it and I always trust my sources when they are well known to me mate. Do I assume you have a degree in this 😉
There was far more tan hot brew but no room here. It was a very long e mail and has been circulated to NHS staff I have it.
thanks hugh i will try making some broth out of the bones in the wifes corsset as i managed to buy f*$!k all at tesco
ps keep on typeing and gives us all something to think about and debate
A test for cv is to hold your breath deeply fr 10 secs each morning. Then breathe out and if there’s no cough you are infection free. Stay hydrated, hottish water and socially distance yourself from all morons 🙂
Anybody noticed how many footballers are testing positive , Einsteins like Charlie Austin going to Cheltenham festival for instance .
Hugh, I have no axe to grind with you or the site. It’s a helpful distraction during seriously gloomy times. I also hear what you’re saying about your own health and genuinely hope you can get through this unaffected.
That said, I am of the opinion that the expectation that the PL can in someway restart at the beginning of June and be concluded by in July is highly unlikely, if not impossible. If you seriously believe otherwise, tell me what happens when 1 PL player contracts Corona in the first week after the restart? A whole first team squad will have to isolate for 2 weeks and in that period more positive tests will occur. It just won’t work.
Personally I would be amazed if we can even get the next season underway on time even if the current season is scrapped.
Finally, a sincere message to all fellow hammers wherever you are in the world. Look after yourselves, your loved ones and in the current situation, take nothing for granted.
They are working on the basis that so far in countries getting clear of probs it’s taken 12 weeks – China and Iran. That’s the thinking and it#s probably fair It may be less cos it’s been around for about two or three weeks now. I think we are all aware there are no certanties but the 12 week keeps getting used so it seems logical
It’s not just players contracts that is a problem.
There is also any club changing sponsor, changing shirt supplier as just a couple more problems.
Whatever FIFA or EUFA or Pl or Fa put in place, none of it is legally binding. Football only plays etc to the governing laws of the game.
Players contracts, shirt sponsors, shirt suppliers are all governed not by football but by law. Not football law but real law.
As I see it, for the PL to retain ANY integrity, the remaining matches must be played in exactly the same time frame as they were set out. They must be with exactly the same players registered also. And they must be played with supporters too.
Any one of those not adhered too makes the whole season null and void for so many reasons.
“Social distancing” will be around until a vaccine is ready,imo. Even without supporters, how is that going to work for playing football, or any other “non urgent” activity?
Maybe it’s just me, but I find the idea of footballers,along with other “celebrities” testing positive,but no testing for health workers or “the man in the street” unless they have been isolated for at least a week and are so bad they have been referred to a hospital, a little unsettling.
The FAPL are following the government mantra of 12 weeks before start of a return to normal. This in my opinion is optimistic to put it mildly. The general consensus is the UK is about two weeks behind Italy who have over 5,000 deaths to date. The next couple of weeks will start to show how bad it’s going to be here.
A June resumption is not going to happen unless the UK bucks the trend of the rest of World.
Once it does die down how confident will supporters be to travel to games or be able to afford it anyway? Months off work will take its toll for a lot of people. There is a lot of things to take in to account before a ball is kicked again in the PL.
Very well put