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Post by evertontillidie on Apr 15, 2020 9:14:52 GMT
A growing number of Premier League clubs believe their games will be played behind closed doors if and when competitive action returns this season. The Premier League's director of football, Richard Garlick along with the league's medical advisor Mark Gillett, are liaising with clubs on a regular basis on player welfare and what could realistically be expected of players if and when the season resumes. Meanwhile, the FA is offering both Wembley and St George's Park as venues to finish the Premier League season, should the league make the request. Reports had suggested both venues could be used as part of a 'Festival of Football' to accommodate the completion of the 2019/20 season. The use of the venues, in particular St George's Park, would offer the ability to play a number of games on the same day and, having a 228-room hotel on site, a place for players and officials to stay in one place and mitigate travelling. The Premier League has been considering the possibility of playing games behind closed doors and the complex would be ideally placed geographically to accommodate such a decision. More Premier League clubs are this week expected to announce agreements with players over wage deferrals and wage cuts. Behind closed doors seems to be the best way to do it.
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Post by rugbytoffee on Apr 16, 2020 12:56:39 GMT
The Premier League is set to meet on Friday morning, with increasing pressure being placed on the possibility of finishing the current season by June 30, after it was postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It is believed that the majority of clubs in the division want to have the season completed before the June deadline, due in part to players' contracts expiring on that date, and that a minimised schedule of games could be considered if all the remaining fixtures cannot be played out. Despite FIFA saying they would be willing to offer extensions to anyone until the end of the current campaign, it is thought that would be an unnecessary complication that clubs would rather not have to deal with and that some remain worried that English contractual law would render FIFA's contract amendments irrelevant.
Sky Sports report one club owner as saying that clubs want to do all they can to get the season finished in time, asking: "How can it be fair for European places and relegation to be decided by depleted squads?"
While no definitive decision is likely to be made during the meeting, it is now widely accepted that any football happening this summer will have to be played behind closed doors and a tournament-style television event is the best way to finish the programme.
This would involve up to four games being played per day so that fixtures are completed as soon as possible, while giving supporters something to watch.
One idea that could fit that brief is the FA's offer of Wembley stadium and St George's Park, a solution that is thought to have been given increasing consideration.
The national stadium could host the requisite number of matches per day, while keeping travel at a minimum, and also offering teams a place to stay and train.
The St George's Park facility boasts 228 hotel rooms and 13 football pitches and would serve as a quarantined training base where players and staff could remain together.
The feasibility of the plans will obviously depend on it being safe to resume playing matches and a rollout in COVID-19 testing thought to be key to whether or not they can move forward.
The Times has also reported the plans and quoted a source close to them as saying: "When we know about the length of lockdown and exit mechanisms we can see which options are viable."
Reducing the number of fixtures is an idea that would help a tournament-style finish to the season be completed sooner, although brings with it a new set of problems, i.e. completing the season to the satisfaction of all 20 teams, without every match being played.
While solutions are being considered and the ideas being brought to the table, at this stage it is still not possible to suggest a start date due to the coronavirus situation, for which the country remains in lockdown.
The government's regulations could force the Premier League to concede that this will need to be stretched out further than they would like, or even that this season has to be declared null and void.
Sky Sports have reported another Premier League club owner as saying that cancelling the season remains a very real possibility and will also be discussed during the Friday morning meeting saying: "The meeting will be about financial survival and if and when we play games or abandon the season. Sadly, the season could still be abandoned depending on government rules."
Should a proposal to settle the season by the end of June be put to a vote, the league would need a 14-club majority to approve any decision
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Post by rugbytoffee on Apr 17, 2020 14:29:15 GMT
Finishing the Premier League season by 30 June in order to avoid player contract disputes was not raised when English top-flight clubs gathered by conference call today.
The 20 clubs remain committed to finishing the 2019-20 season, which is on indefinite hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, to avoid a financial loss estimated by the league's chief executive Richard Masters at more than £1billion.
Clubs looked at various scheduling models for how they could end the campaign at Friday's meeting, but it is understood that the issue of completing by 30 June was not raised by anyone present.
It had been reported that as many as nine clubs were keen to complete the campaign by then. They were said to be concerned by the legal implications of the campaign running past that date, which is when standard player contracts expire.
World governing body FIFA has proposed that contracts be extended by mutual agreement until a club's season actually ends. The world players' union, FIFPRO, has previously said it expects agreements to be reached at a national level on this subject.
It is understood a collective approach on this matter by Premier League clubs is a work in progress at the moment.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche admits the subject of player contracts remains "a grey area".
"There will be players who have been at clubs for a long time and they'll feel that club's been very fair to them, whether that's through their contracts or the way they've been treated," he told the Keys and Gray Show on beIN SPORTS.
"They might think 'well, extenuating circumstances mean we have to be more flexible'. There will be some who think 'no - that's not for me. I've got to protect myself'. I think it's a grey area."
There is a general acceptance among Premier League clubs that matches will be played behind closed doors if the competition can resume, with restrictions on mass gatherings likely to remain in force for the foreseeable future.
However, there is no guarantee yet that all matches will be available for supporters to view at home.
The UK will remain on lockdown until at least 7 May, but the Premier League and other sporting competitions will watch with interest to see whether any change in guidance after that allows them to think about a resumption. A Premier League spokesperson said following the meeting: "We are acutely aware of the distress COVID-19 is causing and our thoughts are with all those directly affected by the pandemic.
"In common with other businesses and industries, the Premier League and our clubs are working through complex planning scenarios.
"We are actively engaging with stakeholders, including broadcast partners, and our aim is to ensure we are in a position to resume playing when it is safe to do so and with the full support of the Government.
"The health and well-being of players, coaches, managers, club staff and supporters are our priority and the league will only restart when medical guidance allows.
"Today's shareholders' meeting provided an opportunity to discuss possible scheduling models. It remains our objective to complete the 2019-20 season but at this stage all dates are tentative while the impact of COVID-19 develops.
"In response to the pandemic, the Premier League, our clubs and players have provided vital support for communities and the NHS and will continue to do so after matches recommence."
Premier League clubs continue to hold discussions with players over conditional wage deferrals and cuts, after Southampton became the first club to strike a deferral agreement with their players last week, followed shortly by West Ham.
It has been reported that Arsenal are close to agreeing 12.5% salary cuts with their players.
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Post by empresstouch on Apr 18, 2020 15:54:18 GMT
These worrying times are provoking many varying concerns for players, fans, club personnel and other commercial entities closely committed not just to local, national or international football, but other sports and professions that play vital roles in the game we know.
This very tragedy has brought the best from many of us.
But it has also raised many questions that could potentially do the exact opposite.
[You-know-who] could only lose the title, not anyone else win it - were the 2019-20 football season to be completed.
It also means that Liverpool Women, currently BOTTOM of the F.A. Womens Super League, would get to play the Goodison derby - effectively the game that decides whether they or Bristol City Women are relegated from the most competitive league season in their sport's history.
In short: If it's Liverpool 'Men's title to declare, its' then Liverpool Women's relegation.
Some of us may relish doing the double on Liverpool Women - I sure am one of them - but for Klopp - AND John Henry - it means something very different.
The manager has gone on record saying that public safety has to come first, even if that means writing the season off completely.
Understandably, his players aren't quite so diplomatic about this, to say the very least.
But this runs far beyond the status and achievements of the "Men" and Women first squads.
I guess it's safe to assume that Liverpool FC is an equal opportunities employer.
Were the Premier League and the Womens Super League seasons 2019-20 both declared final 'as it stands' at the decision of LFC,
the men are Champions of England and the women relegated.
Were the Premier League and Womens Super League seasons 2019-20 both written-off at the decision of that club,
the women get a chance to avenge the 0-1 derby defeat at Anfield by Everton Women last November, the men are screwed.
Someone's going to be very upset about either scenario being enforced.
But as well as this, you then have to factor-in the nationality of NESV (owners of LFC) and the success of the nation who takes Womens football more seriously than any other on the planet - including England/Wales/Scotland/Ireland.
"Equal pay" being the latest Megan Rapinoe quote after the 2017 #MeToo movement began in force.
None of this is an immediate issue at Everton, for both our first team Mens & Womens squads have little to play for other than honour and those Goodison derbies I for one were relishing (1988 - 1-0, Wayne Clarke); even though some of us were less than confident about this derby after the January Cup disgrace.
For the opposition - a crossroad has been reached and a very difficult decision may have to be made - and it could come at a very high price...
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Post by rugbytoffee on Apr 18, 2020 17:50:45 GMT
Somehow the season will be completed , I for one would like deemed null and void , that way there is certainty and to some extent clubs can prepare and make certain decisions. However, there will losers if this does indeed happen.
But the financial state of football worldwide must be getting increasingly fragile. Somehow I think this situation may change the football model dramatically.
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