Could they void the PL due to the Coronavirus? | No | Resuming June 17th

[Member 101269]

You see the true colours of everyone associated with Liverpool.

the country is about to go into lockdown, lots of people will die - and all Liverpool ex-players and fans are concerned about is how they cannot try to skew and shoehorn the situation so that they can win the league by any means necessary. Even if that means screaming over most other clubs in the football league and/ or putting peoples heath at risk.

What a bunch of utter scum buckets - but then we knew that anyway!

Suárez
T-Shirt

Under current rules there are no conditions Liverpool have met that makes them champions. If the season was to run until June 1st and they hadn't got the necessary points to be confirmed champions they have nowhere to go.. New season 1st July.

 

[Dave Smith]

There's plenty of options available without the need to simply pull the plug on this season. It's ridiculous to think that they'd even consider voiding it after playing over three-quarters of the season. There's not only the financial implications to consider by not completing the season but also the threat of legal action by clubs who've done well in their respective leagues up until now. It ain't gonna happen no matter how much the agenda driven mob want it to.

You talk of multiple options when in fact there are only three. The three are:

1) Cancel the Euros and finish the season by end of June.

2) Void the season.

3) Say the league is finished now.

Of all the options. Option 1 is of course the most desirable. However, there are questions over whether it will be possible. For it to be possible the following is going to have to happen: 1) Virus dies down by the end of April/early May and all teams do not have players out with the virus or in a bad way because of the virus, 2) Risk of players/staff contracting the virus is not likely if the games are played, 3) All competitions can be played and not just the leagues.

Option 3 is the least desirable. Too many teams would be completely screwed by the option. Relegation and European qualification is the most financially serious issues facing clubs. Changing rules as to when a season ends causes massive issues as teams would've had harder runs or games, less home games than others and teams still in Europe and in good positions may find themselves out of Europe altogether for next season. Further, players would be out of contract and you would need another window which would give some teams an advantage that should not exist.

Option 2 is the halfway house. If the season cannot be finished then that is a loss of 25% of one season. Completely re-jigging or cutting other seasons and competitions so that this one can be played out would lead to greater financial cost than cancelling this one.

So, all in all, the options are finish this season by end of June or void the season. Everything else is just unfair or requires the creation of new rules that benefit the minority rather than the majority.

 

[Mb194dc]

My guess is, we go through first wave of these lock-downs, cases go down, at some point will become unworkable, can't lock everyone inside for months!, then we get second wave, probably more lock downs, rinse and repeat for months.

They will try to bring back football, but will be impossible, players will go through it, squads decimated with players isolating, so totally impossible to have a proper contest. General chaos.

12 months, we'll get through this and new season will start then.

 

[Phurry]

There are no rules in place that covers a worldwide virus stopping football being played after 3/4 of the season has been completed. This is where the men in suits start to earn their big salaries.

The only people who will get anything out of this are the lawyers. The “men in suits” will only be interested in one thing, which path leads to the lowest financial cost for them.

 

[redman5]

You talk of multiple options when in fact there are only three. The three are:

1) Cancel the Euros and finish the season by end of June.

2) Void the season.

3) Say the league is finished now.

Of all the options. Option 1 is of course the most desirable. However, there are questions over whether it will be possible. For it to be possible the following is going to have to happen: 1) Virus dies down by the end of April/early May and all teams do not have players out with the virus or in a bad way because of the virus, 2) Risk of players/staff contracting the virus is not likely if the games are played, 3) All competitions can be played and not just the leagues.

Option 3 is the least desirable. Too many teams would be completely screwed by the option. Relegation and European qualification is the most financially serious issues facing clubs. Changing rules as to when a season ends causes massive issues as teams would've had harder runs or games, less home games than others and teams still in Europe and in good positions may find themselves out of Europe altogether for next season. Further, players would be out of contract and you would need another window which would give some teams an advantage that should not exist.

Option 2 is the halfway house. If the season cannot be finished then that is a loss of 25% of one season. Completely re-jigging or cutting other seasons and competitions so that this one can be played out would lead to greater financial cost than cancelling this one.

So, all in all, the options are finish this season by end of June or void the season. Everything else is just unfair or requires the creation of new rules that benefit the minority rather than the majority.

I've already alluded to the fact there's a strong possibility that this virus will come back later on in the year. Maybe we need to consider that possibility & ensure if/when it does - hopefully - recede, then take that opportunity fulfil this season's fixtures before embarking on another season of uncertainty. Football's governing bodies would leave themselves open to whole lot of shit if that were to happen.

 

[spiriticon]

I don't think anything will happen in the summer.

The government is trying to spread this out over 6-12 months rather than weeks. We are taking a different approach to fighting the virus compared to the rest of Europe.

 

[Finn MacCool]

I'm sure you're aware of the fact that it's only Liverpool fans and ex-players who care about the current season getting completed.

What does that tell you?

First off that’s not true - fans of Celtic, Leicester, Leeds and many others want it finished.
Secondly Utd fans don’t want it completed to stop Liverpool winning the title, despite the fact that this would mean they miss out on CL. What does that tell you in terms of priorities for Utd fans?

 

[Finn MacCool]

I don't think that's the important issue. The important issue revolves around how necessary is it to carry around a 'cryogenically frozen' incomplete season to reanimate at some point, and for how long that could be done, given that that point will in any case forever be seen as occurring in the aftermath of a worldwide health crisis. The 2019-20 season is now going to carry a taint by association; if it was to be brought back to life several months or a year on from now, it wouldn't be quite the same as deciding to delay the start of a cup final after a number of attending fans have been crushed to death in the lead-up to the kick-off, rather than rightly cancelling the match out of simple respect (I'm looking at you, 1985 European Cup Final), but the dilemma involved is broadly similar: you're being asked to ethically measure relative importance. Sometimes football is required to show that it knows its place in the grander scheme. Voiding and starting over would be one of the best ways.

Ah the Heysel card - always a handy port of call when discussing anything football related with a Liverpool fan. Classy response.

 

[Member 101269]

First off that’s not true - fans of Celtic, Leicester, Leeds and many others want it finished.
Secondly Utd fans don’t want it completed to stop Liverpool winning the title, despite the fact that this would mean they miss out on CL. What does that tell you in terms of priorities for Utd fans?

This isn't about United Fans, we don't decide anything. Stop bleating, and crying it's unfair on Liverpool while pointing the finger of convenience . You guys haven't met the conditions to be champions.

 

[Pav1878]

Ah the Heysel card - always a handy port of call when discussing anything football related with a Liverpool fan. Classy response.

Ah a Liverpool fan talking about classy responses. Coming from you that's hilarious. May want to get a t shirt printed about this whole episode.

 

[Redcy]

First off that’s not true - fans of Celtic, Leicester, Leeds and many others want it finished.
Secondly Utd fans don’t want it completed to stop Liverpool winning the title, despite the fact that this would mean they miss out on CL. What does that tell you in terms of priorities for Utd fans?

United lose either way lets be clear, finishing as is or voiding is equally non beneficial to us. Yes we would think it was funny, but the fact is that more teams would suffer by calling it "finished" now than voiding it completely.

 

[RUCK4444]

I don't think that's the important issue. The important issue revolves around how necessary is it to carry around a 'cryogenically frozen' incomplete season to reanimate at some point, and for how long that could be done, given that that point will in any case forever be seen as occurring in the aftermath of a worldwide health crisis. The 2019-20 season is now going to carry a taint by association; if it was to be brought back to life several months or a year on from now, it wouldn't be quite the same as deciding to delay the start of a cup final after a number of attending fans have been crushed to death in the lead-up to the kick-off, rather than rightly cancelling the match out of simple respect (I'm looking at you, 1985 European Cup Final), but the dilemma involved is broadly similar: you're being asked to ethically measure relative importance. Sometimes football is required to show that it knows its place in the grander scheme. Voiding and starting over would be one of the best ways.

I agree with the bolded part.

Forcing the issue from a Liverpool perspective and demanding its played out in the wake of what could be a devastating time in this country and worldwide would be somewhat tasteless.

That said we are talking about a club that printed t-shirts to defend a racist so I don’t expect much class here to be honest.

 

[Finn MacCool]

United lose either way lets be clear, finishing as is or voiding is equally non beneficial to us. Yes we would think it was funny, but the fact is that more teams would suffer by calling it "finished" now than voiding it completely.

I don’t think anyone’s first choice would be saying current positions are final. Ideally finish the season in front of fans or at worst BCD. That way there can be no legal issues. Any other solution leaves it wide open for lawsuits. When it can be finished will be driven by public health.

 

[spiriticon]

First off that’s not true - fans of Celtic, Leicester, Leeds and many others want it finished.
Secondly Utd fans don’t want it completed to stop Liverpool winning the title, despite the fact that this would mean they miss out on CL. What does that tell you in terms of priorities for Utd fans?

The season continuing does not guarantee us CL. It's still touch and go whether we'd qualify.

 

[Finn MacCool]

The season continuing does not guarantee us CL. It's still touch and go whether we'd qualify.

Of course but if it’s voided you are back in the EL next season (assuming this seasons EL is also voided).

 

[RUCK4444]

If the rationale applies that it's not fair to freeze the season as the final standings at this stage, then it's based on the premise that team didn't sign up to play 30 rather than 38 league games before the competition started. Changing the format of next season allows all teams to sign up in full knowledge of the format before it begins.

Irrespective of what happens with this season, the next campaign may need to be shortened regardless. Whether that's down to completing this season, the pandemic delaying the start of next season, or the virus surging back in the winter, we will need to think about changing the format to put in some contingency.

Sorry but I don’t agree.

This issue is an ‘act of god’ - something that affects the here and now. Something that could not be accounted for beforehand, its purely bad luck for the teams that feel aggrieved.

Regardless of what teams would effectively be forced to agree to for next season, subsequent seasons should not be effected or we are just prolonging the impact.

For a start nobody knows how long this pandemic will continue and how soon it will fade to an acceptable level to resume playing.

What if the virus starts to lessen and you have a large proportion of players who still don’t feel comfortable playing again until the virus is totally disappeared? That is likely to be months and months away.

You can’t expect players to risk playing until they are totally in the clear, never mind factoring in players who play for teams that would benefit from not playing again this season (which is a can of worms in itself.)

 

[spiriticon]

Of course but if it’s voided you are back in the EL next season (assuming this seasons EL is also voided).

We may be in the Europa League next season even if the season continues. Now if we were in 4th with a 10 point cushion it might be a different story.

As it stands, we don't stand to lose much apart from a 50% chance (more or less) of 4th place.

 

[Sandikan]

First off that’s not true - fans of Celtic, Leicester, Leeds and many others want it finished.
Secondly Utd fans don’t want it completed to stop Liverpool winning the title, despite the fact that this would mean they miss out on CL. What does that tell you in terms of priorities for Utd fans?

When they're talking about sections of our population having to self isolate for 3-4months as the impact of this virus is so huge, can you really see them re-starting football any time soon?

 

[Finn MacCool]

We may be in the Europa League next season even if the season continues. Now if we were in 4th with a 10 point cushion it might be a different story.

As it stands, we don't stand to lose much apart from a 50% chance (more or less) of 4th place.

Yes but you’ll have 0% chance if it’s voided. Surely some chance is better? If I’m not mistaken you haven’t went two consecutive seasons without CL since the start of the PL.

 

[Finn MacCool]

When they're talking about sections of our population having to self isolate for 3-4months as the impact of this virus is so huge, can you really see them re-starting football any time soon?

Probably not but I’m not suggesting any football is started until it’s safe to do so. The issue is how it should restart - finish this season or start a new one.

 

[Bilbo]

Surely you watch the video before reading on....

How could you not dive straight into watching it?

I did. I was kidding haha. It was gripping viewing

 

[Sandikan]

Probably not but I’m not suggesting any football is started until it’s safe to do so. The issue is how it should restart - finish this season or start a new one.

Thank goodness we don't have to decide eh.

It's nigh on the ultimate worst case scenario football could face really. Beyond scientists banning kicking a ball or something!

Any team who had a chance of achieving would be gutted if it's voided - on a scale from Liverpool most, down to some league 2 team still eyeing an outside chance of the playoffs.

My boys Wycombe are having a dream season, slipped to 8th in league 1, but have games in hand that could see us to 2nd! Our key player is 37, and no guarantee he'll stay on - so next season would be a different dynamic entirely.
But against a backdrop of what's going on in the world, it's hard to get too upset.

 

[TheReligion]

With what the government are saying today absolutely zero chance we finish this season off. It's over.

 

[coolhand1969]

Not necessarily - life is back to normal in China With almost no new People getting infected.

Do we know that for sure or does this come from their official news agency?

 

[Redcy]

I don’t think anyone’s first choice would be saying current positions are final. Ideally finish the season in front of fans or at worst BCD. That way there can be no legal issues. Any other solution leaves it wide open for lawsuits. When it can be finished will be driven by public health.

Agreed but this is looking increasingly unlikely, it seems that the season could not restart until at best June/July. I just don't see them restarting now, honestly Liverpool deserve the title, but giving it to them would cause too many issues in the other spots and leagues.

 

[Greck]

Worst part is this thing doesn't project to go away after x amount of months in lockdown. Without a vaccine, when the lockdown is called off it may still only take a couple infected to restart a new wave. The Government seems to have taken a pragmatic approach (ie people will die, we have to continue normal life regardless of the corona, that a simple lockdown doesn't solve much in the long run except cripple the economy).

Football bodies have a tough decision to make because postponing/cancelling events till this thing goes could mean a really really really long time

 

[christinaa]

You talk of multiple options when in fact there are only three. The three are:

1) Cancel the Euros and finish the season by end of June.

2) Void the season.

3) Say the league is finished now.

Of all the options. Option 1 is of course the most desirable. However, there are questions over whether it will be possible. For it to be possible the following is going to have to happen: 1) Virus dies down by the end of April/early May and all teams do not have players out with the virus or in a bad way because of the virus, 2) Risk of players/staff contracting the virus is not likely if the games are played, 3) All competitions can be played and not just the leagues.

Option 3 is the least desirable. Too many teams would be completely screwed by the option. Relegation and European qualification is the most financially serious issues facing clubs. Changing rules as to when a season ends causes massive issues as teams would've had harder runs or games, less home games than others and teams still in Europe and in good positions may find themselves out of Europe altogether for next season. Further, players would be out of contract and you would need another window which would give some teams an advantage that should not exist.

Option 2 is the halfway house. If the season cannot be finished then that is a loss of 25% of one season. Completely re-jigging or cutting other seasons and competitions so that this one can be played out would lead to greater financial cost than cancelling this one.

So, all in all, the options are finish this season by end of June or void the season. Everything else is just unfair or requires the creation of new rules that benefit the minority rather than the majority.

This makes some sense and i would go for option one, but there are still problems with that option too:

1) who's to say if teams will have a number of players with the virus ? Then would it be fair to have teams play with their depleted sides??;

2) do you try to play the fixtures behind closed doors? Then where is the advantage of playing at 'home' when you don't have your home supporters backing and pushing your team?? Is this fair? Might as well be the away team at this point!!;


The unfairest option would be to say the season is finished now since the PL winner, CL spots, Relegation, Promotion from other divisions etc etc are still NOT decided because the MATHS is not finalised and has not spoken.

The only option at this point in time is to declare the Season NULL and VOID.

Unfortunately, this is a really bad situation with the virus and there are a number of teams who may lose out - it's not only ''the greatest team in the history of football'' who loses out.

 

[Antisocial]

Talking about a 12 week quarantine period for certain groups suggests there’s really no chance of getting through 9 rounds of games (10 for some teams) to finish the season before player contracts expire at the end of June.

To do so would surely require around five weeks of games without the FA Cup or the European cups returning - maybe they could try to do it quicker, but we can’t forget that players are humans and can only play so much football in such a time period, especially as they’ll have not played for so long that match fitness will be a big issue - they might need to give teams a week or two notice to get back up to speed.

Finishing the season would be the ideal result here, but it’s not looking possible. That leaves a choice between calling the season now and relegating Aston Villa with a game-in-hand that could’ve moved them out of the bottom three, or voiding the season. Seems a clear choice to me.

 

[Redcy]

This makes some sense and i would go for option one, but there are still problems with that option too:

1) who's to say if teams will have a number of players with the virus ? Then would it be fair to have teams play with their depleted sides??;

2) do you try to play the fixtures behind closed doors? Then where is the advantage of playing at 'home' when you don't have your home supporters backing and pushing your team?? Is this fair? Might as well be the away team at this point!!;


The unfairest option would be to say the season is finished now since the PL winner, CL spots, Relegation, Promotion from other divisions etc etc are still NOT decided because the MATHS is not finalised and has not spoken.

The only option at this point in time is to declare the Season NULL and VOID.

Unfortunately, this is a really bad situation with the virus and there are a number of teams who may lose out - it's not only ''the greatest team in the history of football'' who loses out.

The trouble is that many players will be out of contract or we start the season again with different players, ill players, players with ill/dead family, etc. You can't just extend contracts, etc, its horrific in terms of trying to resolve all issues, which is why I don't think they will. I expect the Liverpool media to kick up an all mighty fuss, but there is no good way to resolve it, I just don't see anyone wanting to restart after this.

 

[Random Task]

What a ridiculous question. It's more important because some teams have done much better than others & deserve the opportunity to see the season out. That's only fair, isn't it?

Ah, what, a kind, caring, considerate person you are. I'm quite sure if the shoe was on the other foot & United were in our position then you'd all still feel the same, not like us selfish, self-indulgent, nasty Scousers.

This reads like a spoilt child throwing their toys out the pram and rather poorly as a result. Or am I being unfair?

'Fair and deserve' are about as relevant in this unique situation as Liverpool fans' desperation to claim the title by any means necessary and at any cost. Perhaps you should ask the families of the 6500 covid victims about fair, they'll educate you.

As for the shoe on the other foot comment; you don't know me nearly well enough to make that assumption.

 

[Random Task]

First off that’s not true - fans of Celtic, Leicester, Leeds and many others want it finished.
Secondly Utd fans don’t want it completed to stop Liverpool winning the title, despite the fact that this would mean they miss out on CL. What does that tell you in terms of priorities for Utd fans?

It tells me United fans value human life above CL qualification, winning the EL and/or the FA Cup.

 

[spiriticon]

Yes but you’ll have 0% chance if it’s voided. Surely some chance is better? If I’m not mistaken you haven’t went two consecutive seasons without CL since the start of the PL.

Not really. As long as its not a guarantee of CL qualification, chances mean nothing to me.

 

[Finn MacCool]

It tells me United fans value human life above CL qualification, winning the EL and/or the FA Cup.

would that be the same Utd fans who already have songs made up about the fact a pandemic could stop Liverpool winning the league.

We are all in the same boat regarding the health aspects of this thing but come on you know in this thread we’re talking primarily about the impact on football here not the health and social implications.

 

[Finn MacCool]

Not really. As long as its not a guarantee of CL qualification, chances mean nothing to me.

But you don’t have a guarantee at the start of a new season?

 

[AlwaysRed66]

First off that’s not true - fans of Celtic, Leicester, Leeds and many others want it finished.
Secondly Utd fans don’t want it completed to stop Liverpool winning the title, despite the fact that this would mean they miss out on CL. What does that tell you in terms of priorities for Utd fans?

I wonder why those clubs want it finished? I expect, Hearts, Rangers, Man City, West Ham, Stoke City fans may see it differently & want the season null & void.

 

[spiriticon]

But you don’t have a guarantee at the start of a new season?

No. It really it makes no difference to our CL chances whether we restart this season or not. We were in good form up to the point it got suspended but form goes out of the window now with such a long break.

If they cancel this season and start afresh, so be it.

 

[Finn MacCool]

I wonder why those clubs want it finished? I expect, Hearts, Rangers, Man City, West Ham, Stoke City fans may see it differently & want the season null & void.

Of course I understand teams want to protect their own interests. But it’s about integrity and fairness. Every team signs up to a full season of home and away against all teams.

 

[horsechoker]

Out of the options, postponing Euro 2020 makes the most sense. European leagues simply have to be finished, there's too much at stake, matches being played behind closed doors and the league finishing in July if need be. The Euros can either be played in December/January or delayed until summer 2021.

Abandoning the league now will just wrap any FA up in lawsuits for months and even years. Likewise, UEFA could also be wrapped up in lawsuits if the Champions League/Europa League isn't finished properly. If European leagues can't be finished until July then I would move the transfer window to August until the end of September or even October. Start next season in mid-late September and scrap the league cup maybe even FA cup if need be.

Scrapping the league simply serves self-interest from clubs who didn't have a good season.

Of course, if the crisis is even worse in the coming months then another alternative will have to be found but finishing domestic competitions is more important than the Euros in my opinion.

 

[harrington]

Ah the Heysel card - always a handy port of call when discussing anything football related with a Liverpool fan. Classy response.

I wasn’t 'playing' a 'card'; that was a legitimate reference to the Heysel tragedy as a whole, as something that stands as a lesson of history (after all, there were two clubs involved, plus all the organisers and TV channels and whatnot who were in on or would've had an influence on the decision to kick-off. It would've almost certainly played out the way it did the regardless of the teams involved). Whatever else it represents, Heysel can serve as a sort of 'How Not To' guide. As I said, the specificities pertaining to that tragedy are distinctly different, but it still stands as an example of what can happen to the way an event can come to be viewed in retrospect, if you let sporting (and commercial) concerns cloud your decision-making too much.

 

[spiriticon]

Also, restarting the league isn't just an FA decision.

It also depends on what FIFA/UEFA do. Will FIFA/UEFA agree to freeze the transfer window and their own competitions to wait for us to finish our disease peak? We have taken a long term approach to this disease.

If the rest of Europe is ready to proceed with the new season in August/September and we are not ready, what happens then?