Coronavirus: Football Discussion Thread

[bluemc]

There's now talk of a possible "phased return" for fans for next season - I believe Russia are also starting this next month with 10% of seats being occupied in the stadium. Be interesting to see how that's managed should the Premier League follow suit! Who gets priority on the 5,500 tickets available for our first home game should that be the case??? That would be some topic on here!!

New membership requests for supporters clubs will be going through the roof!

 

[JRockBlues]

I am in favour of the season completing as well mate. Clubs can’t continue to pay players enormous wages to keep twiddling their thumbs and we have another 2 major trophies to try to win.

Yes there are risks for the players, coaches and support staff from restarting the season but they are not being asked to be on front line in a care home or a a n ICU. A 17th June restart date gives players time to build on their base fitness they needs to be improved with game time. The 5 subs rule should help share the load.

Yes football without fans is a poor imitation but if we can complete the season then we can look forward to a more regular season next time round.

Not sure why the wages argument comes in to it as clubs will be paying extra in appearance and win bonuses to players while not getting match day income. The only other financial aspects are for the TV companies who can now resume charging their punters again and gambling joints who will no doubt see an increase in revenue also. I've yet to see any official source for the argument where clubs would have to pay back TV companies for the unscreened matches so please don't come back with that argument unless you can provide something other than the funny pages that are now described as newspapers.

 

[colinthewindowcleaner]

I was there one night game when Leeds played West Brom in a league cup replay in 1978. I went to buy a ticket for one of our games and decided to watch this one. Awful game and only 8,000 there. A few skirmishes in the crowd and when I came out a big mob of City were outside waiting for Leeds, Debbie at the front. A fair few got hammered that night.

That’ll be the one I meant, we were in the away supporters lot, think we had more than West Brom.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Not sure why the wages argument comes in to it as clubs will be paying extra in appearance and win bonuses to players while not getting match day income. The only other financial aspects are for the TV companies who can now resume charging their punters again and gambling joints who will no doubt see an increase in revenue also. I've yet to see any official source for the argument where clubs would have to pay back TV companies for the unscreened matches so please don't come back with that argument unless you can provide something other than the funny pages that are now described as newspapers.

It's been widely reported so I won't waste my energies. Football wouldn't resume unless there was a financial advantage to doing so (as well as the Liverpool love-in in the media). You were happy to write that players will have serious injuries with no evidence of increased risk. I don't feel strongly about the game resuming now but I chat to people who are shielding and they are looking forward to the return of the Prem being televised. On balance, I believe it is better to get the game back up and running (albeit an inferior spectacle with no fans) and that will help with momentum towards getting in a full next season, fingers crossed.

 

[JRockBlues]

It's been widely reported so I won't waste my energies. Football wouldn't resume unless there was a financial advantage to doing so (as well as the Liverpool love-in in the media). You were happy to write that players will have serious injuries with no evidence of increased risk. I don't feel strongly about the game resuming now but I chat to people who are shielding and they are looking forward to the return of the Prem being televised. On balance, I believe it is better to get the game back up and running (albeit an inferior spectacle with no fans) and that will help with momentum towards getting in a full next season, fingers crossed.

It's been widely reported that ManUre are going to sign a dozen players when the transfer window opens so I suppose you believe that too? Not trying to be argumentative but unless you can provide an official source other than just rumours then you can't just brush that one off.

As to players potentially getting injured although I'm no medical expert I think it's quite obvious that if you try and resume competetive games after a long layoff then exacerbate that by extending the time before their next break it will lead to more injuries sustained. Otherwise why bother having pre-season at all? Or why when players reported back late after a summer of international competition were they allowed to rejoin their club squads later than those who weren't involved?

 

[paulchapo]

That’ll be the one I meant, we were in the away supporters lot, think we had more than West Brom.

Yes shit game and night, October so cold and wet. I went into the North Stand, mainly West Brom, Leeds were in the Kippax. Jumped into the Kippax and had a bit with Leeds a couple of times but not a lot of enthusiasm. After the game a few big Leeds beer monsters crossed the road near the Maine Stand and seeing the City mob rolled up their sleeves, smiled and it kicked off, they duly got battered in about 30-60 seconds. Odd night I still regret wasting money on lol!

 

[Tim of the Oak]

It's been widely reported that ManUre are going to sign a dozen players when the transfer window opens so I suppose you believe that too? Not trying to be argumentative but unless you can provide an official source other than just rumours then you can't just brush that one off.

As to players potentially getting injured although I'm no medical expert I think it's quite obvious that if you try and resume competetive games after a long layoff then exacerbate that by extending the time before their next break it will lead to more injuries sustained. Otherwise why bother having pre-season at all? Or why when players reported back late after a summer of international competition were they allowed to rejoin their club squads later than those who weren't involved?

Yes ManUre are linked with everyone lol. We are not privy to the negotiations with the broadcasters but its likely that the overseas broadcasters would have insisted on their money back and they are not going to make this public.

We have little to play for in terms of the League standings so hopefully Pep will use the squad well so our key players are fit for the big cup games. I doubt I will watch the games (unless they are on the BBC), although I might listen to matches on the radio and get other jobs done. The players will have had close to a month of training by the time of the resumption so it's like another preseason. Like I said, it's only how I see the balance of the arguments that getting football back up and running outweighs the possible risks to the players of catching the virus.

 

[asahartford1]

Oh right, yeah if i had said it was shit without watching it then i'd be a bit of a dick (i am tbf). I didn't enjoy any of the matches i've seen, they were the first Dortmund game and then Dortmund vs Bayern M. Games felt completely flat, like pre season matches, and just seemed like players not wanting to extend themselves and maybe even being physically unable to.

All I am saying is that I watched both those Dortmund games, thought they were very good, high quality matches.
The Dortmund , Bayern game, was also high intensity. Two different styles, tactics implemented to stop each other being dominant.
Of course if you think they are shit you do not continue to watch, I understand that.

 

[blueinsa]

Just in and not following but what's the significance with the Newcastle fixtures?

Hope we tell the league to fuck off as Liverpool have had the home advantage yet we are expected to just give it up?

 

[didsburyblu]

The more I think about it the more these neutral venues make no sense.
I have never got why ourselves and united have to move our Newcastle and sheff United games but I thought at first I understand the logic behind the scousers games being moved but the more I think about it I actually don't and certainly not the newcastle v Liverpool game. I can only assume there is a fear that thousands of scousers would descend on newcastle. Well if they move it to villa, west ham, Brighton or anywhere in England the same would still apply. If they're gonna travel to Newcastle they would travel anywhere else to
Unless they're planning to play it in Saudi Arabia I just don't see what it's going to achieve