Fiorentina...

3 unnamed players and 3 support staff have tested positive for coronavirus and one player from Torino has also tested positive.
Serie A clubs have been given permission by the Italian government to resume training, although players can only train individually and no date has yet been agreed for the league to resume... Despite that, over here we have the greedy ******** at the PL determined to play out the rest of the season. It's going to be end up a ******* disaster.

 

I read today that fourteen of the PL clubs have to vote in favour of playing at neutral grounds and that it is far from being a foregone conclusion. If they don't get fourteen clubs voting in favour then all bets are off.

 

I agree but you know what the powers that be are like they’ll insist clubs pay back the tv money and such if they don’t agree .

 

Absolutely, one way or another this all boils down to money. At least two clubs want the threat of relegation removing before they will agree to play behind closed doors.

If I recall correctly one of those clubs is Brighton who say that playing behind closed doors undermines the integrity of the competition but seem to be ok with the integrity being undermined if they are guaranteed a place in the PL next season.

 

Tbh I think most clubs will vote for their interests either promo or relegation . The others as you say will vote whichever way the stand to lose least money .

 

It's a tough one for any country as they realise Football players are some of the highest taxpayers in the country and if the season doesn't finish TV companies will be entitled to refunds, players will be expected to earn less and therefore less money around to pay for vital services.

 

This integrity smoke screen isn't fooling anyone. We all know the only motivation is money so I would just prefer them to be honest. When we see clubs saying integrity is the uppermost factor but only if it benefits us financially then the truth shines like the luxor light.

 

But if TV asks for refund the consumers and advertisers can claim off them allegedly .
For me it’ll be classed as act of god as some industries are trying to claim and be null and voided .

 

If a club states that the season should be abandoned because it can't reasonably be played out adhering to the usual rules and with home support and thus gets guaranteed a prem place next season, I see nothing wrong with that. It would not be inconsistent for such club to thus object to football in empty stadiums.

 

No lives should be put at risk for any reason, especially sport. However if they think they can get around it safely (although anytime soon seems far fetched) then it would help our economy. When people want more police on the beat, people getting operations quicker etc the money has to come from somewhere and sports stars are some of the top earners.

 

I think it shows a completely opposing sporting morality. Either they are in favour of playing in empty, neutral stadiums or they're not.
Integrity should be about what you think is the right thing to do for reasons of principle not for financial gain.

I raised the point of home advantage being a major factor a few weeks ago so if neutral grounds makes the proposal unthinkable for some clubs then vote against it and make the PL reconsider.

 

Without a vaccine that’s a big ask , after lockdown there’s gonna be social distancing for a long time so imo I just can’t see mass gatherings for entertainment happening anytime soon .
Playing behind closed doors is probably out if the question as there be illegal gatherings somewhere and whether there’s punishment or not it still doesn’t help with not spreading the virus which is the actual point .
I don’t know what life is gonna be like after lockdown but normal life won’t be on the cards .

 

If you're not in favour of empty/neutral stadiums because you think it would disadvantage your team there is nothing wrong with that.

 

The bottom have been told that a no to playing at neutral venues will lead to conclusion of the league with them relegated anyway. I think they might get the fourteen votes.

 

No there isn't anything wrong with it, I completely understand and sympathise with this point of view but have the courage of your convictions and vote according to principle. I think most fans would prefer honesty rather than the insincerity we are getting.

 

I agree with that.

If I was in charge of a club in the bottom 6 I'd be saying that we either play the season out when we can go back to "normal", or we scrap the whole season. The principle being that if you can't do it right, you can't do it at all and it shouldn't count.

Bit like a reasonable argument for BFC, a division lower.

But if an alternative was put forward that meant my club was not relegated, I'd be bound to go for it. If that means I lack integrity or insincerity, I can live with it. We all could, without any difficulty at all.

Plus, I'm being honest as well!!

 

I don’t think they’d get the 14 votes for concluding the league either. The bottom 3 would vote against it, as I’m sure Man Utd, Wolves, Spurs, Arsenal and possibly Sheff Utd would as they’re going for the ChampionsLeague spots.

 

Isn't the actual process of relegation or promotion a principle in and of itself?

 

I suppose it's a rule/regulation, it's one term/condition of the package that you as a club have signed up to when you play.

Whether it's an absolute rule I doubt, as there seem to be contingency rules to apply in the event that something such as covid comes up. The contingency rules seem to be that if a certain number of clubs vote in favour of a change to what ought to happen, then it happens.

But I bet any proposed change could be subject to legal challenge, if it appeared unreasonable.

 

Yes but it is the natural conclusion to a season and over a 46 or 38 game season you finish where you deserve to finish. I don't like clubs and the governing bodies hiding behind integrity when integrity is the last thing they are considering. Either restart when safe to, including fans in the ground, or scrap the season altogether. The more I read about the plans to restart the season the more objections I have.