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Comments
Regarding your other point yes this is a problem but this may be a way to upset the least amount of teams possible.
Other advantages - slightly bigger league = more games = bonus for TV companies who will lose revenue if the current comp is stopped (and maybe they wouldn't ask clubs to pay back so much?).
Potential problem - if you relegate 6 next time round, will they all get parachute payments?
On Cups, I would keep the FA Cup, but not let any club involved in Europe enter the League Cup (or whatever it's called this week).
I would like to see both of these irrespective of COVID-19.
The teams currently in the playoff place are Fulham, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Preston North End
Mini League
1) Fulham v Brentford
2) Forest v PNE
3) Fulham v Forest
4) Brentford v PNE
5) Fulham v PNE
6) Brentford v Forest
Playoffs
Semis
1) PNE v Fulham
2) Forest v Brentford
3) Fulham v PNE
4) Brentford v Forest
Final
5) ????? v ?????
So a mini league would require one more game than the playoffs and could still end up with the winner being decided on GD
Can't see how that is better than what they already have. The problem there is that the winner of the League Cup gets a Europa League place and UEFA wouldn't agree to that. We'd have to take the Europa League place away from the League Cup and give it to whoever finished 7th (or 8th?)
The other point is that those involved in Europe often don't take the Cup seriously anyway, so why make them enter. It would reduce the fixture congestion for the clubs in Europe, whilst also enabling those involved to schedule the matches without having to worry about clashing with European fixtures.
But the emphasis on compromise seems to be on the PL clubs only. There doesn't seem to be any compromise from the PL at all. Neutral grounds, quarantine living & training conditions, regular testing.
So the PL is going to have to compromise too, & if that means their league is going to basically be a dead rubber for the final completely fake league fixtures, then so be it.
If they want clubs back playing, accepting neutral venues, no supporters, accepting the goalposts being altered after signing up for a very different set of rules, accepting that players lives & wellbeing are going to be put at risk, clubs futures...then the PL is going to have to accept some compromise on their side &, at the moment, it doesn't seem like they have even considered this prospect.
Then there is the prospect of the PL threatening clubs with a "well if you don't agree, we will have to establish how we calculate final positions, & you could well suffer for that".
It's really simple, you look in the PL handbook, the rules & guidance, of which there must be a hundred page document, & you find the section that says "in the event that any PL season cannot be finished after it has begun, then....................will happen to conclude the season & establish final league positions'.
I can guarantee you there is no such section, so to make one up now is complete rubbish.
Since 2013 both Cups have been won by one of the "Big Six". Man City have won the League Cup five times in the last seven seasons and last season they won both. There doesn't seem to be much evidence that clubs involved in Europe are not taking cups seriously.
From what I've read in the newly-issued government document, it is linked to either a vaccine or improvements in available/effective treatments.
Page 30 "Step Two"
"the Government's current aim is that the second step will be made no earlier than Monday 1 June, subject to these conditions being satisfied.......Permitting cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed-doors for broadcast, while avoiding the risk of large-scale social contact"
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/884171/FINAL_6.6637_CO_HMG_C19_Recovery_FINAL_110520_v2_WEB__1_.pdf
Also for the first time they discussed cancelling this season if the difficulties cannot be overcome.
Void season no promotions or relegations 6-4
Plays out to its natural conclusion 5-2
Void season promotions but no relegations on current standings 4-1
Void season promotions and relegations on current standings 16-1
Season predicted using previous performance formula 50-1
Boris decides the outcome on the advice of Dominic Cummings 500-1
"it is likely that reopening indoor public spaces and leisure facilities (such as gyms and cinemas), premises whose core purpose is social interaction (such as nightclubs), venues that attract large crowds (like sports stadia), and personal care establishments where close contact is inherent (like beauty salons) may only be fully possible significantly later depending on the reduction in numbers of infections"
Then later on Page 31 under "Step 3" (The Government's current planning assumption is that this step will be no earlier than 4 July)
"The ambition at this step is to open at least some of the remaining businesses and premises that have been required to close, including personal care (such as hairdressers and beauty salons) hospitality (such as food service providers, pubs and accommodation), public places (such as places of worship) and leisure facilities (like cinemas).
They should also meet the COVID-19 Secure guidelines. Some venues which are, by design, crowded and where it may prove difficult to enact distancing may still not be able to re-open safely at this point, or may be able to open safely only in part. Nevertheless the Government will wish to open as many businesses and public places as the data and information at the time allows.
In order to facilitate the fastest possible re-opening of these types of higher-risk businesses and public places, the Government will carefully phase and pilot re-openings to test their ability to adopt the new COVID-19 Secure guidelines. The Government will also monitor carefully the effects of reopening other similar establishments elsewhere in the world, as this happens. The Government will establish a series of taskforces to work closely with stakeholders in these sectors to develop ways in which they can make these businesses and public places COVID-19 Secure."
So no actual specifics, more like "wait and see". Very much like Boris's speech on Sunday - as clear as mud.
And you can't get more neutral than Milton Keynes :biggrin:
No, wait, the minute
Roberto was practising that advice for months.