City Players Extra 6 Weeks in Lockdown

[Robin101]

Listened to LJ on Friday football social (5Live) the other day. He was an interesting listen and they were interviewing him about the EFL’s plan to finish the season in 56 days.

LJ said that there’s a chance the players may go into a lockdown in a hotel once the season is underway again - tournament style - to avoid any infection.

This was picked up afterwards by the pundits suggesting that it might take a toll on players wellbeing to be effectively locked up for a further six weeks on top of the rest of us. It was an interesting debate.

Wondering what OTIB view on this is. Can’t say I’d be looking forward to the prospect as a player, but then what happens if a player was to come down ill halfway through the mini season? Further postponements or play the academy?

[ScottishRed]

I think this season needs to finish ...... when? Nobody knows.

The impact will be next season, whenever that is.

[Lanterne Rouge]

8 hours ago, Robin101 said:

Listened to LJ on Friday football social (5Live) the other day. He was an interesting listen and they were interviewing him about the EFL’s plan to finish the season in 56 days.

LJ said that there’s a chance the players may go into a lockdown in a hotel once the season is underway again - tournament style - to avoid any infection.

This was picked up afterwards by the pundits suggesting that it might take a toll on players wellbeing to be effectively locked up for a further six weeks on top of the rest of us. It was an interesting debate.

Wondering what OTIB view on this is. Can’t say I’d be looking forward to the prospect as a player, but then what happens if a player was to come down ill halfway through the mini season? Further postponements or play the academy?

If we/they want to play and them`s the rules so be it - it ought to just be like an extended pre-season training camp I guess and families would probably be allowed to visit provided they were tested.

[daored]

8 hours ago, Robin101 said:

Listened to LJ on Friday football social (5Live) the other day. He was an interesting listen and they were interviewing him about the EFL’s plan to finish the season in 56 days.

LJ said that there’s a chance the players may go into a lockdown in a hotel once the season is underway again - tournament style - to avoid any infection.

This was picked up afterwards by the pundits suggesting that it might take a toll on players wellbeing to be effectively locked up for a further six weeks on top of the rest of us. It was an interesting debate.

Wondering what OTIB view on this is. Can’t say I’d be looking forward to the prospect as a player, but then what happens if a player was to come down ill halfway through the mini season? Further postponements or play the academy?

This is the thing that I don’t understand about the desire to finish the season considering what is going on in the world. 
 

Who tests the hotel staff, the club or the hotel. If you put the players into isolation then surely every person they come into contact with , has to not have the virus.

City still have to play Middlesbrough and Blackburn away which I’m sure would either consist of flying up and an away stay the day before the game. Flights are grounded , who is responsible for the staff when the club plays these two games. Add in 91 clubs all doing the same to various levels and it becomes complicated.

If we finish the season with no fans in attendance and the country still in a form of lockdown , does it not encourage people to get together to watch games? Liverpool winning the league , Leeds getting promoted for example? Does it encourage an attitude of if they can play football so can we ?

The season needs to be cancelled and we simply start again when it’s deemed safe for all involved 

[Robbored]

8 hours ago, Robin101 said:

Listened to LJ on Friday football social (5Live) the other day. He was an interesting listen and they were interviewing him about the EFL’s plan to finish the season in 56 days.

LJ said that there’s a chance the players may go into a lockdown in a hotel once the season is underway again - tournament style - to avoid any infection.

This was picked up afterwards by the pundits suggesting that it might take a toll on players wellbeing to be effectively locked up for a further six weeks on top of the rest of us. It was an interesting debate.

Wondering what OTIB view on this is. Can’t say I’d be looking forward to the prospect as a player, but then what happens if a player was to come down ill halfway through the mini season? Further postponements or play the academy?

If the C-19 all clear was announced then the lockdown would be lifted and normal life would return so I wonder what LJs thinking is behind saying that......

 

 

[Robin101]

1 hour ago, Robbored said:

If the C-19 all clear was announced then the lockdown would be lifted and normal life would return so I wonder what LJs thinking is behind saying that......

 

 

But we won’t be in lockdown until the virus is beaten, just until the numbers subside to the point of not threatening the NHS .

[archie andrews]

Until vaccines are dished out I can't see anything happening soon football wise.... 

[Robbored]

3 minutes ago, Robin101 said:

But we won’t be in lockdown until the virus is beaten, just until the numbers subside to the point of not threatening the NHS .

If that’s correct then the remaining Championship fixtures will be played in empty stadiums...........

[Robbored]

2 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

Until vaccines are dished out I can't see anything happening soon football wise.... 

Said several times by experts on tv that a vaccine is at least a year away.

[BigTone]

6 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Said several times by experts on tv that a vaccine is at least a year away.

Depends who you listen to. Being reported today it could be as soon as September. The reality is no one really knows.

[Pezo]

8 minutes ago, BigTone said:

Depends who you listen to. Being reported today it could be as soon as September. The reality is no one really knows.

September is best case scenarios and dropping many of the key tests that a normal vaccine would have to go through.

I like to listen to Bill Gates in these cases as he runs the biggest vaccination program in the world and he says its probably over a year even if the majority of tests are relaxed.

As someone not in the risk category I won't be taking a vaccination that hasn't been properly tested. 

23 minutes ago, Robbored said:

If that’s correct then the remaining Championship fixtures will be played in empty stadiums...........

Would they ban attending if the cases has decreased? I think the government are still heading for herd immunity (just not saying that anymore). 

[Bar BS3]

Surely most clubs wouldn’t need the 6 week period. It includes the play offs, which would only concern 12 of the 92 clubs. And only 6 of those would need the full 56 days, having made the play off finals. 
The other 80 clubs could be done and dusted in 4 weeks. 

[handsofclay]

33 minutes ago, Bar BS3 said:

Surely most clubs wouldn’t need the 6 week period. It includes the play offs, which would only concern 12 of the 92 clubs. And only 6 of those would need the full 56 days, having made the play off finals. 
The other 80 clubs could be done and dusted in 4 weeks. 

Plus, why not just cancel any meaningless game where nothing is riding on the outcome? Indeed, why not reorder the remaining fixture list so that games that would normally be called 6 pointers are played first and possible meaningless games played at the end of the schedule, so if a team near the play-offs loses their first few matches they are knocked out of contention and have more meaningless matches at the end of their schedule that could then be cancelled.

As the games will be played behind closed doors, the two play off semis could be played as one off games at neutral venues, and the pairing of the two ties established by drawing lots. Thus placing from 3-6 in the table won't matter, so could result in even more matches becoming meaningless and cancelled.

Furthermore, if it is realized that, for instance, if Nottingham Forest beat Luton in the next round of matches, it would mean Forest took the last berth in the play offs and Luton took the last relegation spot thus making 6 other games meaningless in that round of games, the Forest game could be brought forward and played before the other 6 and if Forest duly won then all the other games became cancelled.

The final table would have most clubs not playing 46 games, some would play just 42 or 43, but that's how it would remain with an asterix indicating why this was the case.

 

[Major Isewater]

2 hours ago, Robbored said:

If that’s correct then the remaining Championship fixtures will be played in empty stadiums...........

League fixtures played behind closed doors  could have a huge impact on the Gas ...

if they had a stadium.

 

[Major Isewater]

59 minutes ago, handsofclay said:

Plus, why not just cancel any meaningless game where nothing is riding on the outcome? Indeed, why not reorder the remaining fixture list so that games that would normally be called 6 pointers are played first and possible meaningless games played at the end of the schedule, so if a team near the play-offs loses their first few matches they are knocked out of contention and have more meaningless matches at the end of their schedule that could then be cancelled.

As the games will be played behind closed doors, the two play off semis could be played as one off games at neutral venues, and the pairing of the two ties established by drawing lots. Thus placing from 3-6 in the table won't matter, so could result in even more matches becoming meaningless and cancelled.

Furthermore, if it is realized that, for instance, if Nottingham Forest beat Luton in the next round of matches, it would mean Forest took the last berth in the play offs and Luton took the last relegation spot thus making 6 other games meaningless in that round of games, the Forest game could be brought forward and played before the other 6 and if Forest duly won then all the other games became cancelled.

The final table would have most clubs not playing 46 games, some would play just 42 or 43, but that's how it would remain with an asterix indicating why this was the case.

 

Let’s say , for example, QPR and Reading have no effect on the division standings but QPR then play a play off chasing club .

They may have had an injury , sending off , player serving a ban etc which could have a bearing on the following match so I don’t think it’s quite as simple as you make out . I agree in theory though.

However , I believe that when it is safe this season needs to be completed so that all the efforts that every club has put in comes to fruition.

It would be grossly unfair for the leading teams to miss out on the rewards they deserve through no fault of their own .

 I believe we should look at reducing the following season somehow but so that every club knows the rules from the off .

This could also be a good time to consider implementing a Prem division 2 and a régionalisation of lower leagues . 

[Lrrr]

1 hour ago, handsofclay said:

Plus, why not just cancel any meaningless game where nothing is riding on the outcome? Indeed, why not reorder the remaining fixture list so that games that would normally be called 6 pointers are played first and possible meaningless games played at the end of the schedule, so if a team near the play-offs loses their first few matches they are knocked out of contention and have more meaningless matches at the end of their schedule that could then be cancelled.

You can't predict what runs teams will go on, look at Villa last season making the play offs, or how teams drop towards relegation. It therefore means games aren't 'meaningless' if you cancelled 2 games in a row a team may have a few weeks off then suddenly have to play because of a different teams run. Also payments for where you finish at the end of the season if some teams play 46 and others 41 etc means teams would finish lower and therefore less prize money.

[Mrdc]

5 hours ago, daored said:

This is the thing that I don’t understand about the desire to finish the season considering what is going on in the world. 
 

Who tests the hotel staff, the club or the hotel. If you put the players into isolation then surely every person they come into contact with , has to not have the virus.

City still have to play Middlesbrough and Blackburn away which I’m sure would either consist of flying up and an away stay the day before the game. Flights are grounded , who is responsible for the staff when the club plays these two games. Add in 91 clubs all doing the same to various levels and it becomes complicated.

If we finish the season with no fans in attendance and the country still in a form of lockdown , does it not encourage people to get together to watch games? Liverpool winning the league , Leeds getting promoted for example? Does it encourage an attitude of if they can play football so can we ?

The season needs to be cancelled and we simply start again when it’s deemed safe for all involved 

Absolutely agree.

Everything below the football league has been cancelled and so should the prem and football league should be as well. When hundreds of people are dyeing everyday, football is pretty irrelevant.

I cannot see the season starting for a very long time. With the threat of Covid, I cannot see 20,000 people being allowed into a football stadium well until 2021. Just one carrier could infect many many people.

[Bar BS3]

2 hours ago, handsofclay said:

Plus, why not just cancel any meaningless game where nothing is riding on the outcome? Indeed, why not reorder the remaining fixture list so that games that would normally be called 6 pointers are played first and possible meaningless games played at the end of the schedule, so if a team near the play-offs loses their first few matches they are knocked out of contention and have more meaningless matches at the end of their schedule that could then be cancelled.

As the games will be played behind closed doors, the two play off semis could be played as one off games at neutral venues, and the pairing of the two ties established by drawing lots. Thus placing from 3-6 in the table won't matter, so could result in even more matches becoming meaningless and cancelled.

Furthermore, if it is realized that, for instance, if Nottingham Forest beat Luton in the next round of matches, it would mean Forest took the last berth in the play offs and Luton took the last relegation spot thus making 6 other games meaningless in that round of games, the Forest game could be brought forward and played before the other 6 and if Forest duly won then all the other games became cancelled.

The final table would have most clubs not playing 46 games, some would play just 42 or 43, but that's how it would remain with an asterix indicating why this was the case.

 

Complicated, but good in theory. 

[A Horse With No Name]

5 hours ago, Robbored said:

If the C-19 all clear was announced then the lockdown would be lifted and normal life would return so I wonder what LJs thinking is behind saying that......

 

 

Remember, football was suspended weeks before lockdown was announced, so in theory, we could exit lockdown at any time but mass gatherings would still be banned indefinitely. 

[Littlesh*t]

3 hours ago, handsofclay said:

Plus, why not just cancel any meaningless game where nothing is riding on the outcome? Indeed, why not reorder the remaining fixture list so that games that would normally be called 6 pointers are played first and possible meaningless games played at the end of the schedule, so if a team near the play-offs loses their first few matches they are knocked out of contention and have more meaningless matches at the end of their schedule that could then be cancelled.

As the games will be played behind closed doors, the two play off semis could be played as one off games at neutral venues, and the pairing of the two ties established by drawing lots. Thus placing from 3-6 in the table won't matter, so could result in even more matches becoming meaningless and cancelled.

Furthermore, if it is realized that, for instance, if Nottingham Forest beat Luton in the next round of matches, it would mean Forest took the last berth in the play offs and Luton took the last relegation spot thus making 6 other games meaningless in that round of games, the Forest game could be brought forward and played before the other 6 and if Forest duly won then all the other games became cancelled.

The final table would have most clubs not playing 46 games, some would play just 42 or 43, but that's how it would remain with an asterix indicating why this was the case.

 

I get what you are saying but personally think it's an awful solution. We all know how up and down football can be and these "meaningless" games could easily be the difference between sides going on awful runs or really good runs which could make all the difference. 

For me the season either needs be be finished properly at a later date or scrapped all together for this season 

[E.G.Red]

50 minutes ago, Littlesh*t said:

I get what you are saying but personally think it's an awful solution. We all know how up and down football can be and these "meaningless" games could easily be the difference between sides going on awful runs or really good runs which could make all the difference. 

For me the season either needs be be finished properly at a later date or scrapped all together for this season 

As long as possible we need to hold out to finishing the season.  We can then set the ‘rules’ for next season,  perhaps playing 2 games a week and having 5 subs . Or for an outside the box suggestion splitting each league between North and South. Each team in each section play each other home and away (travel should be easier as distances should be reduced) Then taking the positions after each has played each other , there will be one North v South game (either home or away based on toss of a coin) eg Liverpool & Chelsea finish top of their respective divisions so will then have a one off game at either Anfield or Stamford Bridge.  2nd North v 2nd South etc etc. 

[Lrrr]

2 hours ago, boatman said:

Absolutely agree.

Everything below the football league has been cancelled and so should the prem and football league should be as well. When hundreds of people are dyeing everyday, football is pretty irrelevant.

I cannot see the season starting for a very long time. With the threat of Covid, I cannot see 20,000 people being allowed into a football stadium well until 2021. Just one carrier could infect many many people.

But the discussions aren't for when people are dying its when everything is manageable for the NHS at the very earliest, but for those involved it needs to be discussed so there's a plan in place and for the rest of us it gives us another topic to discuss rather than current events. 

Football will definitely restart under closed doors its merely a question how long they last for, it could very likely be as you say until mid 2021 but thats not to say football wouldn't be played, it'll in a sense be like an academy game played at a stadium. As said in the coronavirus and its effect on sport thread we have no idea when that green light will be, should it hypothetically be March 20201 there's no point in starting a new season and this season could just be seen out and called the 19/20/21 season. Cancelling the 19/20 season does nothing to help clubs financially, players still have to be paid, there aren't games either way so holding onto the season until you can say with clarity what needs to be done is the right decision.   

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

3 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

League fixtures played behind closed doors  could have a huge impact on the Gas ...

if they had a stadium.

 

Never mind the stadium, they would have to find some doors to close, as you don't have doors in a tent!

[stortfordred]

4 hours ago, handsofclay said:

Plus, why not just cancel any meaningless game where nothing is riding on the outcome? Indeed, why not reorder the remaining fixture list so that games that would normally be called 6 pointers are played first and possible meaningless games played at the end of the schedule, so if a team near the play-offs loses their first few matches they are knocked out of contention and have more meaningless matches at the end of their schedule that could then be cancelled.

As the games will be played behind closed doors, the two play off semis could be played as one off games at neutral venues, and the pairing of the two ties established by drawing lots. Thus placing from 3-6 in the table won't matter, so could result in even more matches becoming meaningless and cancelled.

Furthermore, if it is realized that, for instance, if Nottingham Forest beat Luton in the next round of matches, it would mean Forest took the last berth in the play offs and Luton took the last relegation spot thus making 6 other games meaningless in that round of games, the Forest game could be brought forward and played before the other 6 and if Forest duly won then all the other games became cancelled.

The final table would have most clubs not playing 46 games, some would play just 42 or 43, but that's how it would remain with an asterix indicating why this was the case.

 

You might as well play it on FIFA or toss a coin. Momentum will have been completely lost. I think that really should be it for this season. Make all games null and void and start next season when everything is back to some form of reality. 
in the mean time re-evaluate  where professional football has got to. Question the ridiculous salaries and farcical transfer fees and realise that it was all based on shifting sands anyway. 
I don’t want to see clubs go out of business but if that’s what it takes to make the likes of the Glasers and the Levys of this world to do one then all well and good. 

[handsofclay]

9 minutes ago, stortfordred said:

You might as well play it on FIFA or toss a coin. Momentum will have been completely lost. I think that really should be it for this season. Make all games null and void and start next season when everything is back to some form of reality. 
in the mean time re-evaluate  where professional football has got to. Question the ridiculous salaries and farcical transfer fees and realise that it was all based on shifting sands anyway. 
I don’t want to see clubs go out of business but if that’s what it takes to make the likes of the Glasers and the Levys of this world to do one then all well and good. 

I agree regarding this possibly being a watershed moment in the game and it could possibly shake things up regarding the ridiculous amounts of money thrown at the game, but I disagree about this season being made null and void.  Yes, the momentum has been lost, but too many games have been played to just scrap it and pretend it never existed. Different when WWII broke out as each team had only played 3 matches. Maybe had 20-25 matches been played this season it could've been scrapped. But 37 is virtually the season. 

Maybe combine this season with next, cut out the cup competitions until 2022, and each team ends up playing 92 league games over the two seasons. The Champions League could revert back to a straight knockout competition for a couple of years.

[Major Isewater]

27 minutes ago, EstoniaTallinnRed said:

Never mind the stadium, they would have to find some doors to close, as you don't have doors in a tent!

Just a bunch of flaps .

[Robin101]

Finish the season, and next season make it a champions league/euros style group stage and knockout. Would be fun.

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

35 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

Just a bunch of flaps .

Just like their goalie!

[CHIPLEY RED]

It makes me laugh how full of self importance footballers/football clubs and supporters are just now.

All this talk of testing all players before the season can restart is ridiculous. We can't test all the key workers so why on earth would any rational society sanction tests being carried out on footballers. If the clubs can hire private medical staff surely they should be used to test the health workers who are in the frontline saving lives.

Where is the money coming from to set up these isolation camps? Half the clubs have put staff on government funded Furlough because they can't afford to pay them so how the hell do they justify these camps because they won't be cheap.

Get real football is not important this pandemic will go on for months.

[Lrrr]

52 minutes ago, CHIPLEY RED said:

It makes me laugh how full of self importance footballers/football clubs and supporters are just now.

All this talk of testing all players before the season can restart is ridiculous. We can't test all the key workers so why on earth would any rational society sanction tests being carried out on footballers. If the clubs can hire private medical staff surely they should be used to test the health workers who are in the frontline saving lives.

Where is the money coming from to set up these isolation camps? Half the clubs have put staff on government funded Furlough because they can't afford to pay them so how the hell do they justify these camps because they won't be cheap.

Get real football is not important this pandemic will go on for months.

In reverse order,

They ARE talking about it being months down the line not weeks

Premier league would probably give clubs an advance to help fund any camps if thats the way they go so that they have something to show on tv again

Because they're talking about it being months down the line by this time testing kits should be readily available so that there's plenty for front line staff and therefore enough to allow clubs to have kits each