The Coronavirus and its impact on sport/Fans Return (Merged)

[The Major]

5 minutes ago, Bar BS3 said:

I think it's only right and fair that each team we are playing against are made to strictly adhere to the 2 metres social distancing. 

As with other instances, all these people are tested twice a week and there fore are the exception. 

I think being able to watch football is a welcome snippet of some form of reality for us all and as long as its being done safely, then there's not that an issue. 

Just because they are tested regularly doesn't exempt them from abiding by the rules that everybody else in the country has to follow.  You can be tested one day, show a false negative and pass the virus the next.  We've seen lots of this already and lots of matches cancelled, our own yesterday.  Sorry mate, its indefensible imo and only a matter of time before the government shuts it down again.  We all want football to carry on, but its not being done safely as you say.

[Bar BS3]

Just now, The Major said:

Just because they are tested regularly doesn't exempt them from abiding by the rules that everybody else in the country has to follow.  You can be tested one day, show a false negative and pass the virus the next.  We've seen lots of this already and lots of matches cancelled, our own yesterday.  Sorry mate, its indefensible imo and only a matter of time before the government shuts it down again.  We all want football to carry on, but its not being done safely as you say.

I agree that if its not safe then it's best that football gets stopped again for a while. 

I can only assume that the authorities are comfortable with the measures currently in place. 

I should imagine that very few of the outbreaks within clubs are the effect of match day action, amongst tested and negative players, but from other areas of "normal" life, hence the testing on such a regular basis. 

I also think they are acting swiftly and responsibly to cancel games when there are positive results, so it does set the sition apart from the general man on the street, imo.

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

6 minutes ago, The Major said:

Just because they are tested regularly doesn't exempt them from abiding by the rules that everybody else in the country has to follow.  You can be tested one day, show a false negative and pass the virus the next.  We've seen lots of this already and lots of matches cancelled, our own yesterday.  Sorry mate, its indefensible imo and only a matter of time before the government shuts it down again.  We all want football to carry on, but its not being done safely as you say.

Having sport on tv is one of the few things that has given me hope during the lockdown.  Everything should be done to allow elite football to carry on, but I don’t see any players spitting or clearing their noses because they are prima donnas.  It’s what sportsmen do, and it must be very difficult to stop doing it while you’re in the middle of a game, whatever the rules.  A strict testing regime has to be the answer.  However the field of play surely has to be regarded differently from what goes on in wider society. Are you suggesting that players should never go within two metres of each other? That would be interesting...

Edited January 14, 2021 by The Dolman Pragmatist

[Super]

4 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Having sport on tv is one of the few things that has given me hope during the lockdown.  Everything should be done to allow elite football to carry on, but I don’t see any players spitting or clearing their noses because they are prima donnas.  It’s what sportsmen do, and it must be very difficult to stop doing it while you’re in the middle of a game, whatever the rules.  A strict testing regime has to be the answer.  However the field of play surely has to be regarded differently from what goes on in wider society. Are you suggesting that players should never go within two metres of each other? That would be interesting...

Of course that is impossible but there is no reason for players and managers hugging each other.

[marmite]

7 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Having sport on tv is one of the few things that has given me hope during the lockdown.  Everything should be done to allow elite football to carry on, but I don’t see any players spitting or clearing their noses because they are prima donnas.  It’s what sportsmen do, and it must be very difficult to stop doing it while you’re in the middle of a game, whatever the rules.  A strict testing regime has to be the answer.  However the field of play surely has to be regarded differently from what goes on in wider society. Are you suggesting that players should never go within two metres of each other? That would be interesting...

Your post raises another interesting point. You say what happens on the pitch has to be regarded differently to the wider society. Why is that so? It raises the issue of what happens on the pitch sometimes would be regarded as common assault on the street. Footballers are not above the law nor should they be beyond the Covid guidelines.

[Bassomylord]

26 minutes ago, Super said:

Football is on the verge of being stopped unless it sorts itself out. The hugging when scoring a goal or managers doing it is nonsense just don't do it!!

Not just that but managers have been hugging opposition managers before and after games. 

Touch fists and leave it at that.

[Redandproud]

22 minutes ago, Never to the dark side said:

and the spitting and sliding through it(the spit) after scoring a goal continues

Agree John, I thought football was brought back under certain conditions, ie not spitting, no blowing there nose out, etc, players are ignoring it, its going to happen, football being suspended, especially not wearing masks whilst on the subs bench, 

[phantom]

47 minutes ago, The Major said:

The title speaks for itself.  Every prem game this week has seen goal scorers being bombarded by team mates, players spitting and clearing their noses and subs on the bench not wearing masks.  Do these prima donnas who clearly think they are above any rules need sorting out?  Not helped by the likes of Guadiola (however his name is spelt!) defending them!

Don't know about you but I'm absolutely fed up with the hypocrisy and double standards being displayed and nothing done about it.  Fines are a joke and I think the only way to get the message home is either stop Football being played or dock the club points to concentrate the minds.  Views????

These players train all week with each other, share a dressing room etc and would have all tested negative - so I don't see the issue with celebrating a goal, after all it is only a short space of time

No idea why you bring up spitting it has no relevance to the virus

If you were talking about their antics away from the pitch you would have a point, amazing how many still think that they can do what they want

32 minutes ago, Super said:

Football is on the verge of being stopped unless it sorts itself out. The hugging when scoring a goal or managers doing it is nonsense just don't do it!!

Football ISN'T on the verge of being stopped, the number of players testing negative are massive, the positive tests are majorly coming from a small handful of teams. The number of games being played is nowhere near those being postponed

[phantom]

9 hours ago, pnefcok said:

Think what we are seeing with football clubs at the moment is the new variant is making it a lot harder to isolate/contain the virus within squads, instead it is spreading around training grounds.

 

2 hours ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Exactly, hence why sports should have been suspended as it was back in March

Do you know how many different teams out of the 92 have been impacted?

That is why it is carrying on

[Calculus]

Wasn't much hugging and kissing going on in the Bristol and District in my day. Just banning that when players are still tackling each other, still jumping for the same ball, still hooking up for defensive walls seems pointless. If they are to strictly observe the rules then football must stop - it's a contact sport.

Despite all the safeguards there still seem to be a lot of Covid cases on football, so precautions dont seem to be working that well.

Of course it's good for us to watch the game, but then again you can see some not taking social distancing seriously when they see what happens in football. Sadly, another stop to football seems a sensible inevitability to me.

[Son of Fred]

11 minutes ago, phantom said:

That is why it is carrying on

Selfishness....

[City1984]

I get the general undertone of the op and whilst I agree in principle with some of it I don’t really understand how players on the same team who train together then play together whilst in the same bubble can avoid the close contact with each other. 
 

it’s like saying I should not hug my family and must sit 2meters from them on the sofa. Starts getting pretty difficult if you have 6 kids no?

The spitting and nose clearing is protein buildup and very difficult to avoid during game situations. 
 

As far as not celebrating goals in the moment are concerned , I couldn’t not do that when I have been in some pretty scary sections of opposing supporters. The purest part of the game is your team scoring and that uncontrollable excitement is a feeling we all surely keep going back for. 
 

I will concede though, that if it really can’t continue in a safe enough way then football must take a break again  until such time when it can resume. 
 

 

[phantom]

24 minutes ago, Redandproud said:

Agree John, I thought football was brought back under certain conditions, ie not spitting, no blowing there nose out, etc, players are ignoring it, its going to happen, football being suspended, especially not wearing masks whilst on the subs bench, 

These are not rules that were brought in

[Redandproud]

1 minute ago, phantom said:

These are not rules that were brought 

it was suggested by EFL, but never included in the rules, players were ask to observe, but ignored 

[Super]

4 minutes ago, City1984 said:

I get the general undertone of the op and whilst I agree in principle with some of it I don’t really understand how players on the same team who train together then play together whilst in the same bubble can avoid the close contact with each other. 
 

it’s like saying I should not hug my family and must sit 2meters from them on the sofa. Starts getting pretty difficult if you have 6 kids no?

The spitting and nose clearing is protein buildup and very difficult to avoid during game situations. 
 

As far as not celebrating goals in the moment are concerned , I couldn’t not do that when I have been in some pretty scary sections of opposing supporters. The purest part of the game is your team scoring and that uncontrollable excitement is a feeling we all surely keep going back for. 
 

I will concede though, that if it really can’t continue in a safe enough way then football must take a break again  until such time when it can resume. 
 

 

When some of us haven't hugged loved ones for a year it's really a pathetic excuse.

[Bar BS3]

10 minutes ago, Super said:

When some of us haven't hugged loved ones for a year it's really a pathetic excuse.

You haven't hugged loved ones for a year to keep them and yourself safe. 

People who returned negative test results (pre game and twice a week) hugging each other in the emotion of sport is entirely different, IMHO. 

I have no problem whatsoever in players celebrating a goal. They observe different regulations to me, so for them it's safe to do so - whether I've been able to hug my mum or sister for the best part of a year is irrelevant to me.. I'm not tested regularly and it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make to keep them safe. 

I'd far rather there was emotion on display in the game, as long as its safely regulated. 

[Mr Hankey]

As Nuno said the other day, if football is stopped again, it is unlikely to ever come back, at least the way it was. It's one of the only things keeping me sane & not as miserable as i would be during this pandemic (first world problems). Sure, it could be looked at as being selfish, but when you are locked up with only 1 other person working from home since March, it's the only thing that gives me something to look forward to, otherwise it just feels like you are living to work (i know, thankfully i still have job). Think it's right that elite sports are being given the chance to continue & long may it continue (only my opinion of course, i understand why others would feel differently).

[Fordy62]

3 minutes ago, Mr Hankey said:

As Nuno said the other day, if football is stopped again, it is unlikely to ever come back, at least the way it was. It's one of the only things keeping me sane & not as miserable as i would be during this pandemic (first world problems). Sure, it could be looked at as being selfish, but when you are locked up with only 1 other person working from home since March, it's the only thing that gives me something to look forward to, otherwise it just feels like you are living to work (i know, thankfully i still have job). Think it's right that elite sports are being given the chance to continue & long may it continue (only my opinion of course, i understand why others would feel differently).

You’re absolutely right. Fortunately I don’t have to work from home, but football brings about a good degree of normality. 

It’s unfortunate then however that it becomes apparent that the anticipation is much more exciting than the actual product itself. 

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Having sport on tv is one of the few things that has given me hope during the lockdown.  Everything should be done to allow elite football to carry on, but I don’t see any players spitting or clearing their noses because they are prima donnas.  It’s what sportsmen do, and it must be very difficult to stop doing it while you’re in the middle of a game, whatever the rules.  A strict testing regime has to be the answer.  However the field of play surely has to be regarded differently from what goes on in wider society. Are you suggesting that players should never go within two metres of each other? That would be interesting...

Watch Wayne Rooney stood on the touchline as a manager. Every 30 seconds or so, he spits on the ground. Its obviously habit, but its disgusting, unnessasary , and in these days, dangerous.

[The Bard]

The other night for the Sheff U v Newcastle game, at the end they showed Wilder shake hands with 3 or 4 of the Newcastle bench then he stood there rubbing his eyes and nose. 

That literally in a 10 second period was an example of how Covid is transmitted.

 

[phantom]

1 hour ago, The Bard said:

The other night for the Sheff U v Newcastle game, at the end they showed Wilder shake hands with 3 or 4 of the Newcastle bench then he stood there rubbing his eyes and nose. 

That literally in a 10 second period was an example of how Covid is transmitted.

 

I caught that too, was unbelievable watching it unfold

Premier league clubs are to be spoken to individually about what standards are to be expected from them, expect the EFL to follow suit after

[Lrrr]

If people are getting tetchy about players hugging each other for a few seconds then they must be outraged that rugby is allowed to be played given scrums, mauls and rucks.

[The Bard]

3 hours ago, Lrrr said:

If people are getting tetchy about players hugging each other for a few seconds then they must be outraged that rugby is allowed to be played given scrums, mauls and rucks.

You would have thought it was more transmissable but, how come City have had more cases than Bristol?  Training grounds about 400 metres apart.  Twice as many rugby players playing a game that as you say involves more close contact.

It's not necessarily the game, its behaviours away from it .  The celebration on the pitch is a clear indication that they aren't taking the rules seriously all the time. 

Fair play to Harry Kane last night making a point of not allowing close celebrations in the team.  Proper leadership clearly lacking at most clubs.

 

[Super]

3 hours ago, Lrrr said:

If people are getting tetchy about players hugging each other for a few seconds then they must be outraged that rugby is allowed to be played given scrums, mauls and rucks.

The difference is you don't have to hug in football.

[Ska Junkie]

Really weird parked at the Gate. Seems eerie tbh.

[formerly known as ivan]

8 hours ago, phantom said:

 

Do you know how many different teams out of the 92 have been impacted?

That is why it is carrying on

I thought we were supposed to be doing everything to stop the spread, not gauging it on the volume of the spread?

[MarcusX]

9 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

I agree that if its not safe then it's best that football gets stopped again for a while. 

I can only assume that the authorities are comfortable with the measures currently in place. 

I should imagine that very few of the outbreaks within clubs are the effect of match day action, amongst tested and negative players, but from other areas of "normal" life, hence the testing on such a regular basis. 

I also think they are acting swiftly and responsibly to cancel games when there are positive results, so it does set the sition apart from the general man on the street, imo.

It doesn’t matter where it’s from though really, if it gets in and spreads to the rest of the team it’s putting more people at risk through what is non-essential socialising.

The players might be ok if they are fit and healthy, the coaches/back room staff and / or their families maybe not so?

[MarcusX]

9 hours ago, Bassomylord said:

Not just that but managers have been hugging opposition managers before and after games. 

Touch fists and leave it at that.

Why even touch firsts, it’s unnecessary?

9 hours ago, City1984 said:

I get the general undertone of the op and whilst I agree in principle with some of it I don’t really understand how players on the same team who train together then play together whilst in the same bubble can avoid the close contact with each other. 
 

it’s like saying I should not hug my family and must sit 2meters from them on the sofa. Starts getting pretty difficult if you have 6 kids no?

The spitting and nose clearing is protein buildup and very difficult to avoid during game situations. 
 

As far as not celebrating goals in the moment are concerned , I couldn’t not do that when I have been in some pretty scary sections of opposing supporters. The purest part of the game is your team scoring and that uncontrollable excitement is a feeling we all surely keep going back for. 
 

I will concede though, that if it really can’t continue in a safe enough way then football must take a break again  until such time when it can resume. 
 

 

Asked this earlier and didn’t get an answer, what does a “bubble” mean? They aren’t all in a bubble any more than I am with my work colleagues. We all go home to our families at the end of the day - and they mix with whoever they need to etc . It’s not the same as not hugging your family! You live with them. These players (mostly) aren’t living together.

8 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

You haven't hugged loved ones for a year to keep them and yourself safe. 

People who returned negative test results (pre game and twice a week) hugging each other in the emotion of sport is entirely different, IMHO. 

I have no problem whatsoever in players celebrating a goal. They observe different regulations to me, so for them it's safe to do so - whether I've been able to hug my mum or sister for the best part of a year is irrelevant to me.. I'm not tested regularly and it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make to keep them safe. 

I'd far rather there was emotion on display in the game, as long as its safely regulated. 

They haven’t been testing twice weekly in the EFL, premier league might have.

Tbh though I agree, amongst everything else they are doing, the goal celebration doesn’t make much difference. Half hour in the changing rooms before the game would probably be worse for transmission. That said the celebrations have become more normal as it’s gone on, when the game first came back teams made a point of not celebrating together.

[phantom]

2 hours ago, Super said:

The difference is you don't have to hug in football.

But the point and the question is very valid.

Certainly not a consistent approach 

1 hour ago, formerly known as ivan said:

I thought we were supposed to be doing everything to stop the spread, not gauging it on the volume of the spread?

One feeds into the other

[Oldland2]

If we can’t use our season ticket to see a game then perhaps we can use it to jump the queue at the gate for the vaccine, Might be the only shot on target we will see this season