mozo

Well certainly I don't think you are irrational, but it does surprise me that you don't see a curiosity there at the very least? You've got 10 leaders taking scientific advice. 8 interpret it one way, and 2 another way. We are one of the two (in this simplification). Isn't it normal to say, hang in, what do those 8 know that we don't?!

The world has taken a very strange turn, that's for sure. If you'd have told me in 2015 that within 5 years we'd have a pandemic requiring global isolation for a year minimum, Boris as PM, Trump as Pres, Brexit, and that Southgate would have taken England to a world cup semi final with Lingard, Trippier and Maguire proving to be key players, well I'd have laughed hysterically, then screamed for medication...

Congrats to both of you. Your kids will never fully appreciate the strange year that they were born into!

Well it's 100% not point scoring for British people to question why this government has taken a different approach to the vast majority of leading nations. You'd be irrational if you weren't concerned by that.

My mrs can't go to the Magic Mike show anymore. Spare a thought for her!

Interesting. How does one emigrate?

Does the fact that North Korea has recorded 0 cases prove that isolationism is a great idea after all?

Like with the sports events, the govt are putting the onus on the populous. Seems a bit odd...

Give him chance. We've had year on year improvements and currently in 7th...

No they're probably more concerned about missing out on their win bonuses...

Well Liverpool have a timely goodwill PR opportunity. Sacrifice a weeks wages to help Tranmere, Southport and grass roots in Merseyside. Might curry a little extra favour in the future...

You're right, of course, but this is a football forum after all, so makes sense to debate the football season. The somewhat biased panel on the Sunday Supplement on Sky commented that when we are all in lockdown and panicked, football could be exactly the distraction that people need.

Sky reports that Italy will request Euros postponement: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/30778/11958047/italy-to-ask-for-euro-2020-postponement And it seems inevitable really. Perhaps not a bad thing for our young squad. Another year for players like Mount, Greenwood, Abraham, Foden and Cantwell to develop, among others.

From the Guardian piece shared on this thread previously... Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, has explained that part of the reason for not embracing bans is to encourage “herd immunity”.

So whilst I've been asserting my presumption that market forces will dictate that we will resume the season, thus placating the money men, there is one thought I just had... What if West Ham, for example, refuse to recommence the season, on "health grounds" (arguably a rational stance, regardless of their contrived selfish motives)? So the majority of the PL vote to resume under controlled circumstances, but one or more relegation threatened sides refuse, threatening legal action etc. Would they want to do this anyway? Hmmm....

That's harsh. These players need to pay to put food on the plate for their families you know. It's not cheap to source White Pearl Albino Caviar and Swallows’ Nest Soup, accompanied by a large glass of 1996 Dom Perignon Rose Gold Methuselah...

Again, I'm not saying it's a solution, but I think that the wealth generation of football will dictate that it goes ahead, so clubs say 'we're putting common sense measures in place to mitigate the risk. Eg Frequent testing, deep cleans, behind closed doors games, strict off pitch instructions for all players and staff etc... It's a compromise scenario so that PaddyPower is happy, BT and Sky are happy, shirt sponsors are happy, and so on... Could be wrong!

I suppose clubs in the top two divisions could afford to test each member of staff on a weekly basis, or some kind of safeguarding measures like that?

Betting companies will be lobbying the sports associations and politicians too, to get games on

And that's what I personally expect to happen (pure cynical speculation). It keeps the money flowing, albeit to a lesser extent. I suppose it gets controversial if say Aston Villa have a crucial game in their survival bid and Grealish wakes up on Saturday feeling under the weather. Does he play or do they do the right thing? Contracts and transfers is an odd one too. If the league continued into July, could West Ham spend a load of money of new players to secure survival, or would the FA insist that new recruits can't play until the next season? Could City use expensive loans to give us the edge over Preston?

I don't disagree with you but since when has football been driven by integrity? My cynical side thinks that there's so much money in football that they will find a way to justify to themselves as close to BAU as possible. Greedy agents want their deals. Clubs are owned by businessmen. BT and Sky need a product. Advertising has to reach its market. Etc etc Money is king.

Well if you take the crowd out of the equation, it is possible to finish the season behind closed doors with all fans watching on Robin's TV. Sky and BT can still get their games too. This does require the clubs being able to justify the players and staff going to work despite the associated risks.

Also, I hear a lot of people saying 'flu kills people all the time, what's the fuss?' But surely they should be thinking, 'flu kills people all the time, let's prevent 2 or 3 times that amount losing their lives'.

Yet again, we can't break into the top 6...

Surely it was Everton!