How much will Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact Aston Villa's season?

[andyh]

Belgium, Holland and now France.

If the Premier League had a shred of integrity, it would bin the season off now.

Germany’s approach isn’t helping.

[Villan82]

Well done France.

[cdward]

Belgium, Holland and now France.

If the Premier League had a shred of integrity, it would bin the season off now.

Germany’s approach isn’t helping.

Or Belarus, although reading reports, the fans are staying away from the matches, only 300 turned up at a game that would expect 2,000, and the players are starting to have concerns about still playing.

[curiousorange]

It seems to me all of the powers which are responsible for the return of football in this country, namely the Premier League/EFL and the government, have vested interests beyond health which cannot be trusted. For the former, it's entirely financial, and for the latter, it's a distraction from the pig's ear they've made of the pandemic as a whole. Give the proles their circuses back and they'll stop asking awkward questions. It also has the added bonus of being a signifier come the next election: "remember, we got the football back in record time!"

Yes, it's a cynical way to look at it, but when they're discussing bastardising the game with non-contact set pieces and neutral festivals in closed grounds, it's hard to see it as a health issue.

[curiousorange]

And something else which has just occurred to me: there won't be VAR for whatever ridiculous reason. If you can now play an official Premier League match without it, what'll be the point in bringing back afterwards?

[andyh]

Cancelling the season is a fantastic way of righting the wrongs of VAR.

[Rotterdam]

I think the French have made the right decision. We shouldn’t be too far behind, be I suspect we will have another couple of weeks of ‘will we? Won’t we?’

[The Edge]

Cancelling the system is a fantastic way of righting the wrongs of VAR.

You read my mind. I said on the var thread ages ago that this season could be voided due to the blatant injustices they have managed to inflict on teams. I was half joking but every cloud and all that.

[andyh]

Just a matter of time now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52462233

[Mister E]

I think it's important that the decision on 2019-20 season is made early. Clubs need certainty and making the decision will help those financially-strapped clubs to bear down on expenditure and talk to funders about debt holidays.

[Des Little]

I think ‘early’ was about two weeks ago. This is already at the drawn-out saga stage. Just bloody well end it now.

[David_Nab]

I wonder about the legal aspects of voiding , more importantly who makes the choice

For example if the Gov do as they have done in France and decree no sports then if voided do Sky have a claim on the PL for monies owed when legally the PL had to stop playing?

[Richard]

Very good point David, makes you wonder if the EPL are gearing up for football to resume knowing full well it wont/cant so the likes of Sky then have to back off as nothing they can enforce.

[ChicagoLion]

Depends on the contract but it is likely that the PL owe the TV companies.
Either way the PL need the TV companies more than ever.

[David_Nab]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-chiefs-formulating-plan-21942601

1000 tests a week ...

The Premier League will discuss the testing procedures on Friday as the pressure grows on them to restart and get the games finished to satisfy the TV paymasters.