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

[Pete3206]

Just reading about Sky apparently planning to use CGI fans at behind closed door fixtures. You have to laugh at this pointless circus.

[ozzjim]

The idea of playing again before the autumn seems utterly absurd to 90% of people I think. After that the only options to not end up in court are to void, or do something like the daily mail article above and run a 22 team league that has 5 relegation places next season, or agree that the 3 relegated sides this season get the full TV money as if they had stayed up, and a larger parachute payment the season after if not promoted to compensate the situation. Either way, football should be on the backburner until safety is assured, and there is some methodology for having at least small fan participation. Behind closed door games will be soul-less money driven bullshit that once and for all demonstrate how far the game has disappeared down the TV Money devils throat.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

German Federal Gov't have postponed decision on reopening schools and restarting football games.

The Portuguese league is going to restart behind closed doors on the 1st of June.

Portugal introduced a lockdown quite quickly once they saw what was going on next door. Thankfully their infection rate and deaths are nothing like the U.K. and might well make the relaxation of measures less threatening

Down to 14 deaths today but still looking at closed door games - if possible. I'm struggling to see how England could even consider restarting the season but then I remember the money involved.

[Dave P]

PPG is a scary prospect for us but worth noting it was a neat solution in France with a clear leader and two clubs effectively cut adrift

Plus they actually have it in league rules. If competition ends then positions stand

Is that true? That’s good news for us as I’m sure that isn’t a PL rule or it would have been reported throughout.

[PeterWithe]

R4 reporting that PL are planning to have behind closed door games up to Xmas and possibly next May.

[andyh]

Glad to see players now expressing concern about restarting.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11679/11981384/sergio-aguero-manchester-city-striker-says-some-players-are-fearful-of-returning-amid-pandemic

[walsall villain]

R4 reporting that PL are planning to have behind closed door games up to Xmas and possibly next May.

Well we have been told that until a vaccine is found we are all at risk so that’s hardly a surprise. Football is another industry that is facing catastrophic change. Will football unite to help save as many clubs as possible? I doubt it.

[Ben.H]

Just reading about Sky apparently planning to use CGI fans at behind closed door fixtures. You have to laugh at this pointless circus.

I hope they're all singing, "It's not football anymore."

[The Edge]

R4 reporting that PL are planning to have behind closed door games up to Xmas and possibly next May.

And they are saying that every game will be shown live. How's that going to work? You will need ground staff, medics, players,coaches, their entourage, match officials, ballboys, tv crew, commentators, electricians, drivers etc. I just don't see how playing behind closed doors is feasable or more importantly safe.We're talking about a virus, a deadly pandemic not playing behind closed doors due to crowd behaviour and such.

[Baldy]

A virus does not recognise or respect  'Closed Doors'.

Thank you

Dr Baldy

[chrisw1]

I think they will work out ways to do it reasonably safely when the infection rate is much lower - but I would guess that has to be much later in the year and probably for the new season.  I'm sure June will be a non starter.

[mr underhill]

I don't care any more because i'm never going to attend another PL game.

[levico]

Understandably all the focus is on what to do about the current season. Equally as tricky is 20/21. Can’t see any sporting events with spectators taking place until a vaccine is developed, tested and manufactured on a global scale. That could be a year from now with a fair wind.

[chrisw1]

I don't care any more because i'm never going to attend another PL game.

Just because the PL is wants to explore the possibility of keeping the season (and probably several clubs) alive?  No decisions have been made yet and discussing the future hardly seems grounds for chucking your toys out the pram.

I tell you what, if I was a Burnley fan and I knew there was a possibility that my club which was founded in 1882 was at risk of going to the wall and the PL wasn't even looking at ways to potentially save it, then I'd be pissed off.  THAT would be a reason to chuck toys, not some perceived offence that the PL is simply discussing potential ways forward.

[aev]

From the Guardain

"Premier League clubs have invested in coronavirus testing machines that can turn around results in two and a half hours as they gear up towards finding a way to complete the season. The league is overseeing the initiative and it is understood that some clubs in the Championship have also purchased the machines, which cost £36,000 and are readily available.

The machines can test only one person every two and a half hours, meaning that clubs could realistically test seven employees each day with them. That, along with the cost, is probably why there is little demand for them from the NHS – whose test results take longer to return."