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

[phantom limb]

I think they’ll end up cancelling the whole thing and saying “well we tried”. Every proposal that we’ve heard about just sounds like unrealistic, dangerous bollocks.

[Steve67]

I think they’ll end up cancelling the whole thing and saying “well we tried”. Every proposal that we’ve heard about just sounds like unrealistic, dangerous bollocks.

I agree.  Also, the suggestion to play games at a neutral venue is also absolute shite.  Who on earth would want that, even if the fans cannot attend? Whilst there remains any risk at all, to anyone on the planet, football should not re-start. 

[tony scott]

I think ,because we can’t get back to any kind of normality until July,at the earliest forecast we should scrap this season, the EPL could give Liverpool a one off special award. The focus should now be on the 20/21 season.  The financial implications are huge, but so are they for vast majority in all walks of life.

[Rory]

I started off thinking that relegation was too close to 'predict', regardless of our position, but that awarding Liverpool the title was only fair.

For what it's worth, I have always thought we'd scrape 17th this year. Not based on evidence or performances, but a general feeling that we'd just about have enough.

But reading a bullshit article on Fourfourtwo about players who 'should've played for the Big Six but didn't', going all the way back to the 90s, when there wasn't a 'top four', let alone a 'big six', I remembered everything I hate about modern football. Not the players, or even the money, but the way it is constructed. This groupthink that the rich clubs have always been the biggest and the best. That this is the status quo. It is all manufactured and utterly false.

Chelsea are giants of the game because they were bought by a dodgy billionaire. Man City because they're sponsored by an entire state's oil money. Tottenham because they are based in North London. Newcastle because they have high attendances in a one-club city. Liverpool's history is a selling point but Villa's is a desperate plea for relevance. The fact we're expected to support English clubs in European competition because of the notion that we're all investors in the product that is the PL. The suggestion that we should all be delighted to see the best players in the world playing in the division, even if it means they're tearing Villa a new arsehole.

I haven't felt like I'm a part of PL football for a long time, and have disliked what it stands for for even longer. I know it continues to matter to me because Villa still have the power to make or ruin my weekends. The only authentic thing about top level football is what it means to the thousands who turn up every week.

To me, the scramble to finish this season at all costs so that Liverpool can win a pot is nothing to do with integrity. It's part of that fabric of nonsense, the PR narrative that has established football as a product and a cultural institution that has been perverted to represent commercial interests and returns for the most viable investors, rather than a sport.

Continuing the season without fans is the latest but, for me, the most significant detachment of the game from the people who are its neglected soul - the supporters.

(In summary, bollocks to Liverpool.)

[olaftab]

Great post Rory. Thank you for dissecting it appropriately.

[KevinGage]

There's 10 games to play. A huge part of the season. Mathematical solutions don't work. Football isn't played on paper.

Yeah, true, but it isn't played at all in conditions like these.

I just think it is fantasy for them even to think they could play out the season in those timeframes.

If you look at what is likely to happen when we emerge from this, it will be phased and gradual. During that time period, the government is still going to be telling a large part of the population that they need to stay at home, socially distance themselves, isolate if ill etc etc and preaching how important it is to follow that.

Now imagine them trying to keep that message strong and clear whilst allowing footballers to play a close contact sport - even if behind closed doors.

It just won't happen. In any phased return to normal, sporting events are going to be amongst the last things to be renewed, not the first.

This is entirely about money at a time when what is needed is to put human health first.

If we end up watching some sort of absurd, dangerous circus of an end to the season just because the league don't want to have to give Sky a load of money back, then that genuinely will be game over for me and football, it would be the money driven grimness of the modern game taken to the absolute limit.

Fuck that.

Aye, but bread and circuses. Keep the populace suitably numbed. Sport will play a key role in the delusion that we're returning to normal.

The current regime are all about buzz words, phrases and surface bombast. Fuck the details.

[Ad@m]

Agreed. I think sport has got much more chance of restarting behind closed doors than other forms of entertainment.

Basically anything broadcastable will get special dispensation to open up for TV/morale purposes before stuff like cinemas, theatres, etc do.

[sid1964]

As the tour de France is going ahead at the end of August then I can see football re-starting at the beginning of September, for a new season

With regards to gatherings of people -  there is no way that Pubs etc... are not going to reopen once the government gives the go ahead (possibly in 3 weeks), and I will be in there! -  The major automotive companies will be back during May, so again if you work in that industry you will have a choice work or get sacked?

I suppose if and when football re-starts and they allow crowds in, which will be in my opinion when the new season starts - you will all have to choose if you want to go or not (the clubs will probably get you to sign a form online when you buy a ticket absolving them of any responsibility of you suing them if you catch the corona virus)

Life has to get back to normal and fairly quickly - as I was driving to work this morning I saw the bin lorry pass me and 4 blokes sat in a confined space (no self distancing in the cab)

I know the company I work for were going to re-open at the beginning of May (until yesterdays announcement), they cannot carry on as we are, and mass unemployment is the way this country is going, in a few months you will not be worrying about corona virus - you will be hoping that you have a job, and can pay your mortgage etc.

As a Manager at another business used to say to me (ex Para's) - someone needs to put their hand down their trousers feel their balls and make a decision!

Claret and blue face masks with a lion on - could be a big seller!

[Richard E]

John Percy in the Telegraph says we’ve informed staff that we have no intention of furloughing anyone.

[andyh]

Excellent post Rory.

[andyh]

Agreed. I think sport has got much more chance of restarting behind closed doors than other forms of entertainment.

Basically anything broadcastable will get special dispensation to open up for TV/morale purposes before stuff like cinemas, theatres, etc do.

Seeing us lose, whether in person or on the telly only does one thing for my morale!

[brian green]

Agree.  In my state I am too depressed to take Relegation on the top of Brexit and Coronavirus.

[Rigadon]

Like other have said on this thread, if they finish this season ‘behind closed doors’ (sod the hundreds of people that still impacts) just to avoid losing some money it might well be the final nail for me too.  I just heard the money involved is a billion pounds, so I fully expect the Premier League to try. 

[andyh]

We keep hearing about ‘the money’. And I agree, this seem to be the biggest reason why the football world is dragging it’s feet in making any decision.
But, exactly what money are we talking about?
Is it money that Sky owe the clubs as payment for showing their product?
Is is money the clubs have to pay back if they don’t honour their commitments to play the games they have sold?

Either way, football needs Sky like Sky needs football.
It seems to me that they should easily be able to resolve any financial arguments because It’s mutually beneficial.
If Sky screws football over now surely they know that football will screw them back when it comes to contract renegotiation.
With new players like Amazon, BT and Netflix desperate to get a slice of the pie, Sky has got to be careful it doesn’t alienate its cash cow.

[sid1964]

It is not only SKY money for the Premier League it is the revenue they get from overseas TV coverage and other areas of the business.

The Burnley chairman has already stated that they will run out of money in August if there is no resumption in football this season.

The clubs will do everything that they can to play the final games of the season - on the BBC sport website - Champions League final for this season could be last weekend of August

Hopefully all clubs will now seriously look at what ridiculous wages that they are playing these players and start to take control of them, this may mean that instead of the players having all the power, the clubs will now have the upper hand.

If you are player out of contract on June 30th - you must be wondering if you will get another club.